Alex Gaul and Aimee Rose of Geilston Bay. Picture: Chris Kidd

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WHEN Aimee Rose and Alex Gaul were teenagers, they had a clear picture of what their first home would look like.

While it took some effort to convince lending institutions that a pair of 18-year-olds were serious, the couple never wavered from their goal.

And today, they are sitting pretty in a
brand-new home built to fit their needs.

Ms Rose, 24, says they always wanted to build and that the first-home builder grants only made that idea more enticing.

One of the advantages of building over buying was skipping the competition of an overheated real estate market.

No wild open homes. No increasing offers higher and higher in the attempt to secure a property.

“We did not consider buying an established home,” the pharmacist says. “Alex is a sparky, so we thought we could use that to our advantage when building.”

Alex Gaul and Aimee Rose at their new home.

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The couple were also lucky to know a few people that work in real estate.

Ms Rose says they were able to offer advice on areas that were attractive, and if they would hold value or increase over time.

They also sought the advice of a mortgage broker.

“Derwent Finance director Emmanuel Marios was really helpful, he broke down all of our options and what it would cost,” Ms Rose says. “With that information, we were able to make an educated decision on what was the actual best move for us.”

Mr Gaul and Ms Rose built their first home at Geilston Bay. She says a typical three-bedroom, two-bathroom home fit the bill for them. “A first home does not need to be perfect,” she says. “We did not need anything extreme, like a pool; just the basics for everyday living. All I wanted was a walk-in wardrobe!

“I knew what colour scheme I wanted. I’ve had an Instagram/Pinterest mood board for a while.”

Emmanuel Marios and Rhianna Farnan from Derwent Finance.

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Prior to building, the couple researched what various builders charged to build a home, and what was included or cost extra.

Their sign-up bonus with Wilson Homes included $20,000 worth of upgrades.

“We upgraded to stone benchtops, square set plaster, soft-close drawers and downlights instead of baton lights,” Ms Rose says. “It only took about six months to build. But our land title was a big problem; it took years and eventually we chose to build on a different block that was issued sooner.”

After a long haul, moving in to a first home is bound to be a thrilling, pinch-yourself moment.

For Ms Rose, she says it was a “relief”.

“We were so over the waiting,” she says. “We met the builder on-site to get the keys, and we arrived in two cars that were full to the brim.

“We started moving boxes in right away.

“The day you move in goes by so quickly compared to everything that comes before that; but it was all worth it in the end.”

Grab a copy of our annual Hobart Living magazine in today’s Mercury featuring 40 suburb profiles. What’s your suburb worth?