First Affordable Home Sold
First-home buyers Lovely and Reginald Abellana say that securing the keys to the first affordable house and land package at Jack’s Landing felt like they had won Lotto.
“I started packing up our belongings straight away, even though Reginald said we might not be moving for another year,” Lovely recalls, “I was just so excited.”
Jack’s Landing received approval under the now defunct Special Housing Area legislation which directed a portion of the house and land packages be deemed affordable. At least 10 per cent of Jack’s Landing houses will be sold for no more than 90 per cent of Hamilton’s average house price as of the most recent June, 11 affordable properties as part of the 109-house development.
Habitat for Humanity was asked to run the affordable home application process.
“One of the things that Habit for Humanity made clear to us was that every house that we can allocate as affordable, will make a huge difference to a family’s life. For Reginald’s house, it’s an opportunity to build $200,000 equity on Day One which is a life-changing scenario.” said Jack’s Landing director Blake Richardson.
When writing their application, the Abellanas, both 30, shared their aspirations of wanting to start a family. Lovely, who works as a nurse at Waikato Hospital, is trying to become pregnant through IVF treatment.
The couple rent in Hamilton and have been house hunting since last year.
“We wanted to share our journey of trying to get a home and our journey towards having a family,” Reginald said.
“If Lovely became pregnant then we wanted to have a good home for our family.”