APRA tightens home loan lending limits making it tougher to get a mortgage in 2026
Banking regulator APRA has ordered lenders to limit how much they offer to home loan borrowers in a move to rein in runaway house prices fuelled by the recent return of property investors.
On Thursday, the regulator said that from February 1, 2026, residential home loan lenders must not lend more than 20 per cent of their total new lending to borrowers that need to take on levels of debt more than six times their income.
“Rising indebtedness has in the past often been associated with an increase in riskier lending and rapid growth in property prices,” said John Lonsdale. “We will consider additional limits, including investor-specific limits, if we see macro-financial risks significantly rising or a deterioration in lending standards.”
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Treasurer Jim Chalmers backed the changes and said they will help improve housing affordability. “These rule changes are an important way for the regulator to reduce risk in our economy, but these efforts will also help when it comes to getting people into homes,” said Dr Chalmers.
September quarter data showed investor lending jumped 17.6 per cent in the September quarter. Total new housing lending grew 9.6 per cent.
APRA describes the limit as a debt-to-income (DTI) limit and said it will apply separately to owner-occupier and investor lending. It will also exclude bridging loans for owner-occupiers and loans for the purchase or construction of new dwellings.
More to come.
