4 March – Another call to the estate agent, who tells us the sellers have accepted an offer and the property is now off the market. We’re disappointed but newly spurred on. So, with a decision-in-principle in hand we decide to speed up our search and arrange a day of viewing a few different properties in the area.

8 March – We drive to Birmingham after work to check out a few houses. We’re immediately taken by the first property, a Victorian terrace house that looks a bit rough around the edges but has beautiful high ceilings, lots of space, and a freestanding bathtub that I immediately fall in love with. We agree it would be hasty to offer on the first property we see, so decide to check out some more places over the next couple of weeks.

12 March – We view another property we also really like, but totally different to our original favourite. It’s much more modern, and would need less work – it’s even a bit cheaper – but my heart is still with the lovely Victorian terrace. We decide to book second viewings for both side-by-side to compare.

20 March – We go to view our two favourite houses and explore the area a bit more. Lots of places are still only doing takeout, but we get coffees and pastries at a local bakery and wander around the nearest park.

We would have liked to take our parents to get a second opinion, but unfortunately, many estate agents are still restricting the number of people permitted at viewings. Still, seeing the houses side-by-side is really helpful, and we both agree that the Victorian terrace has a bit more wow factor. It needs a bit of TLC, so we decide to put in an offer about 10% under the asking price, leaving us a bit of extra cash for minor renovations.

We’ve heard houses are selling way over the asking price at the moment, so it’s a risky move, but we know the sellers are keen to agree a sale, so keep our fingers crossed.

Diary of a first-time buyer: “How I bought my first home on a budget during a pandemic”