An Auckland teenager has shared the secret of his saving power, following his success as a first home buyer.
Nineteen-year-old electrician Leon van der Heijden managed to snap up a house in one of the city's rising suburbs last month - after spending just one dollar on lunches in over the last three years.
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His winning offer of just over half a million dollars secured the three bedroom townhouse at Church Street, in Onehunga.
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Van der Heijden said you can save a lot of money by making your own lunch. "I just love cooking and I make big batches of food, pack it up and take it for lunch."
The teenager said he had always wanted to get into the property market, and was determined to save a 20 percent deposit without the help of his parents.
"I save where I can but I still try to live the best way possible. I didn't want to ruin my teen years because I wanted to save for a house but it was definitely something important to me."
Van der Heijden says he will renovate the kitchen and bathroom before fully moving into his new home. Photo / Supplied
Van der Heijden said there was a lot of "nervous tension" at the Ray White auction for Church Street. He was competing against three other buyers, who were making bids over the phone.
Van der Heijden made the highest bid at the auction but his offer was still short of the reserve and the property passed in. He then negotiated with the vendor afterwards and bought the house for $510,000.
Ray White agent Iza Kimura, who marketed the 101sqm home, said it had been a "superb opportunity to get a foothold in Onehunga".
The previous owner had bought the house in 2012 for $295,000 and had been renting it before taking it to market.
Van der Heijden had planned to move into his new home this week but has had to push back the date due to the level three lockdown. He said his next job was to renovate the kitchen and the bathroom before renting out the two spare rooms.
Living with flatmates, he said, would help with his mortgage payments.
"I will be paying about the same as when I was renting,” he said.
