Nicole Haddow

I paid $312.

So...

When you do your research and you know what the market's doing and you're buying in an area that might not be too sexy, but probably is on the up because it's got a beach and parks and good schools, it's better to buy in a location for growth if you're trying to get equity, which I'll get to shortly.

The first year.

I actually get really emotional when I talk about the first year because it was really hard.

I moved into that apartment by myself.

I lived alone.

I had not planned for anything other than the mortgage.

So when it came time to eat, that was rough.

I didn't understand the owner's corporation.

So I just wanted to get a rusty clothesline replaced and it took me months.

I didn't understand the finances of that owner's corporation and it took me quite a few years to get my head around that.

I really was flying blind and it's really important to read those numbers, understand the finances of the building, understand what you can and can't do to the property if you plan to buy an apartment.

My finances got so tight in that first year that I had to take a second job.

It turned out to be a blessing because that job was writing about property for the financial review.

But the challenge was I was doing an already very full on job and taking a second job on top of that.

I've put the word acceptance at the bottom because after going through all of those things, I finally was okay with the situation.

I knew that that first year was going to be really difficult.

You don't have to make it that difficult.

Don't be me.