It\u2019s a scenario all too many renters have faced in recent years. While living in Sydney\u2019s Inner West, Leigh and Georgie received the dreaded email: their rent was going up by an \u201cexorbitant amount\u201d each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buying their first home had been on their radar, with the pair casually browsing the latest listings on Domain<\/em> for the past year and funnelling as much as they could into their savings account. But it wasn\u2019t until the couple faced the prospect of paying hundreds of extra dollars in rent each month that they truly sprung into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Georgie, a chef and recipe creator at meal kit company Quite Like<\/a> who has \u201cspent most of my life in restaurant kitchens and food publishing\u201d, was keen to find a bigger place with a garden to finally grow a few veggies at home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For partner Leigh, Executive Director of People at Future Group<\/a> \u201ca collective of super funds and financial services with a shared vision where all of Australia's retirement savings contribute to positive social and environmental impacts\u201d, working with a lender and finance company that aligned with their values was a top priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It makes sense given Leigh has overseen the implementation of some of Future Group\u2019s industry-leading people policies, like their Cultural Leave for First Nations employees as well as the company\u2019s Menstrual and Menopausal Leave Guidelines (all available to steal online<\/a> - which we highly encourage you\/your employer to do). <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe wanted an ethical lender, and it got me wondering, \u2018Are there ethical mortgage brokers? Do they exist?\u2019\u201d shares Leigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After shortlisting a few broker options and spending one Sunday morning \u201cgetting very excited while reading your Impact Report<\/a>\u201d, the pair reached out to Brendan for an initial chat. The experience proved refreshingly approachable and accessible, giving the pair a newfound confidence in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As Georgie shares, \u201cI don\u2019t know anything about mortgages, finance or interest rates\u2026 Everyone we spoke with at Pure Finance was very happy to break it down and not make me feel like an idiot when we were thinking, \u2018What the hell does this mean?\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe fact that you\u2019re a B Corp, you\u2019re purpose-led and use your business as a force for good really felt like you were speaking our language.\u201d - Leigh<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a not-so-ordinary turn of events, Leigh and Georgie stumbled on their dream property during their first weekend of inspections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think I would have been a mess if we didn\u2019t get it,\u201d admits Georgie. \u201cFrom the moment we walked in, I could feel and see where our stuff was going to go, much more than any other places we looked at.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With their budget already mapped out and the deadline for their rent rise looming, the couple set the wheels in motion to make a move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe inspected this place on the Saturday. On Monday, we spoke to Brendan about our budget. On Tuesday, we applied for and got pre-approval. Wednesday, we made the offer, and it was accepted, and contracts were signed by Friday.\u201d - Leigh <\/p>\n\n\n\n The property in question ticked all their boxes: a light-filled freestanding home, located on Bidjigal land in Sydney\u2019s South, with high ceilings and plenty of space to grow. It\u2019s already a full house, home to their brand new baby boy, Ollie (3 months), their mini schnauzer, Freddie, and Leigh\u2019s two cats, Parker and Preston. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Inside, there\u2019s plenty of room to host, with Georgie in charge of the menu and Leigh ensuring the drinks are flowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great entertaining space. We had 30 people here for a sit-down lunch last Christmas, which was really nice to be able to host the family.\u201d - Georgie<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also a space filled with warmth and personal touches. The living room\u2019s mid-century sideboard was made decades ago by Leigh\u2019s great-uncle and gifted to her nan. After her grandparents passed away, it has moved with her through all the different places she\u2019s lived. Now, it takes pride of place in their new home together, adorned with a photo of the couple\u2019s wedding day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Out back, you\u2019ll find Georgie\u2019s budding veggie garden, which is thriving despite admitting she has \u201czero green thumbs\u201d. The impressive olive and lemon trees were already there, with the latest crop of lemons being put to good use to create homemade Limoncello, ready to be gifted to their families this Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it did take a sudden rent hike and over a year of searching to find the one, the pair are grateful that the home buying process (including securing a loan with an ethical bank as a first home buyer) \u201cwas not as painful as we thought it was going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-Raised Bread, Carlton<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n My Mother\u2019s Cousin, Bexley<\/a>: for \u201creally good pizza\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ickle Coffee, Kingsgrove<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kosta\u2019s Takeaway, Rockdale<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Just Hooked, Brighton<\/a>: \u201cthey do the best potato scallops\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_4.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_5.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_6.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_7-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_8.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_9.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_10.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_11.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.purefinance.com.au\/uploads\/2023\/12\/LG_12.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLeigh and Georgie\u2019s favourite spots to eat and drink in their new neighbourhood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n