First-Time Home Buyers Are in the Game and Ready To Win!

We hear the screaming headlines all of the time – ‘poor first-home buyers, priced out and unable to buy’. The reality is that’s BS. First-home buyers are absolutely hungry and, in the game, to buy! 

While you could easily be confused that this sector of the market is deflated and deterred by New Zealand’s competitive real estate landscape, all indications actually show that first time buyers are not slowing down in their quest to own a slice of Kiwi paradise. 

When people begin working with us at Positive Real Estate, they’re at varying levels of their journey. Some are yet to purchase, some are first-time investors, and some are well established but have hit a roadblock in growing their portfolio to greater measures of success. Prominently though, we see no shortage of newbies coming to the market, with price doing the opposite of putting them off – instead making them even more determined to hit the first milestone of home ownership. 

When we look at the nature of New Zealanders, it’s easy to see why this is such an important achievement for many. Afterall, isn’t it instilled in us from a young age to work hard and buy a home?

A DIFFERENT KIND OF BUYER

While today’s generation face some unique challenges that were not seen by their parents or even grandparents – prospective first-home buyers are now trying every way they can, to get a foot in the door. They also have a completely different buying mindset. For example, when I purchased my first property it was far from fresh. We knew we’d have to work hard to do it up and couldn’t imagine getting our ‘dream’ home for years to come. 

In my opinion, I’ve seen quite the shift in expectations. Present-day buyers often expect a move-in-ready property off the bat. While I find this interesting, it’s certainly not a bad thing. In fact, purchasing solid, quality real estate from the get-go is always going to serve you well in the long run if you can afford it. Interest rates also have a part to play in regard to loosening the purse-strings. 

First-home buyers also seem to be realists. They know that if they don’t buy now, the cost of real estate is unlikely to get cheaper. 

THE MILLENNIAL ADVANTAGE 

Probably one of the major differences (and advantages) that sets this group of buyers apart, is that they live differently to those who entered the market 10, 15 and even 20 years ago. The age in which people are choosing to marry and have kids is now much later in life, with a large proportion of millennials opting to concentrate on becoming more established in their careers before settling down. This means instead of having a single family under one roof, many young professionals house-share and let out bedrooms in order to help cover the high costs of owning a home. All of a sudden this makes it possible to service a mortgage. 

My nephew and his fiancé are a perfect example of this. They’ve recently purchased a lovely home. They have no children, they’re both working full time and because they bought a four beddie, they’re renting out the other rooms to flat mates. With interest rates at an all-time low, this is the perfect strategy to help slash their mortgage over the next few years before deciding to go down the road of marriage and kids which as we know, is a completely different lifestyle. 

COMMITTED AND EAGER

My point remains, today’s first-home buyers are savvy and resourceful because they have to be. They’re committed to finding new ways to enter the marketplace because they have a strong mindset that owning is far better than renting – and the sooner they can sign on the dotted line, the better. 

The message here is if you’re still on the fence, then get off it. Because if you don’t, someone else will. Better yet, purchase your first property with your future in mind. How long do you want to be working for? And more importantly, what type of lifestyle do you want to live? By factoring this into your first buy, you can reverse engineer a plan that will see your very first property lay the foundation for a budding portfolio that is primed for future wealth. 

FREE TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME BUYERS

Having strong assets now is what is going to create tangible financial security in the future. 

There are many creative ways to embark on your property journey, and the first purchase could easily be the most important. Knowing exactly what strategies to use and how to choose the best property that will sustain you for years to come is incredibly important. We cover all of this and more in our free real estate seminars – perfect for newcomers who are just figuring out where to start. 

Learn from a knowledgeable and experienced team of coaches who have done it all before. Book your free spot here. 

By Sue Irons

CEO – Positive Real Estate New Zealand