How much do you need to borrow to buy a typical Australian home these days? Well, the average loan size has increased dramatically over the past year – up almost $100,000.

The national average loan size for owner-occupier dwellings rose to an all-time high of $596,000 in November 2021, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

And the national average has been going up (and up and up) in recent months.

In October it was $571,000, while in November 2020 it was $503,000.

And with wages not growing anywhere near as fast, it’s more important than ever to have a professional like us in your corner when it comes to securing finance for your next home purchase.

State by state breakdown

Average loan sizes reached new highs in all states and territories in November 2021, except Western Australia (which only dropped a smidgeon below its October record high).

Here’s a quick state-by-state breakdown as of November 2021, compared to November 2020.

NSW: $769,000 – up from $644,000 (in November 2020)

Victoria: $619,000 – up from $499,000

Queensland: $514,000 – up from $440,000

South Australia: $422,000 – up from $384,000

Western Australia: $440,000 – up from $417,000

Tasmania: $446,000 – up from $373,000

Northern Territory: $433,000 – up from $380,000

ACT: $586,000 – up from $527,000

So what can you do about the rapid rise in home loan values?

Here’s the good news – especially for first home buyers.

Most of the average loan values listed above still fall below the state and territory property price caps for a number of federal government schemes, such as the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and New Home Guarantee initiatives.

These two schemes allow eligible first home buyers to build or purchase a home with only a 5% deposit, without forking out for lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI), which on average helps people purchase their first home 4 to 4.5 years sooner.

That’s right – 4 years sooner!

Another factor working in your favour is that the RBA’s official cash rate is at a record low and interest rates are also very low as a result (which helps when it comes to your borrowing capacity).