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I flew to Nova Scotia in October 2008 having found a realtor - Debby - and together we made a list of the houses I wanted to see. I had narrowed it down to about 8 and upon arriving in Halifax at 7am I drove the 2 hours to Pictou to meet her.

We set off and the first place we looked at was just outside the town on 3 acres with a house that needs condemning. Scratch that one.

We then returned to Pictou and headed into an area that almost entirely consists of post war homes. They are those older wartime pre-fab homes - the little boxes with roofs on. A few had been allowed to sink into disrepair but most were in very good shape, well kept and some had additions but just needed a little TLC. I looked at 3 or 4 and was hopeful one would eventually come out on top because I liked the town so much.

We still had a few more properties in the nearby communities of Trenton, Westville and Stellarton. We were inside a house that we felt would collapse any second, a couple had two stories but the roof was too low, and there was one I really liked but it was pushing 100 years and the amount of work required was just too over-whelming to consider for a first home.

As the day came to a close I thought about the houses I'd seen. Always one came to the top of the pile. It was 825 square feet, a good sized yard with a concrete pad in the back, three bedrooms and it was in very good shape - just need paint and some TLC. The roof shingles needed to be replaced but the roof itself was in excellent shape. This was the one. Plus there was an oak tree in the front yard ... and the address is Oak Street ... can't get more quaint than that can you?

We put in an offer, they countered and voila, I had been in Nova Scotia for barely 48 hours and I was now the proud owner of a house in Pictou. Isn't it the cutest? That's my oak tree in front there.