Home is where the heart is. Just ask Amy Szeliga – one of West Perth Women’s Football Club’s rising stars – and her fiancé, Ryan, who took the plunge into home ownership together.
When we bought our house, it wasn’t the most appealing to the eye. It was brown brick, it had low arches and a blue bathroom and kitchen. But we saw the potential in it,” said Amy. The couple bought the house in Craigie at the ages of 18 and 25 respectively, with this home the first for both of them.
Though there were many obvious positives about their new home, it wasn’t lost on Amy or Ryan just how much hard work would be needed to transform their space into a modern, family home for the future. Luckily, the foundations were all there – it just needed a little TLC and dedication to bring it to life.
“We converted the home from a 3 x 1 to a 4 x 2 by extending the front and removing one of the garages. We also improved the entertaining areas by adding a deck around the pool and creating an open plan living area inside.
To finish off the makeover, we added a new roof, new walls and new flooring,” said Amy. The improvement works didn’t happen overnight, with Amy and Ryan renovating one room at a time over 4 – 5 years while still living in the house.
They chose to invest in their property to create the potential for it to financially support them in the future, while creating a home they could be proud to show off to their families and friends.
“We didn’t celebrate our new home until our engagement party in 2019, when all the renovations were finished,” said Amy. Though the journey hasn’t always been easy, the couple are an example of how important it is to spot potential in a home beyond the way it looks. There are so many ways to add value to a home over time, creating an investment for the future.
