Debt-backed buyers are really starting to struggle | CoreLogic - Property News AU/NZ | propertynoise.co.nz & propertynoise.com.au

PHOTO: CoreLogic

Key findings:

The data highlights what a ‘debt vs equity’ split in the market, with mortgaged investors and first home buyers seeing low/falling shares of property purchases, but cash investors and movers having a rising presence. Buyers with a higher equity base may be key players in a debt-constrained housing market this year.
First home buyers (FHBs) share continued to decline, and excluding the lockdown-affected April 2020, now have their lowest monthly share since the second half of 2017 at 21%.
Across the first quarter of 2022, mortgaged investors (multiple property owners/MPOs) had a market share of around 23% – below the long term average of 25%. At a more granular level, when you split the mortgaged MPO share by the size of the buyer’s portfolio after their most recent purchase, the drop compared to a year ago has been fairly broad-based.
Cash investors’ market share has recently risen to 15%, and in the current market where listings are rising, may be sniffing out some ‘bargains’ in some areas.
Movers are another key group of interest, with these relocating owner-occupiers taking a 27% share of purchases in March and 29% for the first quarter of 2022, the highest quarterly figure since 2016, likely helped by more listings being available (making it more likely that movers can actually find a property they like), but also by their longer period in the market and increased equity base.