Investors, first-home buyers step back from housing market

Investors, first-home buyers step back from housing market
Staff reporters
Both first-home buyers and investors have stepped back from the housing market with mortgage brokers reporting fewer in both categories are seeking their advice, a sharp contrast to their reports of a market running hot in earlier months.Economist Tony Alexander attributes the sharp change in this survey to the reaction to the government's housing policies announced on March 23 which included removing the ability to offset interest costs against income for tax purposes.A net 13% of the 68 brokers who responded reported seeing fewer first-ho...