Rachel and I’s offer on the house in Oakdale has been accepted! Gulp! We are thrilled to bits and have already been to see our IFA and sorted out our mortgage. We’ve bought at a really good time, because stamp duty is no longer applicable for houses under ?120,000 and our mortgage lender will not be charging us an admin fee nor any survey fees. We’ll just have to pay the mortgage when it starts and the solicitors’ fees! We’re going to ask around for a few quotes for solicitors fees and then instruct a firm of solicitors next week.

It’s weird. A lot of people would run away from the thought of buying a property and the responsibility of a mortgage, but I’m not that bothered! Perhaps that’ll change when we exchange contracts because it’s impossible to back out at that stage without being in breach of contract. Or perhaps it’ll start to feel real when I’m paying the bloody mortgage!