First Home Buyers: Jayden and Lynnsey

'Jayden and I both grew up in the Illawarra, and love it here, we couldn't imagine living anywhere else! We value time with our family and friends, and always knew we wanted to live close by,' says Lynnsey.

They knew that purchasing a home came with sacrifices, but they felt it would be well worth it. Three years ago, the couple committed to saving for a house deposit, setting themselves a budget and mapping out how they would reach their goal. 

The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee under the Home Guarantee Scheme allowed them to purchase their first home in the Illawarra after a year of house hunting. 'We had heard of the Scheme briefly through passing conversations and online ads, however we never really understood how much opportunity the Scheme provided first home buyers!' says Jayden.

'It's perfect! The day we went to the open home, we knew it had to be ours!' says Lynnsey. 'It ticked all our boxes plus a few bonuses! Even better it is walking distance from many family and friends.'

'We were looking for a place that represented both of us. We couldn't wait to combine our possessions together in a home where we could create new traditions and routines, with family and friends.'

With the Home Guarantee Scheme, the couple were able to get into their home much sooner than if they had to save a 20% deposit. The couple met the eligibility criteria for a Regional Home Buyer Guarantee through Westpac, a HGS participating lender. 'We had a great mortgage broker, Jim, who explained the next steps and supported us through the whole process. Jim made this process so much less intimidating than we anticipated,' says Jayden.

After some renovations, Jayden and Lynnsey officially moved into their home in March 2024. 'Having a home was a physical reminder to us of all the hard work and sacrifice of the previous few years. It was ours, and we had worked together to achieve it. It makes us proud and excited for the future,' added Jayden.