More same-sex home borrowers in the property market, according to Aussie

The number of same-sex couples buying homes together with joint mortgages is on the rise, according to Aussie Home Loans, particularly among female couples.

The data showed that female partners are more likely than men to take out a joint loan, with the number of loans taken out by women growing from 50% of all same-sex joint loans in 2014, to 55%.

Aussie CEO James Symond has predicted that the number of same-sex loans will continue to grow in light of recent developments in favour of same-sex marriage.

“We are delighted to be providing more loans to same-sex joint applicants, whether they are couples or singles partnering up,” he said.

“I expect to see significant growth from these customers for years to come thanks to the legislation of same-sex marriage.”

The research found that about half (45% female, 59% male) of the same-sex partners with a joint loan were married or in a defacto relationship, the other half Symond suggests could be “savvy singles - and in particular women - who are looking to join forces to get a foot on the property ladder.”

Another finding from the data was that the top Australian suburbs for these home-buying couples were all within NSW and Victoria.

“Melbourne’s Yarraville, Craigieburn and Brunswick are Australia’s top three suburbs for joint female loans while Sydney’s Redfern, Surry Hills and Newtown are the most popular for joint male loans,” Symonds said.

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According to the research, the average age of these borrowers was 41 years old for women, and 38 for men. Also notable is the gap between average loan sizes, where male couples borrow more than their female counterparts, with an average loan size of $337,182 for men, and $316,405 for women.

Symond noted the clear disparity between men and women in the property market, which he put down to the pay gap between genders.

“Our data shows the average individual income for single male customers is 17 per cent higher than single females, and 12 per cent higher for joint same-sex customers,” he said.

“That’s not an insignificant amount, and could ultimately be the cause of women’s delayed entry into property.”

Buying a home as a couple is a big step - one that you need to be prepared for. Our first home buyers guide will help answer any questions you may have, and when you’re ready, head over to our home loan comparison tables to compare low rates and handy features, or check out some great options below.