“David has helped us at every step with very sound advice and guidance while never losing sight of our end goal. He is a very big cog in the wheel.”
Two years ago, Jennifer and Bruce Etienne were encouraged by a friend to set up a meeting with financial planner, David French from Invest Blue. The ‘Baby Boomers’ had long held a dream of escaping the pressures of city life for a sea change.
At 63, Bruce was finding work challenging due to his rheumatoid arthritis and the couple still had a mortgage on their home of 20 years in the Campbelltown area of Sydney. They worried that the coastal dream was simply out of their grasp. Fortunately, Invest Blue were able to guide Jennifer and Bruce financially and the couple now delightedly call a beautiful pocket of the Central Coast home.
Coast dream or pipe dream?
Grandparents of nine, Jennifer and Bruce Etienne had long held the dream of leaving Sydney and retiring on the coast. Yet with the age of retirement looming, both continuing to work hard (as they had done since the age of 15) and still paying off the mortgage on their Campbelltown home, they feared it was a pipe dream that would never come to fruition. But all that changed when they met David French from Invest Blue….
In their 43-year marriage, the Etiennes have always had to work for their achievements and raised their children to understand the importance of having a strong work ethic. The couple describe their lives as fairly typical middle class and while Jennifer is quick to point out that they never had a lot of money, she insists the family always had a lot of fun. Jennifer worked for Woolworths for over 27 years and when she told her work colleagues about their move to the Central Coast, none of them believed her! It was a dream after all …But she is emphatic about the fact that she and Bruce would not be where they are without David and Invest Blue.
Financial Planning
The couple first became familiar with Invest Blue about two years ago when a dear friend highly recommended their financial planning services. From the outset, the couple’s experience with the business and their staff was terrific and has continued in this manner. Jennifer says, “David has helped us at every step with very sound advice and guidance while never losing sight of our end goal. He is a very big cog in the wheel.” She peppers any references to her adviser and to Invest Blue with adjectives such as fantastic, helpful, wonderful and excellent. Even now, she’s quick to point out that David’s only ever a phone call away should they need advice.
One of the most significant factors in being able to leave Sydney to enjoy their retirement by Lake Munmorah on the Central Coast was the sale of their Sydney home in Eagle Vale. Obviously this was also one of the key financial objectives that Invest Blue focussed on in their discussions.
Jennifer and Bruce had a remarkable experience in selling their home. Their property was put on the market around Easter 2015 and the first open home was listed online only. Their first inspection had an amazing turnout and the house was sold that very afternoon –“just in time for the agent to pop into Woollies and tell me the thrilling news!” says Jennifer. The new buyers wanted to move in quickly and so in no time at all, the retirees were enjoying their new existence in a spot deemed one of the prettiest stretches on the Central Coast.
Celebrate the wins!
Needless to say, the couple would not hesitate to recommend Invest Blue to others and enjoy a continuing relationship with the business and with David. Ask Jennifer about her life now and you can hear the smile in her voice as she says, simply, ‘wonderful.’ These grandparents are now absolutely thrilled to be mortgage free and not have the financial pressures they faced for so many years in the ‘overcrowded’ Campbelltown area of Sydney.
The Etiennes are loving life on the Central Coast and spend their time exploring and getting to know their new region, dining out, seeing movies, relaxing by the pool or walking their dog at the beach. Jennifer plays cards once a week too but her companions are now onto her – seems she’s a bit of a Canasta card shark!
What you need to know
This information is provided by Invest Blue Pty Ltd (ABN 91 100 874 744). The information contained in this article is of general nature only and does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. Therefore, before making any decision, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice with regards to those matters and seek personal financial, tax and/or legal advice prior to acting on this information. Read our Financial Services Guide for information about our services, including the fees and other benefits that AMP companies and their representatives may receive in relations to products and services provided to you.
