So we've finally exchanged! This is the penultimate step in the process of buying a house. This is the bit where you have to come up with your deposit. It's a scary business getting thousands of pounds together and sending it off into the wide blue yonder (via the bank). Part of you worries they'll lose it also there is the fear that this is the point of no return.

You sign the contract and once that is sent off along with the money we can't back out without losing the deposit. They can still back out of course so you have to add to the mix the fact that you can't properly celebrate because they might change their minds or you may be gazumped! But while we won't count our chickens before we have the keys it is starting to get very exciting. They have set the completion date for March 5th 2009, only 20 days to go.