Radhika is a nurse who works part-time around her young son. When Radhika and her partner decided to buy their first home, they didn’t expect to settle in Paparangi, north of Wellington, but when they found a family home with everything on their doorstep, they knew it was the one.
When did you know you’d found the right home?
Four years ago, my partner and I were flatting. We wanted our own space so decided to buy our own home. It was soon after the first Covid lock down so there weren’t many houses on the market and going to open homes wasn’t as easy as usual.
My parents were living in Wellington so we hadn’t considered living outside the city but we walked into the house which is now our home and fell in love with it: the big bay window; the view and the sun. It was built in the 80s and has a lot of wooden joinery inside so it looks and feels really warm. Tūī were singing in the trees outside. We realised how close the house was to everything we needed. It had been a family home so we knew it would work for us. We put an early offer in, negotiated a little and it was ours!
What was it like stepping into your first home for the first time?
We were so excited to have our own place with so much space. We went from living in a one-bedroom flat to having three bedrooms, a lounge, and a balcony all to ourselves. It’s the most grown-up thing we’ve ever done and a big commitment, like getting married. And it’s a long commitment, like having kids!
How has your home changed your life?
Our home has had a huge impact on me and our family. Everything is on our doorstep – the Johnsonville shops, an awesome playground, access to the motorway and a bus stop nearby. Initially the middle of Wellington felt ages away but Paparangi is in between the three hospitals I work at – Keneperu, the Hutt and Wellington. It’s close enough for my mum to visit us every week, and easy for us to spend time with my brothers and their families who live in Newlands and Tawa.
Have you celebrated any milestones or created any special memories in your home?
We bought our house and then became first-time parents in our own home. Graduating with my Masters was another milestone, we celebrated our civil union ceremony at home and every year we celebrate Diwali with friends and family here. It’s special to me that my late dad knew the house too.
What was the process of buying a house through Tommy’s like? How did the team support you? When I was young, Tommy was a customer in my family’s shop so I knew that working with Tommy’s as an agency would be a great and friendly experience; and it was!
Being first-time buyers meant we had no idea of what had to happen when but the team at Tommy’s made everything easy. They talked us through everything – every step of the way – so nothing was stressful.
What was the best moment in the process?
The best moment by far was getting the keys!
What would you say to someone looking to buy a house with Tommy’s?
- Keep an open mind about where and what you want to buy. You never know what you might find.
- Houses closer to the city are usually more expensive than houses outside the city. Older houses and doer-uppers might be cheaper but they can take a lot of time and money to bring them up to a standard you need or style you like.
- Think about the kind of house you want now and in the future. We wanted to buy a house that wasn’t so modern that it felt too precious, and wasn’t too old that it felt like too much work. When our son grows up and has finished sticking his stickers everywhere, then we will think about renovating!
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