Hamersley, WA

Taking that first step on the property ladder can be tough. So tough that many young couples can't do it without a leg up from Mum and Dad. Amanda Baxter was lucky enough to have step Dad Wayne when she and her partner wanted to buy a home for themselves and the kids. In fact, they were so lucky Wayne stumped up 50% of the mortgage payments. But when Amanda and her partner split, they could no longer afford the repayments. Wayne now wants retire, so the whole family needs their money out. The house is in the respectable Perth suburb of Hamersley. But animal lover Amanda treats it more like a city farm. The dogs have dug up the yard, the chickens roost in the house and the cats roam as they please. Amanda and her children are perfectly happy living in pet's paradise buyers on the othe