December is upon us

Boy, the year went quickly.
It's the start of December tomorrow, and it feels like Christmas has crept up quietly behind me, while I was focused on work.
There are there office Christmas parties over the next 10 days, and thankfully many of the shops have only put up the decorations over the last week or so. So, although I'm unprepared (I am a guy), I'm thankful this year feels less commercial somehow.
Saying that, I predict the Tablet to be a big seller this Christmas. Not a cheap present!
Talking of presents, best get shopping.
On second  thoughts, perhaps not today. Big strike amongst the public sector. Way too many people out shopping today!!

Wedding Day!

So, I'm married!  No going back now.


I've posed a few pictures here, but many more will be posted on a separate site.

Rethink - heart or mind.

One of the final documents the bank asked me to complete was the deed of consent, which, although just a legal document from the bank defining who actually owned the property has, by definition, the right to kick any other person staying in the house (who's over the age of 18 and not on the mortgage) should the mortgage not be paid.

Basically meaning Gina didn't have any legal rights to her home.

A rethink on the mortgage was in order.

After a brief conversation we agreed that we need to get back to our original plan of both our names be put onto the mortgage, so that she, like me, had rights and ownership of our new home.

It does complicate who actually owns what, and any solicitor in the land would scream at me to "protect my interests", but being a new family unit, I can't let Gina think I don't trust her or our commitment to each other.

To her this whole episode of ownership is tantamount to a prenup, and hates the whole concept. I'm personally in two minds about the whole thing. I need to protect my interests, but in the same breath protect my relationship and demonstrate trust.

There's no easy answer to this - be cold and financially secure, or demonstrate a trust in our relationship and risk everything for love.

Only time will tell, but on this occasion we'll put the house in joint names and make a will to bolster the agreement with the security that should one of us die, the other has a home.

Love it is.

Things moving along nicely

Ok, gears are in motion.

Mortgage - check, Surveys - check, Solicitors - Check.

We've also had a quote from a tree surgeon to look at the Eucalyptus tree at the front of the property, as I think it's too close to the house. I spoke to the building surveyor and the solicitors too, and all in the agreement, that the tree should be removed ASAP, but there seems to be no real physical damage to the house, although there appears to be some of the path brickweave lifting from one of the roots.

The building survey also suggested we take a look at the fences and (inevitably) to get the electrics checked.

Scarily, the tree surgeon suggested £300 to remove the tree with a further £100 to grind the stump and treat the roots. I suspect the electrics will not be cheap to check either.

I'm sorting out the house insurance tomorrow.

Life is never cheap!

I'm Engaged!

What on earth was I thinking ..? ;-)

One minute I was a free and single guy with no mortgage - I turn around and my girlfriend moved in, we're looking to buy a house, and to cap it all off, I've gone and popped the question!

Ok, I was 'doomed' from the start. The coins told me to do it.

I'll explain.

On New Year's eve Gina, my partner and I went to a friend's house for a few nibbles, and a drink or two. The hostess, a friend and colleague to Gina, in her cunning, plotting kind of way, secreted some fortune coins in her pastries (a tradition from her homeland), which included Wealth, Health, Parties, Children and other delights. Upon finding these coins the person who's teeth have been cracked as a consequence of trying to bite on the coin, will receive luck according what's on the coin.

I picked the rings. D'oh!

I swear it was all planned.

The really worrying thing is, Gina chose the coin with a baby on the front.

Time to have a heart to heart with my bank manager me thinks...

BTW, Gina said yes :-D

Offer Accepted - now the fun begins...

Wow. That didn't take long.

After a couple of days haggling, we not only got our current house sold (STC), but we had our offer accepted on the new house, most of which happened over two phone calls in the space of 15 minutes.

When things move, they really move!

Now to get the mortgage, surveys and solicitors sorted...

Looks like we've found our new house.

After about three years of procrastination and wishful thinking, my partner finally pushed me into looking into houses this Autumn/Winter, and although the market isn't overly busy, it looks as if there are a few possibilities out there.

Now, after watching Grand Designs and Location, Location, Location and the like, of course there are goals and there are realistic goals. Sure, I wanted a four/five bedroomed country house with about 1/2 acre of land, outbuilding(s), garage, and good communication links to where we work and shop.

Although my partner was more eager to keep close to the city, I was talking her over to a more rural location (as long as it wasn't a million mile from anywhere). However, the more we looked, the more we realised there was little choice out there, certainly nothing this side of £1/2 million - which was above my current budget.

However, after looking and looking, I finally gave in on the country house prospect (for this move anyway) and searched more locally in and around Norwich, where we live.

After looking around several other houses, including some new builds, we both fell in love with the house I'm now planning to put an offer in for.

A house that's barely a mile up the road, even in the same estate we're in now - so much for reaching goals...