Mortgage Crisis: 40% of Australian Homeowners Under Pressure

3

The latest survey results, gathered consistently by Finder since 2019, revealed the most elevated levels of mortgage stress witnessed to date.

Compounding this concern, approximately 13% of surveyed households admitted to having missed one or more mortgage payments in the last six months.

The persistence of overleveraging among families is a significant component of this issue. As of August 2024, the typical owner-occupier loan has increased to $634,479, marking a 1.3% rise from the previous month. Over the past 12 months, the average mortgage figure has escalated by 9.3%, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data reveals.

Despite the economy showing signs of stagnation, the cash rate has remained unchanged since November 2023, keeping it at its highest point in 12 years. As Finder highlights, this has resulted in Australians allocating a disproportionate segment of their incomes solely to cover home loan repayments.

Insights from ANZ CoreLogic indicate an upward trend in income allocation towards mortgage servicing. Australians now use over 46% of their income for new mortgages, compared to 40% the previous year. The scenario is more severe in Sydney, where it takes in excess of 58% of an average household's income to manage mortgage payments.

Financial counselors commonly advise that households should not channel more than one-third of their income into mortgage payments.

Adding to the challenge is the diminishing savings buffers for Australians over the past decade. The ABS’s latest National Accounts report highlights a severe decline in the household savings ratio, plummeting to 0.6%—a substantial drop compared to a year-back in June 2022.

“While many mortgage holders have navigated rate hikes up until now, they are currently under acute financial pressure as their savings and emergency funds rapidly dwindle,” observed Finder’s Richard Whitten.

Whitten further emphasized, “For a growing number of Australians, housing-related costs are a primary stress factor, with numerous households struggling to stay afloat.”

Published:Monday, 9th Sep 2024
Source: Paige Estritori

Share this news item:

Finance News

Clear

Saudi Arabia's Sidra Capital Ventures into Australian Private Credit Sector 24 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori Sidra Capital, a prominent alternative investments manager from Saudi Arabia, has made headlines with the launch of a new private credit investment fund targeting Australia's thriving mining and energy industries. The Sharia-compliant fund, known as the Sidra Asia Pacific Private Investments Sub-Fund I, will be headquartered in Singapore and managed by Sidra's local team there. - read more

Australian Fund Managers Brace for Impacts of US Tariff Policy 22 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori The imposition of US tariffs under former President Donald Trump's administration is predicted to challenge Australia's publicly listed fund managers, according to analysis by research and ratings firm Morningstar. Shaun Ler, an equity analyst with Morningstar, suggests that these financial entities might experience a gradual decline in earnings over the medium term due to reduced cyclical benefits from interest rate cuts and increased market volatility. - read more

Sydney's Housing Market Reaches Record $2 Million 17 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori In a landmark moment for Sydney's real estate market, the city’s median asking price for houses has surpassed the $2 million mark, hitting $2,012,000 as of 15 April, according to SQM Research. This figure includes Greater Sydney regions such as the Blue Mountains and Central Coast. The development was confirmed by SQM's managing director, Louis Christopher. - read more