Home stretch- Alana and Amanda Fiorelli are taking advantage of the first home buyers grant an

By Kelly Yates
CRANBOURNE is ranked fourth on a list of the most popular places in Victoria to buy a new home.
Casey’s first home buyers are continuing to defy the ongoing impact of the Global Financial Crisis with Cranbourne residents buying 1274 homes in the past year.
Sisters Alana and Amanda Fiorelli, and Amanda’s partner Glen, are taking advantage of the first home buyers grant and building a three-bedroom house in Cranbourne North.
The trio are preparing to relocate to the City of Casey from their family home in Blackburn North in August, saying they simply “fell in love” with the area.
“All three of us wanted to enter the property market and thought it would be a great idea to do together,” Amanda said.
“The City of Casey seems to have everything like shops, restaurants, schools and public transport.”
The 25-year-old sisters say they are looking forward to the responsibility that went along with owning a home.
Alana said they wouldn’t have been able to afford to build the house without the assistance of the grant.
“The $18,000 grant is a great incentive. It gives people the chance to break into the market.”
Treasurer John Lenders said the Cranbourne area was the fourth most popular spot for Victorian home buyers after Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing and Caroline Springs.
“It is no wonder so many families choose to live in the local area, it is a great place to live and is a vibrant part of Melbourne – one of the world’s most livable cities.”
Since 1 January 2009, 4838 first home buyers have secured their first homes in Casey.
Mr Lenders said Narre Warren South and Berwick were also among the most popular areas for first home buyers.
Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley said local families who were renting or living with parents should take up the Brumby Government’s $18,000 offer to build a new home or $9000 to buy an existing home.
“There is almost nothing better than the feeling of buying your first home,” Ms Graley said.
Mr Lenders said the payments would be available until the middle of this year and any changes to the scheme would be announced on budget day in May.
Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan said the State Government had also helped protect the jobs of families across Melbourne’s South East when jobs across the world were being decimated by the Global Financial Crisis.
“Our assistance not only helps young families into their first home, it also takes pressure off the local rental market and has helped to create thousands of jobs for carpenters, builders, plumbers, electricians and other local tradespeople,” Mr Donnellan said.