Stacey and Andrew: Building a Future with HOPE

When Stacey and Andrew thought about their future, homeownership was always central. Stacey is an Assistant Principal at a primary school in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and Andrew works with Border Force at Sydney Airport. Both are proud to serve their community, but like many essential workers in Sydney, they faced a growing challenge – despite stable incomes and careful saving, their local house prices kept pushing higher and their dream of owning a home was slipping further away.

The Challenge of Renting
For years, Stacey and Andrew rented a small apartment in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. While convenient, it never felt permanent. “Space was limited, which made it hard to settle as a family,” they explained. Rising rents and the constant uncertainty of renting added to the pressure. With a young son, the couple longed for stability – a place where they could put down roots, create memories, and feel secure about the future. Yet with house prices climbing, it seemed impossible to buy a home within a reasonable commuting distance of their workplaces.

Like many in their situation, Stacey and Andrew did everything by the book – saving diligently, researching suburbs, speaking with real estate agents and attending countless open homes. Yet the housing market kept moving further out of reach. “It was frustrating and discouraging,” they shared. “We felt like we were doing everything right but still falling short.” The couple began to consider moving further away from their jobs and support networks, but that was a compromise on lifestyle, commute and family support networks they desperately hoped to avoid.

Discovering HOPE
Andrew first came across HOPE Housing during his Border Force training, but it wasn’t until homeownership felt truly impossible that he and Stacey decided to look into it properly. What they found was a model designed for people exactly like them. By combining their savings and borrowing power with HOPE’s co-investment support, they were able to step into homeownership sooner – in a home that met their family’s needs.

HOPE’s role went far beyond financial support. Through its Buy Well program, the property in Revesby Heights underwent rigorous due diligence, including independent valuation, property inspections, legal reviews, location filters and growth target assessments. Every home HOPE co-invests in must not only be the right fit for the family but also meet strict investment standards. This gives homeowners like Stacey and Andrew stability and the opportunity to build future financial security through asset growth. At the same time, it strengthens HOPE’s portfolio, which is designed to deliver strong*, sustainable returns for investors.

Finding the Right Home
For Stacey and Andrew, Revesby Heights ticked every box. The area offered a welcoming, family-friendly environment with parks and community connections, while also providing a manageable commute for both Andrew and Stacey. “When we found the house, it felt right straight away – the balance of peace, community and convenience was exactly what we were looking for.”
Without HOPE, that home would have been beyond reach. With HOPE’s co-investment, they were able to step out of renting and into ownership.

Life at Home
The impact of the move has been immediate and profound. “It’s given us breathing space – room for our son to play, space for us to relax and the ability to host family and friends. Daily life feels calmer and more enjoyable,” they said.

Moments like watching their son play freely in the backyard reinforced why homeownership mattered so deeply. The security of owning their own place has also brought longer-term benefits – reduced stress, confidence to plan for the future, and the ability to think ahead about growing their family. For Andrew, being able to commute easily along the M5 means more time at home; for Stacey, the stability has given her room to focus on her career and her family in equal measure.

A Future with Confidence
Stacey and Andrew’s first Christmas in their new home was more than a milestone – it was the beginning of a new chapter.

For investors, their home is evidence that purpose and performance can go hand in hand. Dollars invested with HOPE flow into homes like theirs – homes that give essential workers stability, security and hope for the future, while delivering strong, resilient returns. Andrew and Stacey’s journey is just one of many, but it captures the heart of what HOPE exists to do – create lasting impact, one family and one investment at a time.