The weekly recap of mortgage and home loan news in Australia.

The top stories for the week ending 22/07/07:

Loan Approvals, Repayments and Housing Credit Growth
RESERVE BANK BULLETIN – JULY 2007
Article examines how changing household borrowing and repayment behaviour has contributed to the slow down in housing credit since 2003.

Loss of partner doubles housing cost burden
The Age
Nassim Khadem reports on research by RMIT University, based on analysis of more than 3000 couples from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia surveys between 2001 and 2003, found a dramatic increase in the cost burden for those who lose a partner.

Mortgage interest wanes
News.com.au
FEWER Australians plan to take out a home loan over the next 12 months according to a survey by the MFAA (Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia) and BankWest.

MPs to investigate easy credit and loan defaults
Sydney Morning Herald
Jessica Irvine reports on the creation of a Federal parliamentary economics committee, membered by the Reserve Bank, the ASIC, banks and consumer groups, to hold an inquiry into home lending practices amid concern over declining credit standards and rising defaults.

Mortgage broker expelled
Investor Daily
Madeleine Collins reports on a Sydney mortgage broker expelled from the MFAA (Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia).

Stressed out by debt
Camden Advertiser
Alicia Bowie reports that more than 8000 Camden (NSW) families are experiencing mortgage stress, drawing on figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Also reporting that in 2006, 43 families lost their homes or businesses in the area because they were unable to pay their mortgages.

Inquiry announced to probe housing affordability
ABC News
Housing affordability is shaping up as an election issue, with a Federal Government inquiry announced into whether banks are lending home buyers too much money.

The new battlers
Blacktown Sun
Nick Soon reports that rising interest rates and the high cost of living are turning many Blacktown first-home buyers into the new battlers of western Sydney.

What Is This Subprime CDO Crisis?
FN Arena
Greg Peel takes a look at the sub-prime mortgage market woes in the US with a detailed overview from an Australian perspective.

Real estate agents face price guide inspections
Brisbane Times
Stephen Nicholls and Susan Wellings report that Real Estate agents who ginger-up auction interest by deliberately under-estimating property prices will be investigated by the State Government.