Troy and Ashley Tofa

If they can do it, we can do it too

Young couple Troy Henderson and Ashley Tofa never imagined they would become homeowners.

“We would talk about it,” Ashley said, “but we always thought we had too much debt or weren't making enough money.”

Ashley, who has whakapapa to Samoa and Tonga, and Troy to Ngāti Kahungnu and Ngāti Porou are in their early 30s.

For Ashley, Tāmaki has always been home. It is where she and her brothers grew up as their mum tirelessly worked to provide for them as a single parent. Ashley attended kindergarten on Taniwha Street, Glen Taylor School, and Selwyn College.

Life changed for the couple when they joined the OWN IT program and eventually moved into their 2-bedroom home in Glen Innes late last year.

“When we were given the keys, it didn’t hit us at first,” Ashley said. “But then we moved in and we just sat on those camping chairs at the back because we had no furniture and thought, really? Wow.”

Their homeownership journey began with inspiration from another couple's success story, Toko and Rose, whom they saw on a billboard in Glen Innes.

Toko and Rose stepped into their place with OWN IT in 2015. Now they own a  four-bedroom home where they live with their four children. 

“Just seeing how they went through their journey and how they got to own a house was pretty cool,” Ashley said.

“I thought to myself, if they can do it, we can do it too.”

 Ashley works for the Ministry of Social Development and Troy represents Mount Wellington and Panmure in darts, traveling around Aotearoa to compete. They also have a 5-year-old son.

The couple faced financial challenges on the road to home ownership but attending the six-week financial literacy workshop was a game-changer. They cleared all outstanding AfterPay, Laybuy, and Q Card debts and began depositing money into a savings account.

“We wrote down everything we were spending our money on and worked out what our bills were,” Troy said. “We really just sat down and said, okay, we need to be honest with ourselves if we want to reach our goal.”

Through a joint account, they began calculating their fortnightly bills and split the amounts equally. With this, the couple is now more comfortable discussing finances, and the prospect of purchasing their own home and aspirations for their future changed their relationship with money. 

“We would always butt heads,” Ashley said. “I was more free with my money, whereas he was more inclined to stick to a budget. And I think another thing that played into it was just the cultural aspect as well, trying to help our family members too.”

The financial habits they learnt through the program still resonates with them today. They transitioned from comfortable living in Ashley's mum’s house to diligently managing their finances, clearing debts, and becoming homeowners.

“There is a peace of mind when you have your own home,” Troy said. “Just apply. You might be surprised at what comes back.”

Ashley says she understands there can be reluctance from the Pasifika community to talk about money openly and share financial details.

“I know it’s easy to feel shame in showing income or loans,” Ashley said. “We've given our bank statements and our income and honestly, there is no judgment.”

They both credit Tāmaki Regeneration, Isaac and Erin from the Housing Foundation, and Geoff Fariu, the financial literacy advisor, for helping them on their journey.

“Don't be scared to ask questions throughout the process,” Ashley said. “Even when we were in the application process, I asked if paying off our debts was enough. Once they know your income, KiwiSaver, and debts, they can pretty much tell from that.”

“Even silly questions, I remember asking Isaac, how much do you think the water rates are? Just ask any questions that you feel unsure about.”

“I think a lot of people, including us, have that fear of having too much debt, so we think we can't apply,” Troy said. “But if you just apply, even if you have those debts, they'll work with you and help you lower it. And there's no shame in being told no.

“It's just about taking that first step.”