First home buyers continue to dive into the housing market, despite an affordability crisis gripping much of NSW.
New figures show first time buyer numbers have grown by more than 12 per-cent each year for the last four years, most flocking to suburbs in Sydney's southwest and west.
The Real Estate Institute's Steve Martin says people are looking to get out of the rental roundabout.
“It’s a bit of a balancing act because property has proven to be a very, very good investment over many years. However first home buyers need to be a little bit careful as far as affordability is concerned.”