In this coming year I’m hoping to purchase a home and I’m feeling a strong urge to borrow to the very limit. On the one hand it makes financial sense given a few, seemingly reasonable, assumptions.

Over the Christmas period I caught up with a couple who have really stretched themselves for the dream home, while juggling two very well paid jobs and some challenging circumstances. It struck me that it wouldn’t take much for the dream to fall apart. On the outside it all looks good, while from the inside things look quite precarious.

There’s not a right or wrong position. Your risk appetite should vary according to the safety net you have, or the fall you’re willing to accept. I am where I am because assumptions I made years back, that seemed reasonable, turned out to be false.

Resilience needs to be front of centre of my major decision making.

Precarious comfort isn’t comfort enough.