As part of our new series, we're asking YOU to share your experiences of buying your first home.

This week city resident Lily Goulder (on Instagram as @staynorwichlanes) shares her story.

When did you buy your first home?
The mid 1980s, when I was in my early 20s. Mortgage interest rates were around 16pc then but I worked at a local bank so took advantage of a staff mortgage rate of 5pc. I didn’t realise how incredibly low this was at the time and how it made the difference of getting on the property ladder, or not, for a young girl.

Where was it?
The famous Golden Triangle, a phrase coined by Norwich estate agents during the 1980s property boom. Some refer to it as the Norwich version of London’s Notting Hill.

What was it?
A Victorian terrace house.

How much did you pay for it?
£42,000. The same house would be in excess of £300,000 now.

How did you save for it?
Deposits were small in those days, so it wasn’t such a big deal as it is today.

How did you decide on the location?
The Golden Triangle has always had a certain vibe with a great mix of people including professionals, families and students. It’s super close to the city too. Despite NR3 being significantly cheaper for the same type of property, NR2 has always been home to me.

What was on your wishlist?
Despite Victorian terraces all starting off basically the same, over the years people have altered things (sometimes for the worse) so my wishlist of ‘must haves’ meant that I had a tricky search.

It had to have a south-facing garden so that’s half of every street out of the search! I didn’t want a bisected garden but did want original sash windows, original fireplaces and floorboards.

How did you feel on move-in day?
Desperate to rip the carpets up!

Did you do any work to it?
The first job was to strip all of the floorboards (what a messy job that was) and I also painted every room a bright, sunny colour. That was the fashion then.

Any fond memories of your time there?
Many of my girlfriends lived in neighbouring streets in the Golden Triangle, and we used the narrow walkways between the streets (that I didn’t know existed until I moved in) to get to each other’s houses. Our favourite pastime was to drink wine in our south-facing gardens and burn lavender oil!

What advice would you have for other first-time buyers?
It’s all about location, location, location as the famous TV program goes. I have always stretched myself over the years and spent the most I could afford on every house move. The worse house in the better street is worth it as over time you can improve.

And finally…
I’m still living in NR2 some 30 years later, and still in a terrace house, but boy have I upgraded!

I’m now in the Norwich Lanes in a 17th century house built by a Huguenot silk merchant. Over the years the house has been a school and chapel, but we have restored it to its former glory and it’s now a wonderful family home with the rear of the house cleverly converted to a self-contained luxurious holiday let.

Want to share the story of your first home? Email me at rebecca.macnaughton@archant.co.uk