Hi, my name is Tea.

I'm 32 weeks pregnant with my first child and due in November.

I'm asking for help with something I never imagined I would be asking of strangers.

I've spent months working towards and saving everything I possibly could so my baby could have a home. I have saved the entire deposit myself. I've found the cheapest home available that I can realistically afford, and I've been working through the finance approval process with the bank.

I was finally ready to sign and move forward.

Then yesterday, an interest-rate increase lowered my borrowing capacity by $5,000.

I had only just scraped over the amount I needed to make this purchase work, and the rate change has put me just below the line with nothing else I can do to get that money together in time.

The frustrating part is that I don't need another $5,000 for the house itself. I have the entire deposit. I only need $5,000aud to cover the stamp duty that I can no longer cover because of the reduced borrowing capacity.

That's the entire reason for this fundraiser.

I've spent the last year trying to rebuild my life after escaping domestic violence.

My former partner was previously charged with attempted murder, and I had to leave my home because staying there was not safe. I became homeless while trying to protect myself, relocate and figure out how to start again.

The legal situation being dragged out by the other party and non compliance made it take far longer than it needed, it also cost me a huge amount financially. Money that could have gone toward rebuilding my life instead went toward legal fees, relocating my pets, moving all my belongings to storage, surviving the situation and medical bills.

I've already sold my car because, at this point, having a safe and permanent home for my baby is far more important to me than having transport/something I can work towards later.

I don't have family with money who can step in and support me by lending $5,000, I'm unable to get a finance loan due to the nature being purchasing a property.

I've had to save this deposit myself, and I've done everything I possibly can to get to this point.

I've been pushing through, I'm so close and now I'm finally breaking down realising it might be out of my control.

The seller has been holding this property for me due to the compassionate reasons while I've worked through all the steps, but I have until 20 October to make the purchase work before I have to give it up.

If I can't complete the purchase, I'll have to walk away from the ONLY home I can afford, and somehow find a rental while I'm heavily pregnant, during an incredibly difficult rental crisis.

Instead of putting my money toward owning a stable home for my child, I'll be paying an exorbitant amount of rent with no long-term security and no guarantee I'll even be able to find somewhere suitable.

I'm not asking for help with the whole house, or my own irresponsibility.

I'm pleading for help with one final expense: the $5,000 stamp duty...

I'm posting this now in the hope that somehow, over the next two weeks, I'm able to figure this out. I'm still going to do everything I can myself — sell whatever I can, explore every possible option and try to make the numbers work.

But I don't know if I'll be able to raise the full amount on my own in that time.

That's why I feel there's no other option other than asking for help now, rather than waiting until the deadline is here and it's too late.

It's hard to believe that just $5,000 could make or break and affect the entire course of our lives.

Just $5,000 stands between the home I've worked so hard to secure and having to walk away, start searching for a rental again, and possibly never having the opportunity to buy again as a single mother in this economy.

$5,000 is the difference between my baby coming home to a permanent home of our own, or us facing countless uncertain moves after everything we've already been through.

If I can raise the $5,000, I can hopefully keep the home I've worked so hard to secure and give my baby somewhere stable to grow up, thrive and have a better start to life.

Even $5 helps. $10 helps. And if you can't donate, sharing this fundraiser could help just as much.

I know everyone has their own financial struggles in these times, and I don't take anyone's generosity for granted. I feel so defeated for needing to resort to this, but I've reached a point where $5,000 is literally the difference between having a home for my baby and starting over again in a new state and safe location.

Im so close to finally getting there, and it's hard to believe that just $5,000 could potentially change everything for me and my baby. After everything we've been through and everything I've done to get us to this point, I would be absolutely devastated if in the scheme of things, this relatively small amount of money is what prevents us from having a safe and stable home and takes away the future and stability I've worked so hard to try and build for my child.

Thank you for reading, donating, sharing, or simply kind words supporting us. ❤️