Consumer and investor sentiment towards the mortgage market has turned bearish, as a number of new surveys show.According to Genworth's Streets Ahead survey, there was a 13 per cent fall in the proportion of respondents who thought it was a good time to buy a home - down from 48 per cent last September to 42 per cent last month.Factors causing a reduction in the number of people who think it is good time to buy include a fall in confidence that interest rates will stay low. Genworth said this was probably a response to last year's out-of-cycle mortgage rate increases.Another factor was a growing concern that house prices would fall.First-home buyers were particularly gloomy, with the proportion saying it was a good time to buy falling from 67 per cent last September to 50 per cent last month. High property prices remain the main barrier for first-home buyers.Only 36 per cent of respondents said it was a good time to invest in property - down from 44 per cent last September and 47 per cent in March last year.As a result, Genworth's homebuyer confidence index fell in the March half, for the first time in two years.Genworth also found that there was an 11 per cent increase in the proportion of homeowners experiencing mortgage stress in the six months to March  - and a 13 per cent increase in the proportion of homeowners expecting to experience mortgage stress.Factors causing an increase in mortgage stress included higher cost of living and the impact of other debt obligations. Other reported that they worked fewer hours.The proportion of homeowners using more than 50 per cent of their income to service debts was stable at 23 per cent, which is the lowest level since the inception of the Genworth survey.MLC's Australia Today survey shows that a third of parents believe their children won't be able to live the same lifestyle as them and 60 per cent of parents with school age children said their children would never own a home.One in five Australians expect to use a family inheritance to pay off their mortgage or to ensure their future financial security. 43 per cent believe they will not be able to fund the current lifestyle after retiring.JP Morgan's Australian Mortgage Industry Survey found that despite record low interest rates, first-home buyers are still finding it very difficult to enter the market, with only ten per cent intending to transact over the next 12 months.Mortgage market growth will be driven by refinancing. The proportion of current borrowers intending to apply for refinance has increased from ten per cent early last year to 35 per cent now.These borrowers are aiming to take advantage of the discounts lenders are offering for new business.The broker channel will be key to success in capturing refinancing demand, with 75 per cent of refinancers expecting to use a broker.Fewer investors are looking to buy residential property, although there is still demand.And the Westpac Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment reported