Investor property loan growth back to pre-GFC levels: RBA

Divergent trends are apparent in the housing market of late, with investors continuing to show momentum, while credit to owner-occupiers has consolidated since the end of last year.

Andrew Hanlan, the Westpac senior economist was commenting after investment property loan growth accelerated sharply last month, at the fastest year-on-year growth since the first quarter of 2008.

The surge in investment loan lending to pre-GFC levels saw loans to investors in June jump 0.9%, according to Reserve Bank of Australia data published Thursday.

Annual investment loan growth has now hit 8.7%.

Loans to households – including owner-occupiers – rose by a more modest 0.6%, taking the annual gain to 6.4%.

"Notably, low and falling interest rates in 2013 triggered a sharp lift in new lending for housing," Andrew Hanlan noted.