First-home dream achieved through discipline and sacrifice

Paul Clark and Mikayla Tidd pulled off the impossible, grinding for more than a year to snap up their first home in Ferntree Gully. Picture: David Caird

Discipline, sacrifice and a willingness to compromise were the keys to breaking into Melbourne’s property market for a young couple who last week snapped up their first home in Ferntree Gully.

Paul Clark, who works in asbestos removal, and partner Mikayla Tidd, who juggles shifts at Woolworths with her role as a play therapy assistant for children with developmental disorders, bought in the outer east after a year of serious planning.

The pair deliberately moved before the federal government’s expanded First Home Guarantee came into effect this week, worried the scheme allowing people to buy with a 5 per cent deposit would drive up competition in the $700,000 to $800,000 bracket they were targeting.
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“We wanted to get in before demand really spiked,” Mr Clark said.

“The scheme’s great for people who are struggling with deposits, but borrowing more can bite you later.

“We figured, move early and be disciplined.”

Like many of their generation, the couple stayed at home to save.

The couple chose Ferntree Gully over new estates, chasing land value and family connections instead of a far-flung postcode. Picture: David Caird

Both praised their parents for support while they put away a portion of every pay.

“We cut back on eating out and the impulse buys,” Mr Clark said.

“Once we realised we shared the same mindset, it felt achievable.”

Ms Tidd said their strategy was to rent out the home for a few years before moving in themselves after they marry.

“Our families encouraged us – if we’re saving properly, we can stay home longer,” she said.

“We have resisted pressure to buy further out in new estates, Paul has guided my perspective on that.

First-home buyers are sacrificing smashed avo, nights out and backyard dreams to get a foothold in Melbourne’s property market. Picture: David Caird

“Friends have moved to Clyde North, Berwick and Pakenham to make it work, we wanted something still connected to our network and family, which is why Ferntree Gully made sense.”

Mr Clark said they both had to resist the temptation to chase perfection.

“Our generation can have champagne taste on a beer budget,” Mr Clark said.

“We had to remind ourselves to see potential, not just the finished look.”

Instead, they focused on land value and location, planning to add value with improvements over time.

“We’ll do improvements, not a bulldoze – the budget doesn’t stretch that far,” Mr Clark said.

Juggling Woolworths shifts and play therapy work, Mikayla Tidd cut back hard to make the couple’s first-home dream a reality. Picture: David Caird

Asked what would make life easier for first-home buyers, Mr Clark said better education early on for young people.
“A clear due-diligence list would save a lot of pain. It’s easy for inexperience to miss big issues like foundations or defects.”

Ms Tidd said even non-financial support helps.

“Just knowing what to look for, and what to ignore, makes a huge difference,” she said.

Mr Clark said the biggest lesson from the process was sticking to the basics.

“Discipline beats hype,” Mr Clark said.

“Buy something solid, add value and stick to the plan.”

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