Record rates of homeowners at risk of mortgage stress

By Jack Dona · · 2 min read
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Stressed out mother sitting in the middle of a toy train track set on her living room floor, while children are running around her

New research from Roy Morgan found that a record number of Australians with a home loan were at risk of falling into mortgage stress in August 2023.  

Mortgage stress is generally defined as spending more than 30% of your income on mortgage repayments. 

The number of homeowners at risk of mortgage stress has grown by 759,000 since May 2022, hitting a record high of almost 1.57 million in the three months to August 2023, according to Roy Morgan. That’s roughly 30.2% of mortgage holders in the country. 

The number of homeowners deemed ‘extremely at risk’ of mortgage stress, according to the data, has been riding high above the average of the last 15 years (15.3%) reaching 1.07 million, or 21% of homeowners.

RELATED: The mortgage cyclone ripping through household budgets 

Mortgage stress could only be a rate rise away for many 

While the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) chose to pause cash rate hikes again in their October decision, Roy Morgan modelled the hypothetical impact of both an October and November rate rise on levels of mortgage stress. 

They found that, if the RBA had increased the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35%, a further 91,000 homeowners would be at risk of mortgage stress, totalling 31.4% of borrowers. 

If the RBA then decided to give another 25 basis point boost to the cash rate in November, bringing it to 4.6%, we’d see an estimated 107,000 more Aussie homeowners at risk of mortgage stress. That would bring the total percentage of borrowers in the ‘at risk’ category to 31.7%. 

Finding a lower home loan rate could help combat mortgage costs 

As many lenders tend to raise their variable home loan rates in tandem with the cash rate, ensuring that you’re always on one of the lowest rates you can find can go a long way to reducing your monthly repayments and steering clear of mortgage stress. 

Of course, it’s easier said than done. But not impossible. 

There are ways to negotiate a cheaper home loan or refinance with a new lender, for instance. 

Otherwise, keep up to date with home loan rates using Mozo’s home loan comparison tool, featuring the latest rates, offers, and a quick overview of a loan’s features. Check some of the featured home loans below to get started.

Home loan comparisons on Mozo - last updated 5 December 2023

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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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