Welcome to Episode 62 of our podcast, Courageous Conversations, hosted by Leanne Pilkington.
In this episode, our guest is Brooke Flint, Director and Buyers Agent at Flint Property. Brooke talks about how Head Start Homes is helping community housing residents purchase their own home, how she coaches her clients to be ‘buyer ready’, how COVID has impacted her and her clients, her own experience with social housing and how she is supporting small business owners through the Give One, Grow One initiative.
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00:40 – About Head Start Homes, founded by Stephen Woodlands who has had a history in social housing; seeing his mother struggle to buy a house and save for a deposit despite being a good mother and having a secure job as a nurse.
01:30 – Being inspired by the bank of mum and dad loans to establish a trust fund to assist community housing tenants so they can buy their own home.
03:00 – How the first property under this program was purchased by Charlene and the diligence she displayed to earn this opportunity
06:00 – Brooke’s coaching program to be ‘buyer ready’ and make them more confident
08:00 – Trauma and COVID having an impact on Charlene; and the backlash Brooke received trying to find Charlene’s home
08:50 – The day Charlene’s property was finally hers and what happened when she was handed over the keys
10:00 – What led to Brooke being involved in this, her experience with social housing, the divorce of her own parents and wanting to help others (as a property advisor) find their home after seeing her mother go through a rocky journey with her own house hunting.
12:00 – It’s not just about housing…it’s about empowering the community (particularly women) to be able to buy a home, despite their history with domestic violence/issues.
15:20 – The Give One, Grow One initiative for small business owners – doing little things each day/week and putting money towards charity or to a home owner
17:00 – The cost behind Charlene’s house and Brooke’s upcoming initiative
18:40 – For more information, visit headstarthomes.org.au