Investors continue to drive the housing finance market. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released yesterday, the value of finance commitments to investors rose 8.2 per cent in October.The value of loans to owner-occupiers rose 1.7 per cent in October (in seasonally adjusted terms). The value of total dwelling commitments was up 4.1 per cent over the month. Year-on-year, the value of dwelling commitments in October was 23 per cent higher than in October last year (the value of outstandings rose 6.2 per cent over the same period).There was a small increase in first-home buyer participation - up from 12.5 per cent in September to 12.6 per cent in October. Still, the October figure is the second lowest monthly participation rate over the past year.The number of dwelling commitments for owner-occupiers rose one per cent - up from 51,592 in September to 52,305 in October. The number of commitments in October this year was 13.3 per cent higher than in October last year.