From University Days to Our Forever Home.

Kay and Jeff met at Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka while studying for their postgraduate diploma. They originally hail from Hong Kong and their combined passion for Geographical Information Science (GIS), studying and teamwork saw their relationship develop. They’ve been together since 2020 and started flatting in 2021 in Evans Bay, but always dreamt of having a place of their own to call their home. After working for a few years to save for a deposit, they began their first home search in early 2023. After a ten-month search, they settled on their dream low-maintenance, two-bedroom stand-alone home in Johnsonville, Wellington in October 2023.

When did you know you had found the right home with Tommy’s?

We knew we liked the home straight away as we ended up visiting it twice. The house, unlike many others we had seen, was bare with no staging. Because it was empty, Kay was able to visualise how we would decorate the house, live in it and make it our own and immediately got emotionally attached. We methodically went back to consult their list of requirements spreadsheet and photos of the house, which was the strategy we used throughout our search. This is how we knew it was the perfect place for us.

What was the most memorable part of your home-buying journey?

We enjoyed the whole process and journey, as Tommy’s made it easy. This was only the second offer we made on a house and Clare, our agent, was there every step of the way answering all our questions. Between Tommy’s, our mortgage broker and lawyer, we felt supported the whole time.

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

Since moving into the house in November 2023, we’ve been enjoying nesting and tapping into our creativity, which we didn’t have the space and time to do when flatting. Jeff uses the spare room to create video games and practice bass guitar and Kay managed to see her design vision come to life, filling the blank canvas and decorating it with a few DIY projects to make it into a home that has our own character.

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

We had a housewarming party with our friends, colleagues, previous flat mates and even our lecturer from university came to share our happy milestone. Since moving to Wellington four years ago, it’s very special to have our community here, witnessing this special moment in our lives. We are so grateful for all the support and kindness we’ve received.

Our parents also visited from Hong Kong and stayed with us in our new home, so we got to share this milestone with them. They could see that we’ve settled down and found our place in Wellington. This made us very happy.

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy a home with Tommy’s?

Visit as many open homes as possible and try and see the house outside the open home times with your agent. We found Tommy’s very approachable and friendly without being demanding. This put our minds at ease and helped immensely, as all of our questions were always answered and we were provided with a lot of helpful resources when we were putting in both offers.

What did it feel like to step into your home for the first time?

When we got the key a month after we settled, stepping into our first home was surreal. The months of searching paid off, to see it finally become reality was a once-in-a-lifetime feeling. We feel lucky to settle down in Wellington and are proud Wellingtonians.