Home lending rose again in December, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The figures show that the total value of dwelling finance commitments excluding alterations and additions rose 1.8 per cent, in trend terms.
Loans for owner-occupied housing lifted by 1.0 per cent, while investor loans rose 3 per cent.
The number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance also increased, by 0.3 per cent. Loans to buy established dwellings rose 0.3 per cent, while lending to buy new dwellings fell 1.1 per cent. Loans to build new homes rose 1.1 per cent.
In original terms, the number of first home buyer commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments rose to 12.7 per cent in December 2013 from 12.3 per cent in November 2013.
Between December 2013 and November 2013, the number of owner occupied housing commitments rose in New South Wales (up 1.0 per cent) Queensland (0.1 per cent) Western Australia (0.1 per cent) Tasmania (0.4 per cent), while falls were recorded in Victoria (down 0.5 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (1.0 per cent) and the Northern Territory (2 per cent). South Australia remained unchanged.