Rent, Buy or Own
Why buy?
By Lea ann De Maxton
"Fate helped us buy our own home," explains Suesa and Asa Paa.
Suesa and Asa Paa moved into their own home in Wanganui earlier this year after renting a Housing New Zealand home for 11 years.
"Being a working couple with three growing children we longed to own our own home but thought it was merely a dream," says Suesa.
"Although we had talked about home ownership a number of times it always came down to not enough money to pay a deposit - so we carried on renting.
"Then, as fate would have it, in November last year Housing New Zealand invited Asa and I to a forum about home ownership. My mind was racing and I could hardly concentrate all day because of the excitement."
Asa had to work so I went to the forum alone. "As I entered the room late, people were talking about a Welcome Home Loan which was on offer. I had an information pack to take home."
"When Asa got home from work we sat and talked about everything I had heard at the forum. That night I remember neither of us got very much sleep at all."
"Then with the Christmas and New Year festivities over, we called our local Welcome Home Loan lender to arrange for an application pack to be sent out.
Within two weeks of completing the application we received the call approving our home loan. Asa and I were so shocked and happy that we cried," says Suesa.
Six months on Suesa and Asa are very settled in their new home. "The kids love it and we are happy knowing that should anything happen our children will always have a roof over their heads."
"Although with renting a home you can call a landlord to do repairs there is no greater sense of achievement than having a place you truly call home," say Suesa and Paa.
