Angela Atkinson-Wilson

We have been saving for the deposit for the longest time; we were almost there a few years ago when property prices peaked. Disheartened we carried on and were discouraged by the properties we saw for what we could afford. Then one day a friend called us and told us of this gorgeous 1950's house with great views in the same street as her house. We went to see it and immediately knew this was the ONE. The aged owner (94) was moving into frail care and she was happy to leave her old furniture. I saw the potential, retro ball and claw and other pieces, but most of all a home that had one owner. They had raised their children there and grown old there. The house needed a new life with kids to fill it with laughter and love. Absolutely worth fighting for. Then the fight for finance, all other banks had turned us away for various reasons with the new credit act we thought it was going to be impossible to have that home. I was not giving up, in my head the garden had been replanted, the house inside painted and decorated. We had to have this home! My fellow book clubber and employee from SA Home Loans referred me to a dynamic young woman in the Durban office - Zoe. Zoe had us wrapped up in less than 2weeks. Huge gratitude. We moved in Dec 2010 - the old owner passed on very soon after. I think she felt relief that her home was in good loving hands. As I was clearing out before moving in, I found an old tea pot in one of the cupboards. It must have been a wedding gift.