Nolos Essential Guide To Buying Your First Home book With CDRom Audio

Posted In: First Time Home Buyer

Tobias Silvius says...

My boyfriend and I are buying a place together.He already owns his condo though, so has been through this before, where as I haven't. As a law student, I've used nolo law before and this book was similarly great. Gave me a great foundation so I could understand all my options. Most helpful was the entire chapter on financing and what kind of loan works best for you.

Posted on September 30, 2011

Caitlyn Pontes says...

I found this book to be easy to follow and helpful in my process. I think the most important information is "How to find the best __________" --- fill in the blank, Realtor, Mortgage Broker, Inspector. It's very helpful to have a list of questions when interviewing people who know a lot more about the subject that I do. I'm glad I started my research with this book.

Posted on October 1, 2011

Bert Janikowski says...

Pros: This book was just released in 2009 so it's by far the most up to date on the current market. It gives the pitfalls of past subprime mortgages and is somewhat geared to todays buyers market. It has references to the $8000 new home credit and other recent additions to tax law.The websites listed are much more up to date than some older books.

Cons: The forms on the CD are pretty basic but useful I guess and the closing costs section isnt as comprehensive as I would have liked.

Posted on October 3, 2011

Jim Houghtaling says...

Short and sweet, this is a really good buy. The chapters are layed out well and they cover a heap of practical content in the area of home buying. I'm an absolute newb before this book, now I'm talking everyone's head off about the process of home buying and why everyone should own..something. LOL.



You will need a supplement for condo/co-ops if your into that and some target info on mortgages, but pick this up.

Posted on October 3, 2011

Apolonia Gerry says...

For me, because this is the only first-time buyer's guide that discusses in detail issues around getting a personal gift or personal loan towards purchasing a home, it already deserves 5 stars.



But it's more than just that.This is a very comprehensive guide with a helpful accompanying CD-ROM.The materials are organized clearly and presented in an easy-to-understand manner.I had read other guides such as the Dummies one which tended to be really verbose and confusing.This book stands out as a highly useable companion as you search and purchase your first home (and as you deal with real estate agents and lawyers).



Very highly recommended.

Posted on October 4, 2011

Gerda Casilla says...

Ilona Bray, Alayna Schroeder and Marcia Stewart's NOLO'S ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME is also a standard reference which combines the savvy of buying a first home with legal tips designed to clarify common obstacles to the process. From deciding between a house, condo or coop to getting inspections, insurance, and negotiating with sellers, this is a top pick blending the real-world stories of over twenty first-time home buyer with insights from a team of real estate pros including attorneys, a home inspector, a neighborhood researcher, a mortgage specialist and more. This team approach sets the Nolo guide far above most authored by real estate agents alone.

Posted on October 4, 2011

Tanya Panagakos says...

I am just starting to research what's involved in purchasing a first home.I found this book to be very helpful in providing a landscape of what is involved, but you should supplement it with more specificbooks, particularly around mortgages.



The book starts out by having you evaluate what you want in a home, and prioritizing the features.It tells you how to research neighborhoods, ok this is pretty city-centric but they are trying to reach a wide audience.It explains the various professionals involved in each stage of the process, provides forms for interviewing them, and explains what they should provide.It continues to walk you through the inspections, negotiations and closings.



The book is easy to read, but let's face it, the purchase process is complex, and I found myself re-reading some sections discussing the many forms and insurance options.There are some quirky sidebars that are of questionable value (songs about houses, a cookie recipe) but they do add some levity.



Where the book fell a little short was the mortgage discussion.The first book I read "Mortgage Ripoffs and Money Savers: An Industry Insider Explains How to Save Thousands on Your Mortgage or Re-Finance" covers this in great detail, and I highly recommend it as supplemental reading.It will explain in detail the junk fees that are mentioned in this book.



The forms included in the book have varying degrees of usefulness, but the interview and inspection forms are gold.A number of websites are listed throughout the book, and will save you from having to Google for the information.



Overall I'm happy with this book, and plan to reference it throughout the purchase process.

Posted on October 5, 2011

Rodolfo Barjas says...

I am currently in the process of buying my first home. This book has certainly helped with the basics of the home buying process for the typical person with no experience in real estate. I purchased this book along with a book on mortgages and found that the dual combination was essential for making good decisions. I liked that the book was easy to read, entertaining, and practical. I do agree with other book reviewers that there needs to be a supplement or a little more in depth information, but this can be accomplished by reading many sources. I would definitely recommend this book!

Posted on October 5, 2011

Idalia Wilkson says...

I started looking at buying my first house many months ago and realized that the conflicting and often spotty advise I would get from friends and family wasn't enough.I needed a book to guide me and fill in the gaps (of which there were many).



I figured a "Home Buying for Dummies" type book was what I needed, but I didn't stop there and thumbed through almost a dozen home buying books at the local store before finding this gem by Nolo.



This was the ONLY book that guides you through the process, taking logical, simple steps while interjecting real-world experiences from different people.



It's written in a manner that appeals to just about everyone, explaining how to find a good agent (or save yourself on closing costs by using an online broker), what you should REALLY look for when finding the house that's right for you, all the way through closing, and even what's involved afterwards!



Buying a home can be stressful and overwhelming, but this book really made things quite easy.I can't think of a single home buying related subject that it doesn't cover. If you are buying your first house, this book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Posted on October 7, 2011

Gregorio Jimeson says...

This is a great read for a first time homebuyer because it explains things clearly and thoroughly without making many assumptions about what you know. I liked the section on alternative forms of financing, especially useful in this day of ever more restrictive bank lending.



However, it basically assumes you are going to be using a real estate agent/broker/realtor, so I was disappointed because I want to work without one and I hoped this book would make me independent.



The forms are weak; I was hoping for some sample Offers or Contracts, but instead it has a dream house worksheet and some random other forms which are so small and basic that they could easily be offered for free as a download instead of necessitating the enclosed CD.

Posted on October 10, 2011