How a Teenager Secretly Bought a £230,000 Three-Bedroom House Without Any Parental Support

Imagine snagging your very first home before you even hit your twenties—without mooching off mom and dad. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? Well, meet Zack Kendrick, a 19-year-old welding whiz from Hamilton East, New Zealand, who did just that. For NZ$520,000 (£230,000), he bought a modest three-bedroom, one-bathroom unit—not by luck, but by clocking insane hours, skipping parties, and saving every penny like a pro. While his mates were out ‘on the sesh,’ Zack was punching the clock 60 hours a week, six days straight. No fancy car, just a “s**t Toyota Corolla” and a head full of grit. Curious how this young go-getter cracked the code on homeownership when most folks are still renting? Let’s dive into the sacrifice, savvy, and secrets behind his success. LEARN MORE

A savvy teenager who purchased his first home without the help of his parents has revealed just how he did it.

Zack Kendrick, from Hamilton East, New Zealand, was only 19 years old when he bought a home for NZ$520,000 (£230,000).

But to acquire the three-bedroom, one bathroom unit didn’t come without a fair bit of sacrifice.

Instead of heading out on the sesh with his mates, the young welder fabricator would work ’60 hours a week, six days a week’.

“I don’t go out with my friends – I spend all my time at work and saving money,” the now-20-year-old told OneRoof.

Zack Kendrick bought his first home at the age of 19 (Facebook/Zack Kendrick/Kiwi First Home Buyers Group)

Through working such long hours, Zack managed to save NZ$27,000 (£12,000) in two years.

And rather than spending the cash on a decent whip, the young man was happy to drive a 2001 Toyota Corolla, which he considered to be a ‘s**t car‘.

His mindset changed at 18 shortly after he met his partner, Lily Davey, and decided to save up to buy his first house.

Zack said he sacrificed a lot to be able to afford the deposit (Facebook/Zack Kendrick/Kiwi First Home Buyers Group)

Lily’s parents were estate agents at LJ Hooker Hamilton City and they helped him better understand the housing market.

He learnt that he was eligible for Kāinga Ora’s First Home Loan, which only requires a five percent deposit.

In April they started looking, and at the end of May, Zack and Lily were living in their new home.

Average house price in the UK

The average cost of a house in the UK increased from last month (Getty Stock Image)

So the average price of a home in the UK is considerably more than what Zack paid.

According to the Financial Times, the average cost of a residential property is £273,427.

That’s a 0.5 percent increase from April to May, and reverses the 0.6 percent fall in the previous month.

Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s Chief Economist, said: “Despite wider economic uncertainties in the global economy, underlying conditions for potential home buyers in the UK remain supportive.

“Unemployment remains low, earnings are rising at a healthy pace, household balance sheets are strong and borrowing costs are likely to moderate a little if the bank rate is lowered further in the coming quarters as we, and most other analysts, expect.”

Average age people get on the property ladder in the UK

Mojo Mortgages report that the average age of a first time buyer in the UK is 33 years, eight months.

And the average first time buyer won’t be mortgage free until they are 63 years and eight months old, which is a bit depressing.

“A combination of stagnant wages and the cost-of-living crisis has made it harder for buyers to save a deposit due to a lack of disposable income,” said John Fraser-Tucker, Head of Mortgages at Mojo Mortgages.

“Higher living expenses, including rent, utilities, and daily costs, make it increasingly difficult to set aside money for a deposit.”

The average age of a first time buyer in the UK is said to be 33 years, eight months (Getty Stock Image)

A new 100 percent mortgage deal

It isn’t all bad news as April Mortgages, a UK-based subsidiary of the Dutch asset manager DMFCO, are offering a 100 percent mortgage deal where you borrow the full purchase price of a property without a deposit.

The company said there were no restrictions on who could apply, but a household income of at least £24,000 is required.

To make it more appealing, the Dutch firm is promising to fix its rates for a decade.