PHOTO: 123RF – Home buyers with low deposits are making up a bigger proportion of new mortgages.

First-time home buyers may be on the comeback trail, according to the Reserve Bank’s latest mortgage figures.

First home buyers borrowed $910 million during July out of a total of $5.5 billion, one of their strongest showings in five years.

Other borrowers were more established owner-occupiers, property investors and businesses.

More tellingly, high-risk mortgages – loans with less than 20 per cent equity – made up 8.7 per cent of all new lending, the highest level since October 2013, when the Reserve Bank brought in loan to value ratios (LVRs) to cool the property market.

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