ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
A Betoota Grove married couple have distanced themselves from the fiscal areola friends and colleagues assume they’re latched on to, telling The Advocate that they’re entering the real estate market the old fashioned way.
Alistair (Ally) and Michelle Paynter, both 35, are battling the troubled seas of saving up $400 000 while also trying to enjoy a decent quality of life. They say people don’t know their story.
“After living in the French Quarter for university and spending some time living abroad, we decided to take saving for a deposit seriously,” they told our reporter in Alistair’s parent’s living room.
“So naturally, we moved back home. Ally’s Mum and Dad were very welcoming but we had to re-home our 36-month-old cockapoo, Mr Snickers. He went to live with my uncle on his farm. We’ve been living here now for about three years and we’re about half way.”
Ally sighed and gave Michelle some light back pats.
“We’re hoping they get sick of us and give us the rest of the deposit,” he laughed.
“No, we love being here and Mumsy and Father love being parents again. Just not to Mr Snickers. We have our eye on a few properties, actually. We want to be living around the Rue de Branlette shops, somewhere in the Putain du Jardin would be ideal but we all know how exey it is. I suppose we could settle for an apartment there but we want to start a family so an apartment might not be ideal. It’s just so stressful looking for property.”
Michelle frowned playfully and took Ally’s hand off her knee.
“We need to normalise living at home until you have a deposit. Rent money is dead money. You’re only helping those people pay of their mortgage, if they even have one. In other cultures, it’s normal to live at home until you have your own place,” she said.
“Have you considered that we are the weird ones. We don’t have any help, no Bank of Mum & Dad. We’re making it happen ourselves.”
More to come.
