Build grant a cherry on top

BACK on the east coast after working two years in Perth, it’s been a long time coming for engaged couple Kye Elder and Guy Benson to build their first home.

The pair “always knew” they wanted to call Townsville home, and after finding land in Maidment Group’s Sanctum Estate, the $25,000 homebuilder grant is the cherry on top.

Torn between buying an established home or building, Kye said the generous government grants were a massive bonus.

“We don’t have kids yet, we do have dogs, so … what appealed to us was the land size, we didn’t want to be in a shoebox,” she said.

“We were quite smart in that we didn’t factor any of the grants into our deposit, all of the grants that we get thankfully will be additional extras.

“(Without the grants) we wouldn’t have been able to, with our deposit, buy an established house over our maximum $270,000 borrowing capacity so we were definitely eligible for a lot more to build.”

Owning their own home will see their mortgage payments $193 cheaper than their rent.

Construction on stage 24 Riberry Release is now complete with 35 homeowners set to commence construction on their homes next week.

Eight blocks have already sold in the stage 25 release.

Publication: Townsville Bulletin, Wednesday 24th March, Prime Site
Journalist: Matt Taylor