New figures from government-backed lender HomeStart show the number of loans approved to those restarting their lives due to reasons like divorce, separation or domestic violence have increased by more than 140 per cent over the past five years.

According to the figures, lending to buyers who have previously held a mortgage is at a record high, with 119 loans approved to ‘restarters’ last financial year – the average age of applicants is 47.

It eclipses the 78 loans approved in the previous financial year, and the 70 approved in FY2021/22.

In the 2018/19 financial year – five years ago – just 49 loans were approved, some 70 loans fewer than in the past financial year.

Hopeful househunters across Adelaide are getting a second chance at home ownership thanks to HomeStart. Supplied by JLL

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Jane (not her real name), 60, secured a property through HomeStart recently after having previously owned a home with her former partner of eight years.

That relationship ended in 2016, leaving Jane to bounce between rental properties for almost a decade.

Jane said were it not for HomeStart she would not have been able to buy a home at all, with several banks rejecting her.

“The kids and I rented for about eight years and in that time we must have moved four times and I just couldn’t stand another move,” she said.

“I knew we needed a house at some stage, and I wanted something to leave my children.

Jane* has bought through HomeStart after having previously restarted her life after a separation. Picture: RoyVPhotography.

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“We’d been in the hills for a long time, and I just couldn’t find a rental there and we ended up coming down to town, but the kids were still at school and had sporting commitments up there, so we had to travel a lot.

“Were it not for HomeStart we’d still be renting now and it’s almost impossible to save while you’re renting, and that can be really depressing.

“Finding HomeStart was like a revelation. They were just so fantastic and made me feel like a real person again.”

HomeStart CEO Andrew Mills said the growth in the number of single homebuyers borrowing through the lender who have owned a home before was outpacing the growth in their homebuyers overall.

“We are seeing more people who have owned a property previously coming to us for a

home loan,” Mr Mills said.

HomeStart chief executive officer Andrew Mills

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“This can be because of a range of circumstances such as divorce, family violence, or other

difficulties in accessing a loan through the big banks.

“HomeStart has loan options that can help people in these circumstances.”