Housing finance activity returns to trend 12 June 2013 4:22PM John Kavanagh After a spike up in March, housing finance activity returned to more normal levels in April.According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released yesterday, the number of owner-occupied housing loans in April was up 0.8 per cent on the previous month (in seasonally adjusted terms). The March data had shown a 4.8 per cent increase, month-on month.The value of these loans, at A$14.6 billion, was 0.2 per cent lower than the previous month. The March data had shown a 5.1 per cent increase, month-on-month.The value of investment housing loans rose 1.1 per cent in April. The total value of housing loan outstandings (for owner occupation and investment) stood at $1.2 trillion at the end of April. The value of outstandings has increased 5.9 per cent over the 12 months to April.First-home buyer participation rose from 14.2 per cent in March to 14.3 per cent in April, which CommSec's chief economist, Craig James, said was the lowest participation rate since 2004.The average loan size was $301,800.