Why first home buyers rushed to buy Tarneit land

Richard and Regine Fuertes knew land prices were only going upwards, so when the chance came to buy in Tarneit, they grabbed it.

“We could see the way land prices were moving,” Mr Fuertes said.

“We realised that by next year, property values were only going to keep rising. When this opportunity came up, we didn’t want to wait. It feels like the right decision for our future.”

For the couple from Melbourne’s west, the purchase marks their very first step into the property market.

They had never seriously looked before, but when the federal government announced it was adjusting the First Home Guarantee, Mr Fuertes said timing was suddenly working in their favour.

“Honestly, this was our very first attempt at buying, we hadn’t been through the process before,” he said.

“But we were fortunate, the government changed the scheme at just the right time, and it made all the difference. We feel blessed and excited it’s worked out.”

The Fuertes family also knew they didn’t want to compromise on location.

While some buyers are being pushed further out to the city fringe, they were determined to stay close to the people and places that mattered most to their family.

“We didn’t want to move away,” Mr Fuertes said.
“This is where our life is, and it made sense to stay.”

But Mr Fuertes said the smaller block didn’t faze him.

“For me, the size doesn’t matter too much,” he said.

“What mattered most was having a home we could call our own. That was the dream, and now it’s happening.”

With sales volumes surging and developers winding back incentives, experts warn prices could climb again by early 2026 which Mr Fuertes said added to the urgency of making their move now.

“It’s such a relief,” he said.

“We’re very excited, it feels like a new beginning, and we can’t wait to start building memories in our own home.”

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/why-first-home-buyers-rushed-to-buy-tarneit-land/