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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
A helpful guide as we enter our first home buying journey!
Good basic info but outdated
I wish I had gotten around to reading this before the middle of the home buying process, but I was kind of glad to see how much I had learned in a short time from the experience itself. This book is good if you literally know nothing about buying a house (like I used to), but has some definite deficiencies. It's outdated enough that it doesn't even contemplate interest rates below 4%, barely discusses online resources, and seems focused on demonizing some types of mortgages that I'm not sure even exist anymore. It also is definitely geared toward the middle of the country as opposed to real estate markets in more competitive cities. All this talk of $200,000 houses got irritating after a while.
I wish I had gotten around to reading this before the middle of the home buying process, but I was kind of glad to see how much I had learned in a short time from the experience itself. This book is good if you literally know nothing about buying a house (like I used to), but has some definite deficiencies. It's outdated enough that it doesn't even contemplate interest rates below 4%, barely discusses online resources, and seems focused on demonizing some types of mortgages that I'm not sure even exist anymore. It also is definitely geared toward the middle of the country as opposed to real estate markets in more competitive cities. All this talk of $200,000 houses got irritating after a while.
My husband and I are in the process of starting our house-hunt, so I thought that reading something about the process would be a good idea. Neither of us has ever had a similar experience, so there's a lot that we don't know, and I'm definitely the controlling type who likes to have my own knowledge and not just rely on other people's guidance.
I thought that this was a really good book for beginners. The writing style is pretty simple and straightforward, so while it's not the most stimulating subject matter, it's very readable. The authors take the time to go over things from the very basics, starting with assessing whether you're better off buying or renting, and then talking about some basic budgeting and how to figure out what you can actually afford to buy. They're very good about highlighting the difference between what you can get qualified for and what you can actually afford, which I think is a very important point that people don't always realize.
They also go over the whole process of finding a team to work with, from your lender to your real estate agent. They provide lists of what kind of questions to ask, and red flags to look for, in the effort to work with the best people. They also discuss what the people you work with can and should do for you. For example, asking your real estate agent to provide a listing of comparable houses in the area that have sold recently is something that I didn't even know was a thing before reading this book. And since the best way to figure out an offering price is using recent sales in the area, that is hugely vital information. Learning that felt a bit like turning a light on inside the dark world of home buying.
They also go over negotiating, escrow, titles, different types of insurance, condos, foreclosures, short sales, and even give a basic overview of selling your house or buying investment properties. I have to say, after reading this, I am a lot more confident in my knowledge of the home buying process. I won't say that I'm an expert in any way, but it no longer feels as completely mysterious as it once did, which I am very grateful for. I hate not understanding what's going on, but I'm not always the best about asking questions, so this book was great for me.
I really recommend this book if you're interested in buying a house, but are like me and don't really know what you're doing. I think the authors do a good job of offering balanced information, although they do sneak a few personal plugs in there as well. I think this gives a very realistic overview of what the process is like and what some of the common pitfalls are.
I thought that this was a really good book for beginners. The writing style is pretty simple and straightforward, so while it's not the most stimulating subject matter, it's very readable. The authors take the time to go over things from the very basics, starting with assessing whether you're better off buying or renting, and then talking about some basic budgeting and how to figure out what you can actually afford to buy. They're very good about highlighting the difference between what you can get qualified for and what you can actually afford, which I think is a very important point that people don't always realize.
They also go over the whole process of finding a team to work with, from your lender to your real estate agent. They provide lists of what kind of questions to ask, and red flags to look for, in the effort to work with the best people. They also discuss what the people you work with can and should do for you. For example, asking your real estate agent to provide a listing of comparable houses in the area that have sold recently is something that I didn't even know was a thing before reading this book. And since the best way to figure out an offering price is using recent sales in the area, that is hugely vital information. Learning that felt a bit like turning a light on inside the dark world of home buying.
They also go over negotiating, escrow, titles, different types of insurance, condos, foreclosures, short sales, and even give a basic overview of selling your house or buying investment properties. I have to say, after reading this, I am a lot more confident in my knowledge of the home buying process. I won't say that I'm an expert in any way, but it no longer feels as completely mysterious as it once did, which I am very grateful for. I hate not understanding what's going on, but I'm not always the best about asking questions, so this book was great for me.
I really recommend this book if you're interested in buying a house, but are like me and don't really know what you're doing. I think the authors do a good job of offering balanced information, although they do sneak a few personal plugs in there as well. I think this gives a very realistic overview of what the process is like and what some of the common pitfalls are.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Lmao imagine being able to buy a house in this economy
informative
medium-paced
I know infinitely more about the home buying process now than I did before getting this book. While I am excited to hopefully soon finally own a home, I am not looking forward to the searching and buying process... Hopefully the knowledge that I gained from this book will allow the process to go as smoothly and painlessly as possible!
informative
slow-paced
This was an incredibly useful book. It provides a concise road map for the home buying process along with tips on how to conduct the process. I will be referring here often during the next year.