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Family Profile: Tracey from South Australia

Last year, Tracey and her four boys “fulfilled a dream” by moving into their own home in Davoren Park, South Australia. Almost five months on, we’re taking a look at the impact the new home has had on the family.

Before moving into her Habitat home last September, Tracey was living in public rental housing for many years and recently was living next door to disruptive tenants that made life difficult. Tracey however, was unable to purchase a home in the general housing market and had to put up with these conditions which she described as “chaotic” at times.
 
“Now, I have something that is mine,” said Tracey about her new home, “Instead of renting, I’m paying off my house”.
 
During the building process, Tracey and her family contributed ‘sweat equity,’ a component of the home building program where families donate their own time in the planning and construction phases
 
Sweat equity, Tracey says is “a good thing, the fact that you put in effort into your own home makes you appreciate it a lot more. I actually enjoyed doing the work and knowing it was going to be mine at the end of it. It was exhilarating”.
 
Since moving into their new home, Tracey has found part-time work and her teenage sons both have jobs. She also says her two school aged boys are more settled at school and are enjoying their new home. Tracey takes pride in her garden and has planted everything herself. She is planning to plant a veggie patch and fruit trees in the coming months.
 
Tracey says having a lock-up garage where things are safe and living in a neighbourhood, where people have greater respect for their home gives her peace of mind. She feels positive about the future and is very grateful that she can start to pay off her home and not worry about renting. “From here I can achieve anything now.”

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