Six months ago Cherie Karaha didn't know a LIM report from a listing price, a conditional offer from a certificate of title or equity from an easement.

'Yep, I knew dick**** about buying a house. We knew nothing about that lawyer stuff. Nothing. We went in absolutely cold.”

Cherie and Allan Karaha.

But now this perennial state renter, at age 55 and with 10 grandchildren and another on the way, is a landowner. The state rental she paid $34 a week for when she moved in 31 years ago is now her castle. She and hubby Allan own it.

'We were presented with this opportunity and we took it,” says Cherie.

She has fulfilled the Kiwi dream and at the same time got herself a mortgage, an appreciating asset and some house pride. 'First thing we are going to do is unclutter,” says Cherie, who admits she's something of a hoarder. 'We are getting rid of stuff.”

So what sets Cherie and Allan apart from any other new homeowner? Well, they're among an increasing number of state house tenants buying their homes through Housing NZ's tenant home ownership programme. If they hadn't been given a leg up, it would never have happened. They would have been renters for life.

'This is bloody exciting stuff,” says Cherie, who howls with laughter. Not the house so much, she says, but being interviewed by The Weekend Sun. 'Bloody beautiful.”

Cherie says home ownership came by chance. It wasn't a simple case of having a dream and saving. 'When we moved into the state rental in 1985 there was one wage. Mine. We couldn't afford private market rentals.”

Fastforward 31 years and there are two pay-packets. 'They examined our finances and decided our combined incomes were too high for us to be living in a state house.” So the Karahas had to buy it or vacate it.

They didn't see it as an ultimatum, they saw it as an opportunity. 'Because we wanted to do it some time ago but we got turned down.”

Not this time. They got advice and help from NZ Home Loans, a tenant Home Ownership grant and KiwiSaver HomeStart which is administered by Housing New Zealand. And Cherie dipped into her KiwiSaver fund.

When the numbers were crunched they had $25,000 for a deposit. And when they got $115,000 worth of 45 Harold Crescent, Fordlands, with three bedrooms for just $105,000, the deal was done. It was October 23 last year, a birthday present for Allan.

'It costs us $130 a week for our mortgage. But it doesn't hurt too much. I don't mind.”

What it means for this family is stability. After getting married when she was 18, Cherie says she's moved between five state houses.

'I was sick of it but now we have our own piece of dirt. My three children will have somewhere to come home. And somewhere they can bring the grandchildren.”

And a family which one year ago was destined for a lifetime of renting now has grand plans. As well as 'uncluttering” there are walls coming out between the lounge and the kitchen. 'So who's a good builder, how much is it going to cost and how much do we have to save?” asks Cherie.

And the woman who, one year ago, knew nothing about owning a home is now anxious about something called ‘over-capitalisation'. 'Fordlands is a bit rough. And although it's being revitalised, it's still low profile so we don't want to spend too much.”

Fordlands has enjoyed mixed press. On one hand stories about slum landlords, derelict houses and rubbish dumps, then another of property values outstripping any other suburb in the North Island.

Either way, Cherie, the council gardener, grandmother and state house-renter-turned-property investor, is proud to own a bit of her 'hood”.