Pair's hard work pays off

HOMEOWNERS: First home buyers Jessie and Liam Coleman have made the leap into the property market. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

The lifelong dream of owning a home has become a reality for one Rotorua couple who saved hard, did their homework and got the best deal on a house.

Jessie and Liam Coleman are just one of hundreds of Kiwi couples with a shared vision of having a home to call their own.

The pair, upon finding out they were expecting their first child together, made the decision to forgo renting and buy a house in Rotorua.

"We had been saving with the idea that we would either go overseas or buy our first home. When I got pregnant we knew we were going to need a bigger place so made the decision to start looking," Mrs Coleman said. "We have been looking for properties since August last year and have only just been able to get one, so it has taken a long time with many weekends spent going to open homes.

"We initially were looking for bigger places we could rent but the suitable ones were around $300 to $400 a week, so we thought for that kind of money we would rather be paying off our own mortgage. As well as that, we just really wanted our own space so buying made sense."

Mr Coleman said the time it took to buy their home was, in hindsight, a blessing.

"Even though it did take a long time and it was a struggle being up against multiple other bids on each house, it was a blessing because it gave us time to learn about the market, do our homework and make sure we got the best deal.

"My advice to other people wanting to buy their own home is to just save hard and do your homework."

"We were really lucky that our lawyer and real estate agents were helpful as well, it's important to get advice from experts instead of trying to do it all on your own," Mrs Coleman added.

The couple said they liked the idea of buying a house because it was a way to invest their money and in the current property market with low interest rates, now was the time to make that leap.