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What are some of the best and most up to date books on buying a home for first timers? Me and my wife have moved around a bit and rented every time, but now we are considering buying a first home and really have ZERO knowledge on the subject.
Would love to hear of any good books that would guide us so we can make our plans.
Just get referrals and find a good Realtor that'll hold your hand and help guide you through the process, while educating you at the same time.
For every book recommendation that you get, you'll get people that call that same book worthless. Real estate books give you good advice, if you were buying real estate in a vacuum. Just find someone that knows your market inside and out.
Just get referrals and find a good Realtor that'll hold your hand and help guide you through the process, while educating you at the same time.
For every book recommendation that you get, you'll get people that call that same book worthless. Real estate books give you good advice, if you were buying real estate in a vacuum. Just find someone that knows your market inside and out.
check out your local library, as far as the books go.. and i agree with the other responses - find a good agent! at least by doing a little reading ahead of time, you'll have a better idea as to what to look for in an agent, and also have a little bit of knowledge about the whole process, so it won't seem intimidating
Okay, with all of that being said, I second that. However, I bought my first home before I was a Realtor, and like you, I wanted a book. I bought one of the Dummy series books - Homebuying for Dummies. It really breaks stuff down in simple language.
Check out free info online from Fannie Mae (http://www.fanniemae.com/kb/index?page=home&c=homebuyers - broken link) and HUD and NAR. Good luck and best wishes!
Homebuying for dummies is a must read for newbies before making any move - especially before speaking with an agent (i.e get your finances in order, get mortgage pre-approval etc.)
I'll give a third thumbs up for Homebuying for Dummies. I read it when we were beginning to plan for a move. The book offered good information about what a mortgage is, how to choose a real estate agent, the difference between a broker and an agent, financing options, and many other details that were good to know.
However, once you've learned those kinds of things (valuable for a basic background of homebuying) I'll agree that working with a great agent will help you a lot. Someone who knows the market, can advise you on many aspects of the homebuying experience (finding a mortgage broker, finding a home inspector and understanding the results of the inspection, etc.) and really serve your personal needs.
So reading the "Dummies" book will be helpful to establish a background and basic information that will help you understand the process and know a good real estate agent when you see one. Essentially the book will let you know what you don't know and should know.
Good luck!
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