That Home Loan Hub
Welcome to That Home Loan Hub, your ultimate guide to mastering the world of home loans and property. I'm Zebunisso Alimova, here to simplify the complexities of real estate and provide you with expert insights and the latest trends.
Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, an experienced investor, or simply curious about the property market, this podcast is for you. Join me each week as we unlock the secrets to property success and help you make informed decisions. Let's dive into the world of property together!
That Home Loan Hub
Building Stability: One Dad's Journey to Property Ownership
Starting fresh as a single father of twin boys, Jordan Holmes never thought homeownership was within his reach. After growing up with constant relocations across the UK before settling in New Zealand, Jordan craved stability—not just for himself, but for his children. "Having that instability, I've noticed later in life how it really affected me," he shares with raw honesty.
The path to property ownership wasn't straightforward. After feeling dismissed by previous mortgage brokers, Jordan finally connected with someone who took his dreams seriously. What followed was nothing short of miraculous. From finding his dream character home to securing loan approval and completing the purchase, everything fell into place with unprecedented speed. "I was expecting this process to last a month," Jordan reflects, still amazed at how quickly his life transformed.
What truly shines through our conversation is the profound emotional impact of homeownership. The simple freedoms—letting his sons paint their bedroom walls, hosting birthday parties with bouncy castles in the backyard, planning tree houses and bike ramps—represent a fundamental shift in Jordan's sense of autonomy and belonging. "You can't do that in a rental," he points out. "Now I can do what I want to do."
For other single parents who might think property ownership is out of reach, Jordan's message is powerfully simple: "Just give it a go. You don't know until you try." Sometimes all it takes are small financial adjustments and the right guidance to turn what seems impossible into reality within months. His journey from uncertainty to opportunity showcases how homeownership isn't just about property—it's about creating the stability and security every family deserves.
Listen to Jordan's inspiring story and discover how taking that first step might open doors you never imagined possible for you and your family.
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Hello and welcome back to that Home Long Hub. Today I am joined by one of my clients. That has been a very an interesting experience and a journey in itself, jordan Holmes. Hello.
Speaker 2:Hello, how's it going?
Speaker 1:Good, how are you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, not bad, it's a nice day. It's a nice day it's raining yeah you know, gotta love the rain as well.
Speaker 1:Love it. Jordan, thank you so much for coming in. I finally twisted your arm. You finally have the time to come and see me, because it's actually marking about a year since I got you into your first home. Did you realize that?
Speaker 2:That's true. It is yeah, yeah, no, we finally made it a year in.
Speaker 1:We finally made it a year in, but let's go back to your journey and can you please?
Speaker 2:share with the listeners who you are, what you do, what you did at that time and how did you find me? Yeah, so when I first bought my house and whatnot, I was a field service technician, so heavy diesel mechanic Been doing that for well over 10 years and stuff.
Speaker 1:Did you start when you were eight?
Speaker 2:No, I think I was 16, 17.
Speaker 1:I was just like trying to be nice about your age. Oh, thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Yeah, that's good hard work. I think I enjoy what I do, so, yeah, it's nice. So a heavy diesel mechanic, a dad right, yeah, dad of twin boys, little tyrants. They're brilliant. To be honest with you, they're great kids.
Speaker 1:And at that point, when you first met me well, when you first reached out last year, you just separated from your relationship. Yes, unfortunately, yeah, so you were a single dad and looking to get on the ladder.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I've wanted a home for a long time really. I think I'd started looking about two years prior to meeting you. I guess you know how you kind of get your dream and you start looking at the houses that you dream of, like free bedroom or full bedroom. I had kids, I wanted a family house and stuff. You start kind of testing out the waters, which areas you like and whatnot, just going to open homes. I was cheeky and I'd always say yeah, no, no, I've already been pre-approved and stuff. So they'd give me more attention and you'd get more information out of them about the house. And I found that I learned a lot more about just the property I kind of wanted back then you know, which was nice.
Speaker 2:And then, yeah, eventually, once we came to the point, I tried a few different mortgage brokers and stuff and I just have you.
Speaker 1:I did Sorry, you weren't my first choice all right, all right, let's dip in, let's go into that okay, so before you came to me. Yeah, you have gone to other mortgage brokers. I have?
Speaker 2:yes, I did. I like I went to just just a couple of like local, local mortgage brokers. I even talked to a couple of online mortgage brokers. Like you see them on tiktok and stuff and you're like, oh yeah, you seem to know what they're on about and you flick them a message and I, I don't know, like at the beginning I talked to a couple online because it's just easier. You, you have like a little bit of the app.
Speaker 2:You know you don't have to go through with it maybe, because I I didn't think I was able to do it.
Speaker 2:You know, you're just testing the waters and they were good and whatnot.
Speaker 2:But like, obviously, I didn't really have like a personal meeting with them, so it was just kind of you could shrug it off and put it off for a few more months and whatnot.
Speaker 2:And you know, everyone does it, I think when it comes to big decisions in life like this. But yeah, and then I did try a mortgage broker and met in person and that one was a bit difficult really, like that kind of put me off for a while, because every time I tried to get in contact with them they never picked up the phone or you know, and they didn't really like you could tell. They were just like nah, it just felt like I wasn't worth it, like I wasn't going to get the loan and, unfortunately, like we didn't, you know, like eventually we got through the whole process and no, didn't get the loan that time. So that put me off for a while and then, I think it was another year after that and then I was separated, was another year after that and then I'm separated, um, unfortunately, as I say. But uh, and yeah, I, where did I come across?
Speaker 2:you no that's right, my friend um Ray, a bloody good lad, very good friend, he, he, just he couldn't stop raving about you and I was just like okay, all right, all right, I'll do it. I'll do it Because every time I was talking, you go to hang out with mates, have a few drinks and stuff, and you always talk about what you want to do. I still really want to do that, I still want to buy that house. And he's like dude, just go and talk to her man, she works magic, she'll sort you out. And, like you know, and you did like, I hit you up.
Speaker 2:Well, I sent you a message and you were overseas, you're in a completely different country, and I think you'd message me back within like half an hour as well. I was just like, oh okay, like cool, like this, yeah, sweet is, and you're like, oh sorry, I'm just on holiday at the moment, whatnot? So I'm a little slow to reply. I was like that's all good, you know, but, um, immediately, like you put me on to um PAs and stuff, we were gathering information and it was. It was on, really, I think, wasn't it?
Speaker 1:yeah, so I was away at that time going through my own separation little did you know, yeah, which?
Speaker 1:yeah, nuts yeah, so I went away, I took my kids and we went away just to um for me to recoup myself emotionally and I think honestly it was the best decision I made at that time, but I was still working, and that's the reality of when you are in this industry is everybody matters. Every single life that you know comes to you and they want something. It's a big decision in their life and I never take it lightly. I can believe it, though you comes to you and they want something it's a big decision in their life, and I never take it lightly.
Speaker 2:I can believe it, though. You got back to me and like I don't think it was even 30 minutes, it was like 10, 15 minutes.
Speaker 1:I think it was instant. Yeah, I was like what?
Speaker 2:Okay, hello yeah.
Speaker 1:So I always take it seriously when clients do reach out to me from ray and ray was one of my first clients, you know, five years ago. I've helped him yeah to buy his um his home. And then he's referred me.
Speaker 2:Oh my god he raves about you heaps of clients he's awesome.
Speaker 1:So, um. So when I knew that you were, you know, friends with ray and then ray referred, I was like, oh my god, like I can't let ray down, you know, and that's why not not? That that's the only reason I always reach out back to clients, but it just adds extra layer of pressure upon myself to make sure I deliver to a hundred percent service. So, um so, when you reached out, we, we chatted a bit and, to my recollection is, I came back shortly after and then we sat down and you were probably one of my longest appointments of my life, jordan you love to talk just yeah, you love to talk yeah, yeah, fair enough and and that was also was really enjoyable.
Speaker 1:And, um, you know, we talked about your goals, we talked about why it's important to you, and the common theme that I remember that kept coming back was you want a stable home for your kids, because you never had one.
Speaker 2:No, I didn't. I may not sound like it anymore too much, but I do come from the UK. I moved over in 2010. More too much, but I do come from the UK. I moved over in 2010 and my entire life has really been just up Dan, moving left, right. You know we never really stayed in a house for more than I don't think like a year or two.
Speaker 2:you know, like I think we finally got to like a house that we stayed in for like three or three or four years at the end, like when I was in the UK and then suddenly my parents decided they wanted to move to the US and then it was New Zealand and it's just yeah. And so I ended up here and had to find pretty much my own way after that. You know. So for me, my having that instability I have noticed it later on in life how it really affected me and so, having my two boys, I just you know I don't I'm not going to throw the world at them or anything Like. They have to work hard for what they need and what they get, but I just want to give them that security that they have a home. They know they can always come back to it. It's like a safe place for them that I feel like will help them be able to go, travel the world and do what they want to do and feel comfortable to be able to do or achieve anything they want.
Speaker 2:that is really important to me yeah and so, like I know, being a single dad, I was like I don't know if I'm gonna be able to afford that like and like a free four bedroom home and like a nice area. It's not cheap, you know.
Speaker 1:So it was um but you were what stood out to me about you. You were a bit of a phenomenon, honestly. Like we met, we had our discussion and at that point you didn't really have a house yet that you thought of and you only had like 10 deposit.
Speaker 1:so we discussed look, you know, the banks don't accept, uh, applications at the moment was less than 10 and you were earning a little bit too much to qualify for kayanga order. So it just wasn't working in that sense and I said you need to find a property and then we can push you through as a live deal when we call them. So literally I think two days later you called me and you're like I found the house and we've put the application through. You found the house and I know you put 10 days working conditions, you know, for finance and we needed to get valuation done. But what happened next was absolute miracle and testament that when you walking in the life that you meant to be walking, things just fall into place. Because what happened next was basically, you put an offer, we've submitted the application, we've got an approval for you within a day. I never had an approval within a day, especially when the banks are taking bloody forever. Your approval came back within a day, but then the miracles didn't stop, did they Jordan?
Speaker 2:No, not at all. It was crazy. We ordered valuation.
Speaker 1:We ordered valuation for you and valuations normally take seven working days seven to ten working days. If you want an urgent order, you have to pay $250 extra and they will give it to you within three days. Your valuation took a.
Speaker 2:I think it was like the afternoon I paid it, and then it was like paid it in the morning, and then they were like, okay, sweet, we'll come around today, like in the afternoon, and then they had it all compiled and sent the day after.
Speaker 1:Literally a day. I was like bro okay. Never, I was like, do they usually?
Speaker 2:come in this quick. You're like no, no, it's supposed to take like a. How long is it? Like a few days at least, like a week or and you didn't even pay for the urgent one.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, Because they sent me. They did. They sent me to pay for it, so I paid for it. Um, they went around straight away. They sent me another one then like oh no, actually you don't even bother, like don't even bother paying for the, the urgent stuff or anything, we just weren't that busy. So it was just perfect timing, like to be honest, the whole sale was crazy.
Speaker 2:Like I found that place and I think I only had like 10 days or something to put in an offer like do like, was it? I think it was only a week. Was it a week to put in an offer? Like do like, was it? I think it was only a week, was it? Yeah, a week to put in an offer and like whatnot? And I've never done any of that, I've never put an offer or anything. So I'm on the phone and you're like how do I do this? I really like this. Can we do it? Like what's going to happen? And you're just like, just put in the offer, put in the like you told me to put in the specific clauses, like with my lawyer and stuff. Get it looked over, send it through. I think it was two weeks from like finding the house two weeks to buying the house it was. It was crazy.
Speaker 2:It was insane it was like and I wasn't even in, I had to go up to Matamata for work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember you were away.
Speaker 2:For a week. So I was like just on the phone to you, to the lawyer, to the real estate agent and stuff and I wasn't even home. Yeah, it was nuts.
Speaker 1:It was moving so fast, so fast, and I couldn't believe it. And I remember we have like team meetings and stuff and we talk about clients and I remember I was like, okay, cool Jordan application is in, let's submit it to the banks. And then literally it was like oh my god, jordan found a house. Oh my god, jordan is going unconditional, oh my god, jordan is settling. Like it was just boom, boom, boom it was just, yeah, it was crazy it was awesome, it was experience.
Speaker 2:This was your I'd like and, like I said, from like previous experiences and stuff, where you just kind of feel like you're fobbed off a lot and and you no one really gives you any information, you don't know what to do, where you're having to actually personally come in to get their attention to, to going to like just constant like back and forth, like replying within like for like five minutes kind of thing, you know, to getting the deal done in two weeks. I was like I was expecting this process the last month, you know like to at least get a pre-approval and stuff. But I was just like this is like a home in an area I love, like this. It's so quiet, it's so good, nice little rural area, it's two doors away from the school. I was like I'm not gonna get an opportunity like this again. It is the exact like, because I like those um, older farm hairstyle kind of like you're from UK?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm from.
Speaker 2:UK. I like character. I like character mate Brick wood loves it, you know.
Speaker 1:You don't like the plaster. Lick your hole. I don't like the plaster.
Speaker 2:I don't like the monolith. No, get out of here. Don't like it, Shove it. So yeah, it was just brick, but the so yeah, it was just. But the thing is the property was built in the 90s, like 1991, but it looks like a property from the early 1920s, 1930s. I'm like, yeah, fully insulated, I'll take it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and what have you done with the property so far?
Speaker 2:Oh, a few things. So I've cleared up the like. First thing came in because it was an older lady that owned the property. The gardens kind of got a bit out of hand and stuff, so we've taken that all back, opened it up, planted a few new trees the standard Kiwi lemon tree, you know, got to do that. I've also opened up.
Speaker 1:Thank you for my tree, by the way.
Speaker 2:That's all right, yeah, yeah you know, thank you for everything you've done. So you've got to. You gotta say show it somehow, yeah, but um, we also converted it from a two bedroom to a three bedroom and open planned the lounge to the kitchen. That's just getting sorted now. So, yeah, it's coming along. So new kitchen hopefully in a bit and what do your boys think about?
Speaker 2:it. It's got good land, so like fairs and squares, which is they run around, they get to play with like a big trampoline outside. They have like three bikes each, which is like shocking. I shouldn't have done that, but um, yeah, so they're just like up and down the driveway like they can. You know, there's a school right next door as well, so we take the dog for a walk, we can go down there and they've got. They've got like a dirt bike track at the school. How many primary schools have like a dirt bike track? Wow?
Speaker 2:it's cool, like that's awesome yeah, so it's, it's a great area, the community's lovely. When we first moved in, people were just coming around like old lady down the street just giving them choccy, like yeah, really good neighbors you know what I loved about when you invited me for um a visit recently.
Speaker 1:I loved seeing the kids room and how they're like.
Speaker 2:You painted little things for them in their room, yeah, so I was like finally my house. So, yeah, gave them a paintbrush, go for it, boys. This is your room, you do you like? We'll paint it nicely later on and stuff, but for now they love it. You know, I just let them paint all over the walls and stuff in their room. You know? Um, they could, they can make it theirs, like they've got their own space, like, which is great and, like I said, we can do anything we want there. You can't, you can't do that in a rental. You always feel like you you've got to be so careful, you know, and it's someone else's property and stuff. You know, now I can do what I want to do. I want to go build a treehouse in the backyard. I'm going to build a treehouse in the backyard. You know, if I want to go start building, like digging and building ramps for their bikes in the backyard, I'm going to do that, you know.
Speaker 1:How empowered do you feel with this?
Speaker 2:Great. Honestly, you can do whatever you want. Like once I got that home, I was it's that security you know. Like especially from like no, not always moving around. Like I did the same when I moved here. I've lived all over North Island to actually finally have a spot where I don't have to move, that I know I'm secure. Like it's like your safe place. You can come home like you've had a bad day and you can just sit there on your couch and just chuck on the tv and you're like this month I don't have to do nothing, I don't have to worry about no one. This is yeah.
Speaker 1:I love it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a great level of security and a great feeling.
Speaker 1:I love this for you, Jordan.
Speaker 2:This is beautiful.
Speaker 1:And what are your next goals in terms of property?
Speaker 2:In terms of property, it's mostly really to finish. I should finish this one off first. I am thinking about the next technically, but I want to finish this one off first, get it to least to the point where it's. You know there's no more walls coming down, you know, at least on like the final paint stage. But I'm also putting money aside and trying to figure out well, what I'm using you for really is the best way to damn, pay my loan or get it paid off faster so I can get an investment property or something. I see opportunities now that I didn't before. Once you've got to that goal, you've got the halves and stuff you're like well, what else can I do then? I've already done something that I didn't think I'd be able to do, something like you know, my, my parents don't have houses or anything themselves. Like it's, yeah, I didn't think I'd be able to do it long, sweet. Well, let's do the next one, let's do the, the old Kiwi classic buy an investment property, property, maybe two later, you know.
Speaker 1:One for each child.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's the plan. One day you just have a compound mate, my house, the kids' house, sweet.
Speaker 1:Jordan, for those that are listening today and they're sitting there on the fence maybe even single dad out there, you know and thinking, oh, I can't do this, I need a missus, you know, to have another income. Yeah, what would be your message to them?
Speaker 2:just give it a go. Like you, you don't know. Like that's the thing like. And if you you don't know until you try, you know, and getting the advice of what you need to do is better than not knowing anything at all. You know, if you just sit there, like I said earlier, like I divot around, like I went to like the online guys and stuff and just kind of just because I knew that I didn't have to follow through with it, you know, and then it's like I did so much messing around, I could have got a house like yonks before.
Speaker 2:You told me, like mate, you could have got like house like yonks before. Like you, you told me, like my mate, you could have got like a house a year before, two years before. Like you had the income you know. Like you had, like I had a decent deposit. Like it was just knowing how to present that to the, to the bank, I think or to you know, finding the right place. It's just like go do it and then get the information back. Even if you you can't get it approved, then you can get the information like, oh, what you need to do, like do I need to stop buying so many takeaways?
Speaker 1:no, more coffees, no more coffees, or takeaways, not even that.
Speaker 2:It's just like leaning it back a little bit or just like just tidying things up a little bit, or you know it's, there's just some little things that a little bit, or you know, there's just some little things that you can do. That will make a massive difference and you'll be ready in like three months' time yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, if you think about it, it's like all you have to do is wait three months. But if you don't do it, then you're waiting years. And like you get into your house early, then you've got your own house. You're paying it off, like instead of paying someone else's mortgage.
Speaker 1:You know you've got that safe space. Exactly. You've got that stability and security right. That's what all human needs are really. Every human need is revolving around the stability and security. We all want to feel that, yeah, and if you are in charge of providing it for yourself and for your family, the kids yeah, what was exciting for me last year was after you bought that house, you had birthday party for your boys. I did. It was like immediately afterwards as well. Yeah, it was so cool.
Speaker 2:The timing was awesome it really was, because we um it was a big birthday party too. Actually so many people came, which was awesome. I appreciate that you know, because what you want for your kids, you want them to have like those great experiences in life. And it was cool Like we shot like a couple of bouncy castles at the back, the barbecue gang. I've actually been at my home for like four or five days, I think we hadn't even unpacked like bugger all, and yet I've got all these people around my house. But it was kind of cool that I could actually host all of that for my kids and like not have to worry about, um, the standard stuff you do with like a tenancy. You know, like it was like I could do it at my own home.
Speaker 2:I don't have to go rent out a hall or yeah you know, and it was cool yeah, no, that's awesome it's a big experience, yeah.
Speaker 1:Jordan, I'm so, so happy for you. Honestly, through my journey with dealing with clients you know the last 15 years of my life you definitely stand out as one of our miraculous ones.
Speaker 2:What are you trying to say?
Speaker 1:No, just everything was just aligning and the universe just went. Jordan, here you go, here's a house, here's the approval, here's the registered valuation.
Speaker 2:You're ready. You worked hard enough.
Speaker 1:Make it happen. And you did. You took that opportunity and you ran with that. I know you were scared, you were anxious. I remember those phone calls. I called you so many times.
Speaker 2:What about this? What about this? What about this? He called you so many times. What about this? What about this? What about this? I remember it's okay.
Speaker 1:I think we had like at least 10 phone calls a day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, probably.
Speaker 1:But this is why I love what I do For this. Moments like this, when you're thinking about that first birthday party, you know how your kids can paint the room, how you can create this beautiful, magnificent place, stable and secure for your kids Like these, are the moments that remind me why I do what I do because of people like you. So, thank you, I appreciate you as well as a client and I think you as a client, you were awesome. You were really good because yeah, even though you were annoying me with phone calls no, I'm kidding.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was annoying. Maybe I'm one of those clients that just needs a little bit more input. I think you know just a little bit more.
Speaker 1:But you listened, and that was the greatest thing that I can ever ask for of clients when they listen when I tell them hey look, you need to do X, y, z. And you went and you did that, yeah you know the client is only annoying when the client doesn't do, when I ask them to do certain things that will help their situation. That's when it gets annoying for me. 10 phone calls a day not annoying at all if you're actually calling back to tell me you've done it.
Speaker 2:I feel better, you feel better.
Speaker 1:But you know what I mean. Like it's always hard dealing with, and I guess it's the same in your line of work, right? When you come to fix something and you're here to fix a problem and you're telling them what will fix the problem but they're not getting the right tool or the right part or they're not taking your advice, that's when you get annoyed, right? Yeah, exactly so, exactly the same in my industry. You know, when we suggest certain things and people just don't do it, that's when it gets annoying. But if you do what we ask you to do to help you to get ahead, beautiful. So absolutely appreciate you, absolutely love your work and I just can't wait to see what's in store for you.
Speaker 2:Cool, yeah, I'm excited I've got so much I want to do now.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, seeing that empowerment in you when you went from not knowing the numbers, not understanding how this all works, to where you are now. This is just beautiful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, now I can look at my warriors and I can see where I'm going right with it and stuff. And you spent some time as well explaining to me what our future steps can be, which was cool. So it's all working well, you know. Yeah, I don't know what to say.
Speaker 1:Thank you, yeah, thank you, come again soon.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Well, yeah, we've got six more months left on this one, and then I'll be back awesome, sounds good yeah, we're a year on. You're like like, hey, do you want to come uh? It's a review time, jordan, yeah, so this is like literally our one year, our annual review, our annual review. Yeah, we've documented it now okay awesome, thank you have a good one, you too. Bye.
