Higher deposits, stretched LVRs & more borrowers needing mortgage insurance
New report shows the challenges involved in buying a home are getting tougher
2 min
The amount of money required for a home deposit is rising and more than half of home buyers had to pay lenders’ mortgage insurance in FY23, according to a new report released by PEXA.
NSW recorded the highest median deposit in FY23 at just below $120,000, up 3.9 percent on FY22. In Victoria, the median deposit was $84,723, down 0.5 percent, and in Queensland it was $78,143, up 8.5 percent.
The time it takes to save these deposits is on the rise. Based on the median family income in each state and a 15 percent savings rate, PEXA found NSW buyers now need an average of almost eight years to save their deposit. This is up a whopping 83 percent since 2020. It takes Victorian buyers a little over five years to save their deposit, up 64 percent since 2020. It takes Queensland buyers just under five years, up 37 percent over two years.
Average deposit-to-value ratios (DVRs) increased to about 20 percent across the three major eastern states as a result of lenders tightening their credit criteria in FY23. The DVR is the amount of cash a buyer contributes to a purchase. The average DVRs in FY23 were 20.4percent in NSW, up 1 percent on FY22; 19.5 percent in Victoria, up 0.8 percent and 19.8percent in Queensland, up 1.5 percent.
The PEXA data shows most borrowers are taking out the maximum possible LVR (loan to value ratio) to fund their purchases. The average LVRs among borrowers in FY23 were 79.6 percent in NSW, 80.5 percent in Victoria and 80.2 percent in Queensland. The research shows the major banks averaged higher LVRs, suggesting they are “more open to lower deposit borrowers, due to their visibility of borrower’s income and expenditure via existing banking relationships”. This also meant more major bank customers had to pay lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI).
Most lenders will not lend more than 80 percent of a property’s value without forcing the borrower to pay LMI. This insurance protects the bank from default and can be very expensive. Over half of new borrowers had to pay LMI in FY23. The rate was highest in Victoria, where 56.5 percent of new borrowers had to take out LMI.
The PEXA report said rising property prices meant buyers needed higher deposits, making it tougher to buy a home and making the “generational wealth gap more apparent”.
As a result, younger buyers are increasingly tapping the Bank of Mum and Dad to help them achieve the required deposit, as well as taking advantage of government support through various programs.
Australian shares fell on Thursday as Wall Street weakness, rising oil and persistent rate concerns weighed on most of the market. The S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.72 per cent to 8,702. The All Ordinaries lost 0.66 per cent to finish at 8,897. Mining stocks were hit particularly hard, while real estate also dragged on the index. …
Continue reading “ASX falls 0.7 per cent as miners and property stocks retreat”
Borrowers cannot control the Reserve Bank, but they can control how exposed their household budget is to its next decision. The RBA meets on 29 September with inflation concerns still elevated and major-bank economists increasingly bringing forward their rate-rise calls. Fixed mortgage rates have also been moving, reducing the value of waiting for perfect certainty. …
Continue reading “What mortgage holders should do before the next RBA decision”
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A property portfolio can look comfortable until several small pressures arrive together: a rate increase, a vacancy, higher insurance and an unexpected repair. The correct time to model that combination is before it occurs.
Start by recalculating every loan at 0.25, 0.50 and one percentage point above its current rate. Include principal-and-interest repayments even where a loan is temporarily interest-only, because the eventual step-up may be larger than the next RBA move.
Then calculate true net rent. Deduct management, council and water charges, strata, insurance, maintenance, land tax where applicable and a vacancy allowance. A property advertised with an attractive gross yield can produce a very different result after these costs.
Third, review the portfolio’s liquidity. An offset account can reduce interest while keeping cash accessible, but investors should obtain tax advice before moving funds between loans. The distinction between investment and private debt affects deductibility, and poorly structured redraws can create lasting complexity.
Fourth, examine refinancing risk rather than just today’s rate. A highly leveraged investor may be unable to refinance on the same terms because the new lender tests total debt at a higher assessment rate. Credit-card limits, owner-occupied debt and shaded rental income can all reduce capacity.
Fifth, rank properties by resilience. Consider net yield, vacancy risk, near-term capital expenditure, tenant demand, debt attached and the cost of selling. This is not an instruction to sell the weakest performer automatically; transaction costs and tax consequences matter. It is a way to identify where pressure would emerge first.
Investors should also review fixed-rate and interest-only expiry dates. A portfolio with several facilities resetting in the same quarter carries concentration risk even when each loan appears manageable individually.
The goal is not to predict the RBA perfectly. It is to ensure that one policy decision does not force a rushed refinancing, sale or reduction in essential maintenance. A portfolio that can absorb higher rates and temporary income interruptions gives its owner time to make deliberate decisions.
Read more: What mortgage holders should do before the next RBA decision
Portfolio checklist
Stress test: Current rate plus 0.25, 0.50 and one percentage point.
Model: Net rent after every recurring cost and vacancy.
Check: Fixed-rate expiries, interest-only expiries and loan maturity.
Preserve: An accessible emergency buffer.
Review: Insurance, land tax, strata works and major maintenance.
Seek advice: Licensed credit, financial and tax advice before restructuring.
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