"It definitely wasn't easy, but it is achievable."
Meet Adam and Tkaay, high school sweethearts who have put their heads together to save more than $32,000 in just one year, and landed their first home.
The pair, along with beloved Maltese-Shitzu, Texas, moved from Auckland to Brisbane in 2016, with their hearts set on taking their first step on the property ladder.
Adam and Tkaay have just started work on a brand new home in Everleigh, a new masterplanned community being developed by Mirvac in Greenbank.
They say a shift in career, a side-hustle and a few sacrifices helped boost their income and reduce their expenses to reach their savings goal - and they have some tips for others looking to do the same.
HOW TO SAVE A DEPOSIT
Adam and Tkaay say their occupations weren't bringing in enough money, so they decided to change career paths with the goal of making enough for a house deposit.
Adam, a mechanic by trade, made the move to truck driving mid-last year, while Tkaay, a former customer service agent, completed ground school and has just secured a job as a flight attendant out of Brisbane Airport.
"We made use of the fact Adam is a qualified mechanic, by having him work independently on the weekends fixing cars and also buying cars and fixing them to sell at a profit," says Tkaay.
"We also changed the way we lived, restricting the amount of money we were spending on our social life.
"By doing this we managed to save a house deposit of $32,000 within a year. We made sure to always put a minimum of $500 between us into our joint savings account each week.
"When we moved to Brisbane, we saw how achievable home ownership could be, but in saying that, it didn’t come without sacrifices."
HOW TO CHOOSE WHAT TO BUILD AND WHERE
Adam and Tkaay spent six months looking at pre-existing homes, but after failing to find something they 'absolutely loved', the pair decided to switch gears.
"After visiting various display homes, we were fortunate enough to meet a builder who went above and beyond and showed us a house plan that was affordable and the base of everything we wanted. All we needed to do was make a few minor changes here and there to make it perfect for us," says Adam.
"As soon as we made the decision to build brand new, we started looking for a place close enough to everything, but also in an area that wasn’t too busy. If we’re being completely honest, it was by far the hardest decision we’ve made in the process.
"We spent weekend after weekend looking at affordable estates around the Gold Coast and Logan area, and nothing seemed to stand-out. We actually stumbled across Everleigh by accident, after visiting another estate around the corner.
"We decided to stop in and have a quick look, and within the first two minutes at Everleigh we knew this was the place for us. The whole layout was well thought-out, the landscaping was breathtaking and the standard of homes already being built was very high.
"We stopped in to the Sales Centre and met consultant, Chris, who was extremely helpful and asked all the right questions. Within 20 minutes, we found ourselves making a deposit on the perfect piece of land."
HOW TO SECURE FINANCE
Being new to the process of home ownership, Adam and Tkaay say they didn’t know what to expect when applying for a loan. So, with a solid deposit and strong track record of saving already behind them, they turned to a mortgage broker for advice.
"The thought of applying for a home loan was quite daunting so we decided to enlist the help of a broker," says Tkaay.
"She made the whole process so easy to understand and was more than happy to answer all of our questions. Having a mortgage broker took a lot of the stress away and it’s something we’d definitely recommend."
A FINAL TIP
Adam and Tkaay say their biggest tip is not to settle.
"Although it may take some time to find something suited to you, keep looking," says Adam.
"Trust us, you will find exactly what you are looking for - and sometimes (like us!) it will be when you least expect it."
Adam and Tkaay recently laid the slab for their new home at Everleigh, with the roof due to be installed before Christmas and a hand-over date set for mid-next year.
The Everleigh Sales Centre and Display Village is now open, with 16 homes on show by 10 leading Queensland builders including Porter Davis, Bold Living, Clarendon, Coral, Plantation, GJ Gardner, DBC, Brighton, Metricon and Neptune.
Homesites are now selling at Everleigh. For more information, stop by the Everleigh Sales Centre on Kessels Boulevard, Greenbank, contact 07 3859 5960 or visit everleigh.mirvac.com/