Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) has today published the latest figures from the BPFI Mortgage Approvals Report for July 2023. The following are the key elements:
• Atotal of 4,747 mortgages were approved in July 2023 – first-time buyers (FTBs) were approved for 2,918 mortgages (61.5% of total volume) while mover purchasers accounted for 1,148 (24.2%).
• The number of mortgages approved fell by 0.4% month-on-month and by 9.7% compared with the same period last year.
• Mortgages approved in July were valued at €1,356 million – of which FTBs accounted for €837 million (61.7%) and mover purchasers for €391 million (28.9%).
• The value of mortgage approvals remained the same month-on-month and fell by 6.7% year-on-year.
• Re-mortgage/switching activity fell by 78.6% in volume terms year-on-year and by 80.3% in value in the same period.
Speaking on the publication of the data, Ali Ugur, Chief Economist, BPFI stated: “Our latest mortgage approval figures show that, despite a wider market slowdown, first-time buyer (FTB) activity remains strong. Volumes and values rose by 22.8% and 26.7%, respectively, year-on-year in July 2023, the fifth successive month in which FTB mortgage approvals have risen in year-on-year terms. This sustained growth meant that almost 30,000 FTB mortgages (29,754) valued at nearly €8.4 billion (€8,365 million) were approved in the twelve months ending July 2023, the highest annualised levels since the data series began. In addition to the more than 22,000 Help to Buy applications reported by the Revenue Commissioners up to the end of July, today’s approval figures demonstrate that the pipeline for FTB mortgage drawdowns remains very strong.”
“While FTBs accounted for almost 62% of the volume and value of mortgage approvals in July, the annualised value of mover purchase approvals reached almost €3.9 billion in the twelve months ending July, the highest value since the series began. However, this in part reflects rising average mortgage values with the average mover purchase approval exceeding €340,000 for the first time, at €340,957 in July 2023.”
The BPFI Mortgage Approval Report July 2023 is available here.
