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Australian Teenager Buys First Home At 19 After Saving Up Working At McDonald's

Australian Teenager Buys First Home At 19 After Saving Up Working At McDonald's

Madison Pickering claims her parents haven't given her a cent for her new build, which she's been saving for since she was 11

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

For many 19-year-olds, money is best used propping up the bar, but Madison Pickering has just bought her first home - and her job at McDonald's helped her save for it.

The teen, from Queensland, Australia, says she's been saving since the age of 11 and has now bagged herself a plot for a new home under construction in Logan's Pebble Creek Estate, 50km south of Brisbane.

According to Nine News, as soon as she turned 14 Madison got a job at McDonald's which helped towards her deposit of AUD $30,000 (£17,000 / US $22,000).

Madison claims that many people don't believe she has saved up on her own - probably down to her young age - but she is adamant that she's had no help from parents.

Madison when she worked at McDonald's.
A Current Affair/Nine News

Speaking to Australia's A Current Affair programme, she said: "I always kind of knew it was something I wanted to do was own property.

"Everyone I've spoken to is like, 'How did you do that? Oh, your parents must have given you this money.' No, parents haven't given me a cent.

"This is everything I've worked for myself. I've done all of this hard work on my own."

Fair play to her, what an achievement.

Madison and her mum at the site where her new home is being built.
A Current Affair/Nine News

Madison's mum, Raelene, explained how her daughter had been expressing an interest in buying her home from as young as 16.

Raelene said: "Once she turned 18 and knew she was able to apply for a loan, that's when it became very serious. I tell her every day I'm so proud of her - and she's doing it on her own too."

Madison has bought the house for around AUD $300,000 (£170,000 / US $220,000) but her mum remembers how estate agents would ignore the youngster - assuming Raelene was the buyer.

A Current Affair/Nine News

Raelene said: "We went to display home after display home, just getting an idea of what she could buy, and they just bypassed her and went straight to me and I'm like, 'Not me.'"

Madison added: "They would look me up and down and turn around to my mum and be like, 'You're the one buying?' And she'd be like, 'No, turn around.'"

Pebble Creek Estate Sales Manager Matthew Spencer said: "We are very excited to have Madison in here and her story of saving through all her teens."

Madison now works as an online media manager.
A Current Affair/Nine News

Madison was eligible for the $15,000 first homeowners grant and also the $25,000 building incentive - which did make her journey a lot easier, but doesn't take away from the amount of money she saved.

She concluded: "I had enough for a deposit, and that's all that matters. And I think younger people who are watching and wanting to do what I've done need to understand, you don't need to have the final price. You just need to have really good deposit."

Featured Image Credit: A Current Affair/Nine News

Topics: Inspirational, Community, Australia