The type of buyer that just dropped out of the property market
First-home buyer mortgage demand in Australia has dropped significantly as of mid-2026, following a brief spike earlier in the year. Factors such as high interest rates, market uncertainty, and a lack of housing supply are discouraging new entrants.
Why it matters
The decline in first-home buyer activity signals cooling sentiment in the property market and potential challenges for government housing affordability initiatives.
Property News Residential property The type of buyer that just dropped out of the property market Alice Uribe July 30, 2026 — 5:00am
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Share A A A The number of first home buyers looking to take out a home loan has fallen in a year even as property prices soften in some parts of the country and investors exit the market.
First home buyer demand nationally rose at the end of 2025 and in early 2026, before dropping back in April, data from credit data company Equifax shows. By last month, mortgage demand from new home buyers was down almost 20 per cent compared with the same time in 2025.
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