Home loan lending increases, as housing market steadily picks up pace
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New mortgage commitments have seen a monthly rise of almost 5 percent since January 2022, ABS data released today reveals.
The strongest figures were for loan commitments by owner/occupiers, up 5.5 percent compared with investors at 3.7 percent. The rise is a 1 percent increase on February figures.
While it’s an overall improvement, the ABS notes that the $24 billion increase in loans is 26.3 percent down on this time last year. Borrowing rose sharply during COVID, particularly among owner/occupiers. This reflects the corresponding rise in housing values, which analysts put down to low interest rates and government support to protect jobs during the pandemic.
PropTrack economist Angus Moore lending activity was remarkably strong in 2020 and 2021.
“The value of new mortgage commitments in March was up just under 5% compared to April. That’s notable as it’s the first time we’ve seen an increase in new lending since early 2022,” he said. “Even so, we’re seeing a lot less new lending than we were a year ago, down a bit over a quarter compared to March 2022.
“While that’s a substantial pullback, it really reflects just how strong lending activity was in late 2021 and early 2022. The value of new loan commitments is still pretty robust and is substantially stronger than we were seeing in 2019 or early 2020, in part because of the strong growth in house prices we’ve seen.”
His expectation is that the upward trend in lending is set to continue this year, although it may be tempered by further interest rate increases by the RBA.
“External refinancing activity remains very strong and is showing no signs of slowing down,” Mr Moore said. “It hit another new peak in March, with around 28,000 owner occupiers refinancing in March alone – that’s twice as many as we’ve typically seen on average over the past two decades.”
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Victorian auction buyers will soon receive a piece of information that has traditionally been withheld until bidding reaches it: the vendor’s reserve price. Under new property-sale and underquoting laws, agents must publish the agreed reserve at least seven days before an auction or fixed-date sale. Most changes begin on 1 October 2026 and apply to …
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More than 10,000 homes, an expansive central park and a mix of hospitality, retail and wellness facilities will form Azizi Developments’ first master-planned community in the emirate.
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Sharjah is set to receive one of its largest new residential communities, with Azizi Developments unveiling plans for a US$8.1 billion master-planned precinct containing more than 10,000 homes.
Named Azizi Florence, the freehold development will comprise 1,130 villas, more than 6,000 townhouses and 3,500 apartments. Three-bedroom townhouses will start from US$515,000, with an indicative rate of US$231 per square foot of saleable space.
The project marks the Dubai-based developer’s first move into Sharjah, expanding a portfolio that includes the planned Burj Azizi skyscraper and the Azizi Venice community in Dubai.
A park at the heart of the community
Rather than treating landscaping as an afterthought, Azizi Florence will be organised around a 1.7 million sq ft central park.
The wider precinct is planned as a self-contained neighbourhood combining homes with retail, hospitality, education, leisure and wellness facilities.
Six residential clusters will sit within the development, each with its own park, clubhouse, community centre and landscaped gardens. The approach reflects a broader shift across large Middle Eastern developments, where greenery, recreation and everyday convenience are increasingly central to the residential proposition.
The scale of Azizi Florence suggests it is intended to function as a neighbourhood rather than a collection of housing estates. Its mix of housing types should also give the project broader appeal, accommodating apartment buyers alongside families seeking townhouses or standalone villas.
Azizi expands beyond Dubai
Azizi Developments has delivered more than 45,000 homes to buyers from over 100 countries and says it has approximately 150,000 units under construction.
Much of its growth has been concentrated in Dubai, where its portfolio extends across Palm Jumeirah, Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Dubai South, Sheikh Zayed Road and Downtown Jebel Ali.
Its most prominent current project is Burj Azizi, which is intended to become the world’s second-tallest building. Azizi Florence represents a different type of undertaking: a low-rise, family-oriented community built around public space and daily amenity.
For company founder and chairman Mirwais Azizi, the Sharjah project also carries a personal connection. The emirate was his first home in the UAE more than three decades ago, adding a symbolic dimension to the developer’s expansion.
Sharjah’s residential ambitions grow
Although Dubai and Abu Dhabi have traditionally captured much of the international attention directed at the UAE property market, Sharjah has been steadily broadening its residential offering.
Large freehold communities such as Azizi Florence have the potential to attract both local families and international purchasers looking for comparatively accessible entry points into the Emirates’ property market.
At a starting price of US$515,000, the project’s three-bedroom townhouses will sit well below the cost of equivalent family homes in many of Dubai’s more established luxury communities.
The ultimate appeal, however, will depend on execution. At this scale, the quality of the public realm, connections between residential clusters and delivery of the promised supporting infrastructure will be as important as the homes themselves.
If those elements come together, Azizi Florence could help establish a new benchmark for large-scale residential development in Sharjah—and give buyers another option beyond the UAE’s better-known property markets.
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