From “pipe dream” to purchasing a Sydney home.

How Theresa reached her goal of buying a house in Sydney via Brisbane and Toowoomba.

If you’ve ever thought that buying a home in Sydney is out of reach, you’ll be interested in Theresa’s story. It’s a great example of how a smart strategy, some patience and following your dream can pay off big time. 

And of course how having a buyer’s agent by your side can help!

Up to the challenge

When I met Theresa in 2019, she was working hard towards a clear goal - to buy a home in Sydney to be closer to family. The challenge she faced was that, on paper, that dream seemed out of reach. 

Her options to buy in Sydney were very limited, and nowhere near where she wanted to live. At the time, buying property in a regional area or interstate wasn’t on her radar. As she told me later, “I didn’t know what I didn’t know!”.

When I started working with Theresa, we took a step back and looked at the bigger picture. To her credit, she was open to looking outside Sydney, so we focused on markets that showed:

- More affordable entry points

- Strong growth potential

- Solid and reliable rental returns

Thinking (and buying) outside the box

Theresa’s first purchase was in Brisbane. And a couple of years later, strong capital growth in her first property helped with the purchase of a second house in Toowoomba. Neither places were obvious choices for her, but strategically they made a lot of sense. 

Both were rented out and both performed extremely well in capital growth. Fast forward a few years and Theresa found herself in a very different position. The “pipe dream” was suddenly within reach. 

I love it when a plan comes together

Theresa sold those two properties over a period of about 12 months, which provided a solid deposit for a home in Willoughby on Sydney’s lower north shore. 

Looking back, what made the most difference was Theresa’s willingness and confidence to step outside her comfort zone. She didn’t want to take unnecessary risks, or buy something “cheap” just for the sake of it, but she was prepared to do something different. 

Theresa had a clear goal, she just needed someone to help her implement the right plan to get there. Having me in her corner gave her the confidence to look to markets that she was unfamiliar with, knowing that I was independent and focused only on getting her the best possible outcome. 

One unexpected benefit that made the whole process easier for Theresa was what happened after the interstate purchases. Because I was regularly in Brisbane and Toowoomba, and because of my robust relationship with the agents, I was able to help smooth out property management challenges, ensure trades were there when promised and get tenants into her properties quickly. 

It helps to have some support along the way

For Theresa, that support made all the difference. Afterwards, she was kind enough to say, “Working with Stewart I felt looked after and supported through the entire process, and much more confident to buy in areas that I would not have even considered before. It worked out perfectly for me and my family.”

Every buyer’s situation is different, but the idea of creating a pathway that might take a few strategic moves over a period of time is something I recommend to clients and help them with all the time. 

If you have a dream but the steps along the way are unclear, I’m happy to have a no obligation chat with you. You never know what’s possible until you understand all your options.