New first home buyer loans up 20 per cent over last year, says ABS

By Jack Dona · · 2 min read
Fact Checked
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A couple smile and shake hands with a real estate agent inside a house

First home buyer activity roared back to life by the end of 2023, after a comparatively slow start to the year, and a 2022 riddled with aggressive cash rate hikes and rising inflation. 

Despite ongoing inflation and higher interest rates, 20.3% more new home loan commitments were recorded than in the previous year to November 2023, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

This might mean more and more Australians are keen to buy a first home, and consumer confidence, at least when it comes to property, is on the mend.

However, the ABS data also revealed that the values of these new loans for first-time buyers ballooned by 25.8% during the year to November 2023, which could be driven by the increase in demand.

The ABS notes the average mortgage size in Australia was $608,000 in November 2023. 

With hope on the cards for a potential cash rate cut in 2024, is this the year you finally get a foot in the door of your first home?

RELATED: 10 expert tips for buying your first home in 2024 

A low-rate loan could be the key to your first home 

A lower rate can improve your borrowing power and increase the chances of your lender approving your loan request. 

Low-rate home loans can also help to keep your monthly mortgage bill down, and might even save you tens of thousands of dollars in interest over the long term. 

For example, the average owner-occupied home loan on a variable rate of 6.85% p.a. ($400k, <80% LVR) will cost you $2,789 per month, or $436,687 in interest after 25 years. 

If you were to cut your interest rate down by just 0.96% p.a., to 5.89% p.a. (the lowest standard variable rate in our database), you’d be saving $239 per month, or $71,574 in interest after 25 years. 

So, make sure you compare home loans when doing your research, to ensure you’re getting as low a rate as you possibly can, while still getting all the home loan features you might want. 

Read through our first time buyer guides, or get an idea of what interest rates some of the home loan lenders in our database are charging below. 

Home loan comparisons on Mozo - last updated 3 May 2024

Search promoted home loans below or do a full Mozo database search. Advertiser disclosure
  • Featured Product
    Mozo Expert Choice Badge
    Unloan Variable

    Owner Occupier, LVR <80%

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    5.99% p.a. variable
    5.90% p.a.

    Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.

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  • Offset Home Loan

    Package, Owner Occupier, LVR<60%, Principal & Interest

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.14% p.a. variable
    6.39% p.a.

    Ability to open up to 10 offset accounts per loan account. Fast online application. Linked Debit Mastercard® with fee-free access at ATMs across Australia. Package a credit card with your home loan and the annual card fee will be waived (T&Cs apply). 40% deposit required.

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  • Flex Home Loan

    Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <60%

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.19% p.a. variable
    6.43% p.a.

    Competitive variable rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 40% deposit required.

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  • Fixed Rate

    Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, <80% LVR

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.54% p.a.
    fixed 2 years
    7.10% p.a.

    Enjoy up to $3000 cashback for eligible first home buyers and $2000 cashback for refinancers on eligible home loans with the ANZ Fixed Rate Home Loan. Get the security of repayment certainty with a competitive locked in rate. No ongoing fees to pay. Offset account on 1-year fixed loans ($10/month fee applies). Interest-only payments allowed.

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  • Basic Home Loan

    Owner Occupier, LVR<60%, Principal & Interest

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.14% p.a. variable
    6.16% p.a.

    Enjoy a low rate home loan with $0 application fee and $0 ongoing fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free redraw from your loan using online banking. Flexible ways to repay. 40% Deposit required.

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  • Variable Home Loan 90

    Principal and Interest, LVR <90%

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.04% p.a. variable
    6.06% p.a.

    Affordable home loan rate for buyers or refinancers. No monthly or ongoing fees. Option to add an offset for 0.10%. Access to savings with unlimited redraws available. Minimum 10% deposit required.

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  • Flex Home Loan

    Fixed, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR 60-70%

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    5.99% p.a.
    fixed 3 years
    6.41% p.a.

    Competitive fixed rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 20% deposit required.

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  • SMSF Home Loan

    LVR <70%

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.99% p.a. variable
    7.00% p.a.

    Enjoy a competitive rate on your SMSF home loan with Loans.com.au. Available for refinancers only. No application fee and no settlement fee. No monthly, annual or ongoing fees. Unlimited extra repayments. Online access via Smart Money App. 30% deposit required.

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  • Fixed Rate Loan with Orange Advantage

    Orange Advantage, Owner Occupiers, Principal & Interest, LVR <80%

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.09% p.a.
    fixed 2 years
    6.16% p.a.

    Know exactly what your repayments will be, and you can fix your rate for up to 5 years. No monthly, annual fee or transaction fees. Free additional repayments (less than $10,000 p.a.). Valid for loans of $50,000 up to $2,000,000.

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  • Elevate

    Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, <80% LVR

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Initial monthly repayment
    6.09% p.a. variable
    6.20% p.a.

    Get competitive rates on loan terms of 5 to 30 years with the Aussie Elevate Home Loan. Structure your loan with up to five splits. Make additional repayments (T&Cs apply). Offset accounts available. Unlimited redraw using your online banking account. Choose from weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments For loan amounts from $10,000 to $5 million.

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* WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years.

** Initial monthly repayment figures are estimates only, based on the advertised rate. You can change the loan amount and term in the input boxes at the top of this table. Rates, fees and charges and therefore the total cost of the loan may vary depending on your loan amount, loan term, and credit history. Actual repayments will depend on your individual circumstances and interest rate changes.

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