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MARCH KEY FIGURES

	Trend estimates		Seasonally adjusted estimates
	Mar 2008	Feb 2008 to Mar 2008	Mar 2008	Feb 2008 to Mar 2008
Value of dwelling commitments(a)	$m	% change	$m	% change
Total dwellings	21 274	-1.5	20 202	-5.3
Owner occupied housing	14 879	-1.2	14 224	-4.4
Investment housing - fixed loans(b)	6 395	-2.2	5 978	-7.2
Number of dwelling commitments(a)	no.	% change	no.	% change
Owner occupied housing	62 920	-1.3	59 371	-6.1
Construction of dwellings	4 705	-0.5	4 594	-4.6
Purchase of new dwellings	2 063	-4.2	1 981	-11.5
Purchase of established dwellings	56 152	-1.3	52 796	-6.0
(a) Includes refinancing.
(b) Excludes revolving credit.

Value of dwelling commitments, Total dwellings

Number of dwelling commitments, Owner occupied housing

• In trend terms, the total value of dwelling finance commitments excluding alterations and additions decreased by 1.5%. Investment housing commitments decreased 2.2% and owner occupied housing commitments decreased by 1.2%.
• In seasonally adjusted terms, the total value of dwelling finance commitments excluding alterations and additions decreased 5.3%. Investment housing commitments decreased 7.2% and owner occupied housing commitments decreased 4.4%.

• In trend terms, the number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance decreased by 1.3% and the number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance excluding refinancing fell by 2.1%.
• In trend terms, the number of commitments for refinancing of established dwellings rose 0.3%, while the seasonally adjusted series decreased 6.0%.
• In original terms, the number of first home buyer commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments decreased from 17.2% in February 2008 to 16.4% in March 2008.
• In original terms, the number of fixed rate loan commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments increased from 23.6% in February 2008 to 23.9% in March 2008.