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From 1 February 2026, APRA will cap how many high debt-to-income (DTI > 6×) loans banks can approve, affecting mainly investors and borrowers needing larger or more complex lending. Most buyers won’t be impacted, but those relying on higher borrowing capacity should review their position early.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has maintained the cash rate at 3.60% in its November 2025 meeting. The decision reflects the RBA’s cautious stance amid rising headline inflation (3.2% in Sept) offset by a slight loosening of the labour market (unemployment at 4.5%).

Australian Finance Group Ltd (ASX: AFG) reported a record-breaking first quarter for FY26, with mortgage lodgement volumes reaching $30.6 billion (up 10.5 % quarter-on-quarter, and up 26.5 % year-on-year).

Investor activity is also surging: investor loans now account for 36% of all new lodgements (up 4 percentage points year-on-year), while refinancing has eased to just 17% of lodgements (down from 26% a year ago).

The First Home Guarantee Scheme has been brought forward to 1 October 2025, with major changes including no income caps, unlimited places, and significantly higher property price caps (up to $1.5M in Illawarra), making it far easier for first-home buyers to enter the market.