The Wanaka couple are among about 70 households that have benefited from the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust's (QLCHT) shared home ownership scheme, established in 2007.
''Realistically, it was the only way to afford a home in Wanaka, in such a great area, which was of this standard and suited the needs of our family,'' Mrs Lovelock (28) said.
''I wouldn't say it was the only way we could have got a house, but it was definitely the only way we could get into anything half-decent,'' Mr Lovelock (37) agreed.
On one income (Mr Lovelock works for Delta Utilities' landscape maintenance division) and with two pre-school children (they are expecting another), the couple say there is ''no way'' they could have afforded a 20% deposit for their $450,000 house in Kirimoko Park, Wanaka.
Instead, they raised ''about 10%'' and engaged in a shared ownership scheme, in which they have equity of 67%. The QLCHT owns the remainder, which the Lovelocks are able to buy at a future date.
''This is our first house and you'd like to think as the kids get bigger and the rooms get smaller, you might be able to sell up, move out and on to something else. The trust would then take their ownership share of any capital gain,'' Mr Lovelock explained.
Mrs Lovelock, who worked as an occupational therapist before the birth of her first child, says she and her husband have appreciated the trust's efforts in getting them into their first family home.
''We think what they are providing within the Queenstown Lakes community is very important for young families who want to remain in the area while fulfilling the goal of owning their own home.''
Mr Lovelock: ''We've been up this way for much of our lives. And both sets of parents still live here, which is one of the reasons we are currently committed to staying in Wanaka.''
