Hard worker owned home at 21

Tony Misa was just 21 when he bought his first property — a small apartment in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa for $190,000.

Eight years later the mechanical engineer owns two properties and has his eye on more.

Misa, 29, said living in his own home with his wife and young daughter gave him a sense of security.

“It is a safe ground for our family to grow and have our daughter there. She was born two years ago and it’s nice to come home each day and have a stable ground for everyone to grow up in.”

He said owning his own house was something he’d always aspired to and once he put his mind to it he spent a year making it happen. He described working long hours to save $50,000 which he put towards his first property buy.

“I’m a believer that if you don’t have enough money in your day job, you go out and find a second job. When I’m saving, some weeks I’ve worked 97 hours.”

Misa said his first property wasn’t flash — but it was in good condition and more importantly it was his — something few of his peers could say about where they were living.

“Only about 20 per cent of people in my age group were in the same position.”

He credited beginning work as a mechanical engineering apprentice, when many his age were looking at tertiary degrees and student debts, as key to giving him a head start.

At 16 he began work as an apprentice and worked his way up to his current position as a machine shop manager in charge of 85 staff members. “Doing trades training is an opportunity to qualify with a trade without debt. You get a four-year savings jumpstart on someone doing a degree.”

Misa said 75 of his 85-strong team had their own homes.

“My wife’s a nurse, she’s stuck in a pay bracket, but I have been able to get ahead because I was earning and learning.” But Misa’s property aspirations aren’t all over. With a new baby on the way this year, he wants to sell his current three-bedroom home in Manurewa and buy another for his growing family.

He also hopes to invest in more properties to secure his family’s future.

“I want to buy three more investment properties around New Zealand to help me in my later life, to live my life and not have no income when I have no job and am retired.”

Misa’s advice to others hoping to get into a home of their own was to work hard and not be too fussy.

“Work hard and get a deposit. Any house is a good house to live in if it works for you.”