![ScreenHunter_1174 Feb. 11 11.25](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1174-Feb.-11-11.25.jpg)
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has just released housing finance data for the month of December, which registered a seasonally-adjusted 1.9% fall in the number of owner-occupied finance commitments over the month:
![ScreenHunter_1175 Feb. 11 11.30](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1175-Feb.-11-11.30.jpg)
The number of owner-occupied housing finance commitments excluding refinancings registered a seasonally-adjusted 1.0% fall over the month to be tracking 8% above the five-year moving average level. The number of commitments were also up 14.8% on December 2012 (see next chart).
![ScreenHunter_1176 Feb. 11 11.41](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1176-Feb.-11-11.41.jpg)
The average loan size rose 0.6% over the month and was up 4.5% over the year. The below charts show the series on a 3-month moving average basis (in order to smooth volatility). Note the recent spike in average loan size after falling since the beginning of last year.
![ScreenHunter_1177 Feb. 11 11.44](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1177-Feb.-11-11.44.jpg)
![ScreenHunter_1178 Feb. 11 11.45](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1178-Feb.-11-11.45.jpg)
First home buyer (FHB) commitments fell by a non-seasonally adjusted 3.1% in December and represented just 12.7% of total owner-occupied commitments. However, they were up by 2% over the year (see below charts).
![ScreenHunter_1179 Feb. 11 11.48](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1179-Feb.-11-11.48.jpg)
![ScreenHunter_1180 Feb. 11 11.49](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1180-Feb.-11-11.49.jpg)
Finally, if you’re wondering what’s primarily driving house price at the moment, look no further. While the ABS only provides the value of investor finance commitments, these were up by another 2.9% in December, 41% over the year, and hit the highest level on record (see next chart).
![ScreenHunter_1181 Feb. 11 11.50](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ScreenHunter_1181-Feb.-11-11.50.jpg)