From Uncertainty to Stability: How Rebecca and Hedley’s First Home Became Their Anchor in Tough Times

Just a few months after Rebecca Haig and Hedley Dew bought their first home with Tommy’s, Rebecca lost her job. She recalls coming back with the devastating news and feeling that the house embraced her. With all the stress and change the job loss has brought, the couple are very grateful they got into the market when they did.

Can you describe what it was like looking for your first house?

Rebecca: We were lucky. We got some really good advice from friends who’d bought a house that we should be decisive and make offers. We’d only been looking for a month when we made our first offer.

Hedley: We were ready for our hearts to be broken but it was bananas how the circumstances all came together – a good market, no one else really interested in the place – maybe because it was up 77 steps but we thought it would keep us fit!

What were the features of your house that appealed?

Hedley: One of the first things was that it had private outdoor space, which was something we thought would be unattainable.

Rebecca: Our house is a strange little place, but we saw its potential. I liked the layout and that it had this weird little side room which I thought would be ideal as an office or art studio. None of the other places we saw had that extra space.

What was the moment like when you realised you’d bought a house?

Rebecca: It was very nerve-wracking and stressful in the weeks and days before. When we got the call from Tommy’s, I was in an online meeting working from home and Hedley was monitoring the phones. He gestured to me that we’d got it! I couldn’t believe it.

Hedley: Surreal is the word that came to mind. It took a long time for reality to sink in.

Looking back on your buying journey, can you describe a particularly memorable moment?

Rebecca: Picking up the key was pretty wild. Going into Tommy’s office and being handed the key, this lovely box of goodies and thinking this is our key, we’re driving to our place, unlocking our door, and walking in and thinking, “this is ours”.

Can you share a special memory or milestone that took place in your new home?

Rebecca: Letting our two cats Shrimp and Monkey outside for the first time to  roam around the garden. Our rental had no outside space so they’d been indoor cats. It was cool seeing them so happy.

Hedley: For me, it was the first time mowing the lawn. And inviting my friends around for the first band practice.

How has your life changed since moving into your new home?

Rebecca: Only a few months after buying the house I lost my public sector job. I came home after receiving the devastating news and felt like the house embraced me. With all the changes and stress the job loss brought, I was so grateful we’d managed to get into the market when we did.

We’ve both been in over ten rentals each, and the house has been a major point of stability. I have never lived in the same flat for more than 2 years, and now we can live here as long as we like. We’ve been through a lot in our renting history, and our little home feels so special to us because of that. Our house has given us safety and stability. It’s been huge for our mental health to have this sense of permanence, after renting, to know it cannot be taken away from us.

Hedley: We really enjoy hosting people now, something we couldn’t do in our bedsit, which was lovely and quaint but so tiny.

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy their first home?

Hedley: There can be a lot of mental barriers when buying your first home. It can feel very final when you make an offer. But make the offer and don’t necessarily wait for everything to be lined up.

How did Tommy’s support you throughout the buying process?

Hedley: At the start our mindset was they’re not our real estate agent, don’t trust them, they’re working for the seller not the buyer. But Scotty from Tommy’s was so great. We felt he was in our corner. He seemed to genuinely advocate for us. I was at work when I received the offer paperwork and when I filled it out I made lots of mistakes, even signing it in the wrong places. He talked us through it all with a lot of patience and reassurance.

Rebecca: Scotty was really kind, not patronising to us as some other agencies were because we were first home buyers. Scotty understood the process was unfamiliar to us, and we felt so well-cared for and that he communicated honestly with us throughout.