Supporting home ownership: Gail’s story

The cost of relocating used most of their savings, and only a couple of months after arriving, the rental property they were living in was put up for sale, forcing them to move again.

“Being new to the country, it was very unsettling. We’d only just found our local shops and started to feel settled, and then we had to relocate,” Gail said. It was at that point the family realised renting wouldn’t provide the long-term stability they wanted.

Saving a typical 20% deposit while managing the costs of resettlement proved to be a major barrier for the family. After exploring purchasing options without success, the expansion of the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme created a viable pathway they hadn’t previously had.

With the enhanced support available through the Scheme, Gail and her husband were finally able to move forward, purchasing land at Menangle Park in Sydney’s outer south‑west and preparing to build their dream home. “We didn’t qualify at first, but once the Scheme expanded, building became a real option. We’ve now settled on the land and expect to start building soon.” 

For a family who had invested nearly everything in starting a new life, the lower deposit requirement of the Scheme removed one of the biggest hurdles to buying a home and was the difference between renting indefinitely and securing a home of their own. “It gave us the opportunity to buy a home that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Being in our early forties, we just didn’t think it could ever happen,” Gail said.

The family chose Menangle Park for its growing development and strong sense of community. “We have a 10-year-old son, and we’re hoping it will be a family-friendly area where we can really feel at home,” Gail said.