When you know, you know you know.

They say that you just know when it's the one for you.

We did with our current house in Harrogate. There was an (almost unspoken) agreement that it was right.

It was the same with the Tormos apartment. We viewed, the refurb was a good job, it had a decent balcony, it had 3 bedrooms, and neither the kitchen or bathroom needed any work. The area is what we had wanted right from the start.

Following a survey by our very likeable new architect/surveyor friend, the offer went in. Around the same percentage of the asking price as with an unsuccessful offer we had made on another apartment nearby.

Café Sant Jaume, and some of the barrio's famous street art.

So later that evening, we're at our favourite café in the Barrio del Carmen: Café Sant Jaume, sitting outside with a caña despite the time of year. My phone rings. It's our lovely property sourcing agent.

Offer accepted.

Too good to be true? Time will tell, but it's a big step forward (if not absolutely final). This is suddenly moving very fast.

So another trip to the notario. He's pleased that the previous purchase fell through, as I have to pay to cancel the previous power of attorney, and pay again to have another prepared. He suggests that we "don't buy this house also, then come back and pay more". To some, this could make him appear to be an overpaid, expensive-suited member of the Valencian monied elite, but he's actually quite a nice guy, and we found it funny.

You may remember that I mentioned setbacks? A further call from our property agent the next evening (this time we're at Restaurante San Miguel) delivered bad news. The apparently random way that Valencian real estate agents do business reveals that our particular character wants commission from not only the seller, but the buyer also.

This adds a hefty chunk of € to the bill, and threatens to put the thing out of reach. The irony is that the agent at the next desk will most likely work in a completely different way. Cue discussions around the theme of jacking it in and heading for Doncaster Races.

But... I'm not letting this go at this stage. Negotiations get underway, and we forge ahead. Early the next morning, I race across town to the bank, withdraw the deposit in cash, and present this at the real estate agent. 

This is the only way you can pay a deposit for a house purchase in Valencia. Cash.

Yep. Part of its charm.