Investors were the only ones taking out more housing loans during March this year, according to figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The data shows that the value of lending to buy investment housing rose by 3.0 per cent in March, to be up 24.0 per cent on a year ago.
The value of lending to finance the construction of dwellings for rent or resale fell by 2.1 per cent, but was nevertheless 12.9 per cent higher than in the same period last year.
Overall, however, the total value of dwelling commitments excluding alterations and additions (seasonally adjusted) decreased 1.4 per cent in March 2010.
The total value of owner occupied housing commitments (trend) fell 3.7 per cent (down $534m) in March 2010, following a decrease of 3.9 per cent in February 2010.
Decreases were recorded in commitments for the purchase of established dwellings (down $452m, 3.8 per cent), the construction of dwellings (down $65m, 4.0 per cent) and the purchase of new dwellings (down $17m, 2.5 per cent).
The seasonally adjusted series for the value of owner occupied commitments fell 3.4 per cent in March 2010.