First Home Buyers: Roselle and Deon

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t give up hope. Keep saving.

That’s the advice from first home buyers Roselle and Deon, who, after four years of researching, budgeting and planning, have recently moved into their new home in Oran Park, NSW.

“There were a few factors that prevented us from being successful in buying a home in the past few years,” Roselle says. “Firstly, we had not been married long and wanted to have another baby, which impacted our finances as I went on maternity leave. We also had to save for a deposit.”

"Once we had our deposit, nervousness held us back a little bit because we wanted to make sure we could afford the mortgage."

The couple settled on the area they wanted to buy and searched online to find houses that met their must-haves – four bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living areas and a study.

When they heard about the Australian Government’s First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, they visited the NHFIC website to find more information, and once they realised they met the criteria, quickly got in touch with their bank.

“We were fortunate that our mobile home lending specialist was very understanding and answered all our questions throughout the whole process. He simplified it all for us, which made it less overwhelming,” Roselle says.

"House hunting was a little stressful and very competitive but once we had decided what we wanted, it was much easier. We only placed two offers in the end and on the same day. One of our offers was accepted and now it is our home."

With their master bedroom balcony overlooking a “small, peaceful park”, Roselle and Deon say they love the family feel of their new area and are enjoying exploring their neighbourhood.

“It's also been exciting to be able to hang family photos and art on the wall, which we have not been able to do for a long time as we have always rented,” Roselle says.