Home loan applications down by 15% since budget, CBA says – as it happened
News Source
•Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:42:00 GMT
📰 What Happened
Commonwealth Bank of Australia says home loan applications have dropped by 15 percent since the federal budget. Executives called it a softening of lending in recent months. The news came from The Guardian's live blog on September 3.
Markets are also pricing in an 80 percent chance of a rate hike this month by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
🔍 The Backstory
Higher interest rates and cost-of-living pressure have cooled the housing market. When loans get pricier, fewer buyers apply and prices often slow down. The federal budget's policies also shape how much people can borrow.
If the central bank hikes again, mortgage repayments rise for many families. A cooler market is good news for some buyers and bad for others who cannot get in.
🎯 Why It Matters
Home loans touch almost every family's biggest purchase. A drop in applications signals that homes are becoming harder to afford.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia says home loan applications have dropped by 15 percent since the federal budget. Executives called it a softening of lending in recent months. The news came from The Guardian's live blog on September 3.
Markets are also pricing in an 80 percent chance of a rate hike this month by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Higher interest rates and cost-of-living pressure have cooled the housing market. When loans get pricier, fewer buyers apply and prices often slow down. The federal budget's policies also shape how much people can borrow.
If the central bank hikes again, mortgage repayments rise for many families. A cooler market is good news for some buyers and bad for others who cannot get in.
Home loans touch almost every family's biggest purchase. A drop in applications signals that homes are becoming harder to afford.