Customer Story: First homebuyers Gemma and Corey
For self-confessed fussy homemaker Gemma, building a new home simply made sense.
Together with fiancé Corey, the first homebuyers got everything they wanted in a new home, at a price they could afford.
‘We were living in a humble one-bedroom apartment in Port Melbourne, but we knew we wanted to start a family one day,’ explains Gemma.
‘We purchased a block of land off my parents on the Bellarine Peninsula. As a very fussy person, I knew I wanted to build my own place.’
After visiting many display homes, the pair fell in love with the Grove 22 home design, coupled with the Lucas façade. Narrow block? No worries! The Grove floorplan gave them room to move despite the smaller footprint, with three bedrooms and two living spaces. With a wide variety of colours and finishes to choose from as standard, the couple were able to create the home of their dreams, all at a fixed price.
‘It’s the perfect first home in our opinion. we love the master bedroom with the walk-in robe and ensuite,’ says Gemma.
‘My dad, who is in the building industry, came with us to the Point Cook display home, and he couldn’t fault the workmanship of Homebuyers Centre – in that moment, we knew we had found our home builder.
Let’s talk about the build process as first homebuyers
Gemma and Corey’s build moved at lightning speed, with just four months between slab pouring and picking up their keys. And, guess what? The entire process was incredibly smooth and stress-free, says Gemma. Communication was key to feeling secure about their build – from their New Homes Consultant and Resolve Finance Expert, to their Customer Experience Coordinator and Site Supervisor.
‘It felt like a very well-oiled machine – everything was straightforward, easy and seamless. No question was ever too big, or too small, and they were always answered quickly,’ says Gemma.
‘We loved watching the house being built before our eyes. Being handed the keys to our beautiful new home was a special feeling.’
What about getting finance?
Working with a builder who is a one-stop-shop for finance, land and construction was a game changer, says Gemma. Homebuyer Centre’s in-house finance experts, Resolve Finance, made sure they received the home loan that was right for them.
‘It was nice to have someone advising us on finance. It made the whole process a lot easier and stress-free, especially because it was our first time applying for a home loan,’ says Gemma.
‘It was great having everything done in the one place. The constant communication from the Homebuyers Centre and Resolve teams meant we never felt out of the loop.’
Gemma & Corey’s top tips for first homebuyers
1. Beware of super fancy displays
Many display homes may look glamorous, but there’s a reason – cost! When checking out display homes, make sure you understand which finishes are standard and which are upgrades. ‘With many display homes, we were never getting a true representation of what our home would look like,’ says Gemma. ‘We loved that 95 percent of the Homebuyers Centre display homes were standard inclusions. Our New Homes Consultant, Tom, was also very open and transparent.’
2. Look for a builder who offers fixed and transparent pricing
Make sure you’re crystal clear on what you’re going to pay before you sign across the dotted line. Homebuyers Centre includes everything in an upfront quote, including Site Works and upgrades, adds Gemma. ‘During our first official meeting with Homebuyers Centre, our New Homes Consultant considered all our wants and needs, and we were given clear prices for the things we wanted to upgrade. It never felt like there were surprise costs coming our way,’ says Gemma.
3. Consider your street when choosing your façade
Finding a unique façade you love is one thing, but you want to make sure it also fits your streetscape and doesn’t look out of place. Moreover, many councils have rules about the type of materials and colours you can use in your suburb. Thankfully, Homebuyers Centre has experts who will check all the council laws for you.