Take a Tour Around Jhony and Evelyn’s Ramsgate 17, Affectionately Known as Their “Cajita de Amor.”

Buying a home and having a child are two of the biggest milestones in life that people can go through, and for Jhony and Evelyn, the first home owners behind @building_our_ramsgate, it all happened at once. “Buying a home and being pregnant, it’s crazy, but we like challenges!” Evelyn says.

Looking to get into a place of their own, they set their heart on Melbourne’s South East, due to the range of childcare centres, schools, parks and shopping amenities right on their doorstep.

For the couple, the turning point on their new home journey came when a friend told them how mortgage repayments often work out to be the same as paying rent each month.

At this stage, they’d been renting for years and were itching to say goodbye to cramped places and navigating landlords, agent inspections and approvals for their much-adored pet rabbit, Brownie.

Both coming from Colombia originally, Evelyn recalls how the buying and building process in Australia was initially unfamiliar for them, but they knew investing would be a good plan for the future.

After looking through multiple floor plans, they came across the small-lot Ramsgate 17. What sold the design for them was the child’s bedroom next to the master bedroom (it was important that their newborn daughter be close by), the open plan kitchen and walk-in pantry, and the laundry with outside access for easily hanging clothes up. Now, their Ramsgate 17 is affectionately known as their “cajita de amor”, which in Spanish means, “small box of love”.

From hanging up all of their framed family photos, to childproofing the home and landscaping out the back, the last couple of months have been nothing short of busy for Jhony and Evelyn. During this time, they’ve enjoyed settling into their own place and new neighbourhood.

You’ll often find Jhony, a talented singer and musician of Latin American music in his dedicated studio retreat. It's home to his guitar collection and it's where he goes to play and record his music. Watch their tour or follow along @jhonycastillomusica to see him in action. When he’s not playing guitar, he loves to entertain friends while he fires up the BBQ and cooks traditional Colombian dishes.

Despite the fact that she hates cooking, Evelyn’s favourite space in their home is the kitchen. The free flowing space overlooks their back garden and gets plenty of natural light across the day. It’s easy for her to spend hours chatting to friends without leaving her kitchen, all while keeping an eye on their pet rabbit, Brownie.

While Jhony and Evelyn were new to the world of building, they quickly became experts. They deep dived into researching online and chatting to different builders. Their main priority was creating a modern home, filled with quality inclusions and finishes.

“We went to other display homes in the area but we shortlisted Simonds, so we asked a few questions to Joanne (the New Home Specialist), probably too many, but she always answered them so patiently, so what really made us go back to Simonds was the great customer service that Joanne provided. It made us feel that we will be well looked after.”

When asked for any advice to give to anyone looking to build for the first time, Evelyn says,

“You love the feeling of being in your own home, paying your own mortgage and not someone else’s. I would advise to inform yourself as much as possible, ask around with brokers, with sales consultants, and from whoever you get the feeling that they’re the right person to guide you in your journey, go ahead and do it. Lots to earn, not much to lose!”

Keep following Jhony and Evelyn's new home journey at @building_our_ramsgate.