Australia’s property market continues to see strong investor activity, with the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealing a notable rise in lending. During the June quarter, investor loans surged by 3.5%, equating to 49,065 new loans. By comparison, loans to owner-occupiers edged up just 0.9% to 80,929, while first-home buyers remained active with 28,861 loans written over the same period.

ABS head of finance statistics, Dr Mish Tan, says the data highlights how resilient lending activity remains, even in the face of affordability challenges and interest rate fluctuations. While the number of owner-occupier loans was slightly lower than this time last year, the total value of those loans rose by 7.4%, underscoring the strength of demand. In total, $87.7 billion worth of loans were recorded in the June quarter — 2% higher than the previous quarter and 7.2% higher than a year ago.

This uptick in lending suggests investors are regaining confidence, with many looking to capitalise on continued population growth, tight rental markets, and the long-term stability of real estate returns.