National Australia Bank analysis shows that 85 per cent of its home loan accounts are now ahead on mortgage repayments as customers pay down their debt faster.
The analysis also reveals that those home loan accounts are ahead on repayments by an average of 13 months – up from 12 months in 2012.
Credit card customers are also paying down their debt faster, NAB’s analysis shows a 6 per cent increase in the number of credit card accounts paid in full.
NAB’s Executive General Manager Lending and Deposits, Antony Cahill, said customers were better managing their debt and more regularly checking their finances as they took advantage of greater access and lower rates.
“Customers are taking advantage of the low rate environment, but also the greater access that technology provides them to keep on top of all their debts with more than a million logons to internet banking every day – 56 per cent of which are through mobile,” he said.
Of the home loan accounts that are ahead on mortgage repayments, 70 per cent are owner-occupiers, 16 per cent are investors and 14 per cent are first home-buyers. The majority are aged between 40-49-years (31 per cent), with the bulk of the remainder evenly split between the 30-39-years and 50-59-years age groups (25 per cent each).
“NAB is seeing a more sophisticated approach to debt management with more informed and tech-savvy customers getting the most out of their money across a range of products, not just home loans,” Mr Cahill said.
NAB customers ahead on their mortgage repayments by state:
| State | Proportion |
| Victoria | 32 per cent |
| New South Wales | 31 per cent |
| Queensland | 21 per cent |
| Western Australia | 9 per cent |
| South Australia | 7 per cent |
NAB currently offers the lowest packaged fixed home loan rates of the major banks across one-to-five year terms, with five terms under five per cent. NAB has also had the lowest standard variable rate of the major banks for five years giving customers the flexibility to choose a home loan with a great rate.
