Feature article

First home buyer stories: from casual browsing to owning a hidden gem in Onehunga

Today's buyer-friendly environment is turning long-held real estate dreams into reality. Just ask Diana Ahumada.

AI summary

Diana Ahumada, a Trade Me team member, turned casual browsing into homeownership, securing a character home in Onehunga. Her journey highlights the opportunities available in the current buyer-friendly market for prepared buyers.

A key strategy was seeking a property with a self-contained studio. The projected rental income helped boost her family’s borrowing power with the bank.

After an initial auction setback, Diana successfully used a pre-auction offer to secure her home, a smart tactic in today's climate.

Diana and Odin

Diana and Louis

The broker's tip

Banks often allow prospective buyers to include projected rental income from an independent studio or sleepout on their mortgage application. This added yield directly boosts your servicing capacity, unlocking a higher borrowing threshold.

Louis and Diana's home is bright and airy, with an Odin the cat-approved garden

Take the leap with the bank: "Don't be afraid to ask the bank or a broker for options! The absolute worst thing they can say is 'no,' and you'll never know where you stand until you put an application forward."
Explore multi-income options: "If you’re struggling with servicing limits, look for properties with an existing sleepout, studio, or granny flat. That extra rental income can significantly boost what the bank is willing to lend you."
Don't wait for the auction: "In a buyer-friendly market where CVs are lower, don't be afraid to put in a pre-auction offer. If the owner likes your price, they might just sign on the dotted line and take the stress of auction day off the table."
Trust the process: "Missing out on a house hurts at the time, but it usually means something much better suited to your lifestyle is right around the corner."

Author

Charlotte Rosier

Discover More

The impressive Lockwood home on the banks of Lake Rotorua. Photo: RAY WHITE/TRADE ME

‘We wanted to show off’: He built his own Lockwood home to prove what it could do

Former Lockwood boss Joe La Grouw’s 648sqm Rotorua home, built to showcase the company’s designs, is now on the market.

This tall 19th-century house is a dramatic presence on Lincoln Rd in Masterton - it was designed in the early 1890s by architect Charles Natusch for his own family. Photo: Haroourts

Famed architect built this grand Masterton home for his family of 10

Architect Charles Natusch built this grand Masterton home for his family of 10 in 1893.

Advice & Tools

PROPERTY NEWS LOOKING TO BUY THINKING ABOUT SELLING HOME INSPIRATION