A couple in their early 20s who both work for Woolworths are about to buy their third property, and they did so without any help from their parents.
Terry Talarico and his fiance Monique Chetcuti work as a manager and assistant manager respectively in two different Woolworths supermarkets in Victoria.
The couple, both aged 23, also work second jobs as disability support workers on weekends and evenings to make their home ownership dreams come true.
Mr Talarico said though he and his partner spend a lot of time apart now due to working such long hours, they are setting themselves up for years to come.
‘You have to sacrifice for the future if you want to get ahead,’ he told realestate.com.au.
Having grown up with his mum and three brothers, with the family spending several years living in a rental home, Mr Talarico wanted to have his own place as soon as he could.
He bought his first house in Melbourne‘s northern suburbs in 2022, which is where he and Ms Chetcuti live.
They also own a home at Fraser Rise, in the north-west suburbs, and rent out the property.
And they have also bought a block in Ballarat, 124km west of Melbourne, where they’re going to build their next investment property.
Though he was keen to get set up on his own, Mr Talarico said living with his mum during Victoria’s long pandemic lockdowns helped him hugely.
He was earning around $70,000 a year at the time and was not paying rent, which helped him save a $50,000 deposit for the house in Mickleham which cost around $500,000.
He also got a $25,000 HomeBuilder Grant from the federal government.
Ms Chetcuti is also a keen saver, and accumulated around $90,000 over two years, which the couple put towards their first investment property.
They then used the equity they had built up to buy the Ballarat block.
Mr Talarico has shared some tips which he has used on his way to building a property empire.
The first is to seek professional help from a property market expert.
‘They don’t teach this stuff in school that I would consider important,’ he said.
When talking to the expert, he said to remember that they have ‘all the knowledge and expertise and (are) able to deliver it in a really digestible way’.
Mr Talarico also said to ask lots of questions and that ‘there are no stupid questions’.
His second tip is that you need to be prepared to make sacrifices, such as getting a second job or not taking a holiday every year.
Thirdly, he said not to be in a rush to move out of their parents’ home.
‘A lot of young people want to move out as soon as they turn 18 but that will set you back drastically in terms of trying to save,’ he said.