The Beginning PT1

When we arrived at Upperton it was getting dark. We had picked up some groceries to see us until the next day. I'm sure everyone finds it daunting at first, boxes everywhere furniture to move or put together. We decided that I would get the beds put together so that at least we could go to bed in comfort. We could do nothing else really as we were all so tired. We didn't get a good look around as it was dark so had some tea and went to bed.
The next morning we were all awake early it was still dark, we watched the sunrise and what a beautiful first day we spent exploring the house and the garden, the field all of which was pretty over grown, would have to think about this later if we got livestock. It was good that we spent time looking around then as it snowed on Saturday and the amount that fell we were sure that we would have a white Christmas, but this was not meant to be and it was gone by Christmas Eve.
We also found out that we had lodgers four-legged kind who had enjoyed themselves in some of the boxes of food. Never mind bought the traps, put the poison in the loft and hoped this would do the trick.
Now this might sound strange considering it was Christmas time, but we spent the next two weeks basically unpacking and decorating. We had intended to wait until the New Year to decorate but the boy’s bedroom was pink and they were not happy at all, and Debbie wanted at least one room sorted so we could relax in, as all the rooms at the moment were filled with boxes. Christmas was wonderful, very relaxed not like others we had had. No worrying about problems at work, and although we missed them no need to rush around getting sorted for visitors. No it was just very relaxing and best of all we were together in our little smallholding.

TheEnd PT3

We nearly didn't get to view Upperton. Winding roads that didn't make sense on the road atlas did not help. By chance I saw a green letter box and thought it had been mentioned in the details so drove down the track. We were greeted by the lady owner and Debbie had a good look around. I walked around trying not to look disinterested as my thoughts were on the other property, but I couldn't wait to leave as we had arranged to go back to the previous property to look again, which we did and then set off home.
Surely nothing could go wrong this time we had a good idea of the laws now and time was on our side. Yet again Monday morning came and we asked our solicitor to sort out the survey. No problem would be done quickly in time for the closing date, survey was done nothing major as they say, however what I haven't mentioned is that in Scotland guide prices are given as offers over, then 10% is expected then depending on interest means even that may not be enough.
This place was offers over£100 000 add 10% so start at £110 000 our solicitor was aware that there was a LOT of interest in this place as the barns which I new were in good condition are what developers look for to do conversions. We ended up realising that not even £130 000 would guarantee our offer would be accepted, and because it was going to be so overpriced we made no offer rather that was it we couldn't take anymore. We could end up doing a dozen surveys at £500 each and still not get a property. We went to bed numb.
Now let me ask you a question how many times are you in bed about to go to sleep and you or your partner needs to discuss something? (no not that) What about Upperton ? Says Debbie. What about it says I. I liked it. You must be joking. Fast forward 4 months. Friday 12th December 2003 After a lot of ups and downs we are nearly there, we have nearly got our dream. What a Christmas present. I have quit my job, the kids have left school, said goodbye to friends and family, all ties are cut the lorry is packed and ready to go. The owners have moved out of Upperton of course we had to visit a few times so I could see what I had missed the first time. We have visited the new school ready for the kids to start after Christmas, all that needs to be done is for the solicitors to ring us to confirm the exchange has happened and we can be off. I have made several phone calls during the afternoon but nothing has happened yet. Never mind can only be a matter of time. At 3.30pm I go to collect the kids from school for the last time, come back and watch the lorry set off up to Aberdeen we are going to meet them up there the next morning. We are staying at my mothers overnight and setting off early next morning to begin our new life.
4.55pm it must have happened mustn't it, must have exchanged there is no back-up plan everything is rolling the lorry is gone we don't have a habitable house we feel so alone in the middle of a city we are so alone no-one can help us if it goes wrong now.
The telephone call resulted in the following explanation- The solicitor acting for the person buying our property has paid the money but somehow it is lost in cyberspace the exchange has not happened and cannot happen until the following week at the earliest.
One of the worst experiences in our lives we have nowhere to go everything is packed house is empty we have three kids to look after. Thank god the lady we were buying from allowed the lorry to come up and put our belongings in the house until exchange we had to go back to England after this was done as naturally she didn't agree to us moving in under such circumstances anything could have happened.
We stayed with my mother until the following Wednesday when it all got sorted and away we went. I would be lying if I said it didn't take the gloss off what should have been one of the happiest times of our lives but looking back now we know that we would do it again for what we have. No lasting side effects except that I have much more grey now than brown. One thing we have come to believe in though is that if something is meant to be it doesn't matter what happens in the end it will happen, it is only a matter of whether you can cope with the pain of getting there.

The End Pt2

What we had not realised was that the laws on purchasing property were much different in Scotland. The dream place had what is known as a closing date, which was the next day.
What this meant was that potential purchaser's had to inform the sellers solicitor through their own solicitor of the offer they would be prepared to pay basically in the sealed envelope scenario. The sellers would then be given the details of all offers at mid-day the next day and chose which one they wanted to proceed with. Great for vendors, a disaster for us. We didn't have a solicitor, we couldn't get a survey done in less than 24 hrs, hadn't contacted our mortgage lenders, and our house wasn't even on the market.
The other main problem was that if your offer was accepted you had to pay 10% deposit within seven days and the remainder within 28days if you didn't you were liable to a lot of penalties plus bye- bye to the deposit. From everything being perfect we were faced with a minefield of uncertainty. At some point I remember thinking I will put the offer in I am sure it will all work out. Common sense prevailed as the thought of bankrupting ourselves became a very real outcome.
Next day came 12o'clock passed. Stupidly I phoned the agents to ask if it had been sold and of course it had, although I could not be told for how much I like to think it was for more than we would have offered. This didn't ease the pain and as far as I was concerned that was it I gave up looking for anymore properties, resigned to the fact that our lifestyle would never change we would just have to get used to it.
The stress of the job I was doing got worse, I seemed to be addressing problems that were not of my making it didn't matter how hard I tried something always needed my attention, added to this a situation occurred which highlighted to me exactly how I was viewed by my superiors even though I was performing really well.
Summer came and I was determined to have some time with Debbie and the kids so took the first two weeks of the holidays and ensured that I was not to be contacted. It was during one of these days that one of the other residents of the site came over to show us the details of the property she was after in Montrose. All the feelings came back and the yearning for a better life.
I went home soon after and searched the sites I had used previously and took the details of suitable properties back to Debbie at the caravan. We travelled back to Aberdeenshire twice over the next couple of weeks but none of the properties seemed to evoke the feelings we had in March.
Travelling round trip in a day was exhausting for all of us, and after the last viewing we travelled back again resigning ourselves to never finding that dream place.
By chance when we got home property details for a croft had arrived as we were on several mailing lists. It looked good but we had been disappointed so many times by properties that looked good on paper. So we forgot about it.
Next day Monday morning I couldn't get the property out of my mind so phoned Debbie. We decided to go back up and take a look at that one plus two others we had not seen.
The weekend came and we did the same routine travelled on Friday went to visit on Saturday morning. The drive up was fantastic again the sun shone the property appeared ideal it had no land but we could rent some, the kids seemed happy playing in the small woods and tree house, I liked the two barns which appeared in good condition.
By the time we left to view the other two properties I was in love with this place. I wasn't much bothered about viewing the other two properties and when we couldn't find one of them it didn't worry me because we had found the place we could live out our dream. Or so I thought!