Supporting home ownership: Olivia’s story
For Olivia, buying her first home felt out of reach for many years. A single woman in her 40s, she had been renting in Sydney while working towards home ownership - a journey made more complex by rising housing costs and the challenges of securing long‑term rental security with pets.
“Being in my mid-40s, I wanted the security and stability of owning my own place,” Olivia said. “That was really hard to navigate while renting.”
After several years of saving, including around three years of focused effort, Olivia still didn’t believe home ownership would be possible without support. That changed when she became eligible for the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme.
“When the Scheme was expanded in October 2025 and I became eligible, I went through with it straight away,” Olivia said. It gave her the final boost she needed, which made all the difference.
Scheme’s expansion, including increased property price limits opened up new opportunities for Olivia and gave her the confidence to move forward. With this support, she was able to purchase a unit in Gymea, in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.
“It hugely helped me,” she said. “I wouldn’t have been able to afford this place without it.”
While Olivia had initially focused her search closer to Cronulla, she found that nearby Gymea offered strong value, a welcoming community and close proximity to areas she already knew well. Being just a few suburbs away allowed her to remain connected to familiar surroundings while finding the right home. “I’m about four suburbs away from where I lived before,” she said. “That was purely down to pricing, but I’m really happy here.”
Her new home is larger than her previous rental, giving both Olivia and her pets more space to settle in and feel at home. Now a home owner, Olivia says the impact on her outlook and sense of security has been significant.
“Absolutely, it’s changed my long-term plans,” she said. “It’s a huge achievement just knowing this place is mine.”
Although purchasing a home has required careful budgeting and adjustment, Olivia sees it as a positive and purposeful investment in her future.
“It’s something I’ve worked hard for,” she said. “And it’s setting me up for the future.”
For Olivia, the 5% Deposit Scheme turned the goal of home ownership into reality - providing the stability, independence and security she had been striving for.