On October 3, he asked me what day it was. I said, “October 3.” The realtor responded: “And the house is yours.”

No, that didn’t happen, but buying my flat did feel like the ever-memorable Mean Girls moment… at first.

Sadly, the magic didn’t last and my initial joy has transformed into stress, sadness – and many times, regret. Who let me make such a grown up decision when I am just a kid trying to figure out life? If you are someone who has jumped on the property ladder, ever thought of doing so, or are just dreaming about owning one day, let me tell you what it’s really like to buy your own place.

First of all, no one tells you how many decisions you’ll have to make in such a short time.

The home buying process involves a million voices (lawyers, mortgage brokers, realtors, surveyors) and mysterious, unknown words (interest rates, capital repayment, stamp duty). It feels like taking a test you must pass, but the questions and answers are in a made-up language.