In March 2023 mortgage borrowers took out a smidgeon more at $6.036 billion. The total value of lending increased by a whopping 64.8 per cent for investors, who signed up for $1,779 billion, other owner-occupiers 39.7 per cent, who took out $4,924 billion and a lowly 24.5 per cent or $1,670 billion for first-home buyers. Investors’ share of new borrowings continues to rise and was up 0.4 per cent to 21 per cent from 20.6 per cent in February. Just a year ago investors share of new mortgages stood at a measly 17.9 per cent. While the country’s mortgage stock rose by $1.9 billion in March, the biggest monthly growth since December 2021 and the seventh month it has risen, the number of problem mortgages also rose by $61 million to $2.4 billion. Of the total $368.5 billion in outstanding bank mortgages, non-performing housing loans increased in March to $2,412 million month-on-month and $648 million or 36.7 per cent year-on-year, Reserve Bank figures show. The last time it was this high was in 2013.