Its ours at last!
I think it's safe to say that we don't quite believe it as we stand here holding the almost comedic, oversized key to our very own French farmhouse. By all accounts I think this is the most important key of our lives. That sounds dramatic I know but this key is, quite literally, the key to the future in a little hamlet called Espinas in south-west France.
Having spent the previous 18 months viewing 40 or so houses you'd think the signing and initialling of 500 pieces of paper in the Notaire's office to actually buy one of them would be easy? It wasn't and it was obvious we all felt the start of hysteria kicking in towards the end. Our agent Jane Smallwood of Agence Union in Saint Antonin has been nothing short of heroic in her efforts to get us to this point. Fortunately she managed to hold herself together and guided us through the serious business of signing the Acte de Vente whilst we were all on the verge of heat stroke and repetitive strain injury!
Next some home insurance to organise and calls to the utility companies but then its off to our house for the first time as the owners! Now the work really starts and we can't wait.