New investment housing finance commitments have grown strongly for the second month in a row, suggesting that mortgage lenders may be easing the restrictions on investors they imposed last year.According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics housing finance data, the value of new mortgage lending to residential property investors rose 1.5 per cent in March, compared with the previous month (in seasonally adjusted terms).In February the month-on-month increase in new investor mortgage lending was 4.1 per cent.One possible explanation is that lenders have been reducing their interest rate premiums and other restrictions on investors. Comparison site Mozo reported earlier in the year that this was occurring.However, the ABS has advised caution in interpreting the data. In last month's report it said: "Market reactions to regulatory measures implemented by APRA in 2015 has resulted in increased volatility in some of the seasonally adjusted estimates, particularly the value of finance commitments for owner-occupied housing and investor housing. "Care should be in interpreting the movements for this reference period, as the seasonally adjusted estimates may be revised in future periods."In addition, some banks have been reclassifying housing loans that originated as investment loans to owner-occupied."The value of new mortgage lending to owner-occupiers fell 1.2 per cent in March, compared with the previous month.Overall, the value of new mortgage lending fell 0.2 per cent in March, compared with the previous month. The A$32.7 billion of lending in March was just 1.2 per cent higher than the same period last year.The average loan size was $357,500 - up from $356,100 in February but well down from the recent high of $386,300 last November.