The number of home loans approved in October rose 0.7 per cent to 51,981, official figures show.
That was from a downwardly revised 51,639 in September.
Economists' forecasts had centred on housing finance commitments to be unchanged for the month.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Monday that total housing finance by value fell 2.5 per cent in October, seasonally adjusted, to $20.458 billion.
http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/new*****usiness/aap/8388309/home-loans-rise-in-october