NSW mortgagee repossessions on the rise

Jonathan ChancellorSeptember 6, 2011

Mortgagee repossession actions lodged in the NSW Supreme Court are on the rise. There were 1,715 in the first seven months of this year. By comparison, there were only 1,398 during the first seven months of 2010. However, the figures aren’t as bad as the 2,325 during the first seven months of 2009.

The peak year for possession writs was in 2006, with 5,370 writs in the wake of the low-doc price boom that swept Sydney's outer-west.

The 2010 annual tally of 2,564 was the lowest since 2003.

Mount Druitt, Castle Hill and Merrylands were the busiest suburbs for repossessions in July. Dubbo and Orange were the busiest towns for repossessions in July, according to the report issued by the Department of Attorney General  and Justice.

In June it was Blacktown, Fairfield, Hurstville and Prestons along with the towns of Avoca and Terrigal.

The tally includes executed writs where the repossession proceeded and unexecuted writs where the repossession did not go ahead as a court order.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.