The everything homebuying book : all the ins and outs of making the biggest purchase of your life

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Title:

The everything homebuying book : all the ins and outs of making the biggest purchase of your life

Author:

Weiss, Mark B, author.

Rejnis, Ruth.

Series:

Everything series.

General Note:

Rev. ed. of: The everything homebuying book / Ruth Rejnis. c1999.

Edition:

2nd ed.

Physical Description:

xii, 337 p. ; 24 cm.

Subject Term:

House buying -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Author(s):

Rejnis, Ruth.

Publisher:

Adams Media Corp.,

Publication Date:

2003

ISBN:

9781580628099

Publication Information:

Avon, Mass. : Adams Media Corp., c2003.

Call Number:

643.12 WEISS

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607001919987	Adult Nonfiction	643.12 WEISS	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

The Everything. Homebuying Book, 2nd Edition is specially designed for anyone who is overwhelmed by the daunting process of buying a home. It takes you step by step through the process and provides practical advice for getting the most for your money and making the right decisions for you and your family.

Author Notes

Mark B. Weiss, C.C.I.M., is president of Mark B. Weiss Real Estate Brokerage, Inc., which he founded in 1988
Ruth Rejnis has authored several books

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Top Ten Things You Will Learn from This Book	p. x
Introduction	p. xi
1 The Ins and Outs of Buying a New Home	p. 1
Renting vs. Owning	p. 2
Overcoming Homebuying Fears	p. 3
The First-Time Buyer	p. 8
A Home Is a Good Investment	p. 11
Patience Is a Virtue!	p. 15
2 The Price of Home Ownership	p. 17
Examining Your Options	p. 18
The Importance of the Down Payment	p. 19
Where Will the Money Come From?	p. 22
Financing Options	p. 24
Equity Sharing	p. 29
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)	p. 31
Low Down-Payment Options	p. 32
3 Choosing the Right Mortgage	p. 33
Getting Approved	p. 34
Who Offers Mortgages?	p. 36
Your Loan Choices	p. 37
Which Type of Loan Is Best for You?	p. 40
Choosing a Lender	p. 41
How Much Can You Borrow?	p. 46
Applying for a Loan	p. 48
Dealing with a Poor Credit History	p. 51
Mortgage Insurance	p. 55
4 Working with a Real-Estate Agent	p. 57
How Can an Agent Help You?	p. 58
Finding the Right Agent	p. 61
What You Need to Know about "Disclosure"	p. 64
The Buyer's Broker	p. 65
Discrimination by Agents	p. 66
Making the House Hunt Easier	p. 67
5 Buying Solo or with Others	p. 69
Single and House-Hunting	p. 70
All Together Now	p. 70
The Legal Options in Shared Ownership	p. 72
The Contract among Cobuyers	p. 76
Living Trusts	p. 77
6 Which House Is Right for You?	p. 79
Understanding Your Lifestyle	p. 80
The City or the Suburbs?	p. 81
At Home in the Country	p. 83
Homeowners' Associations	p. 84
Gated Communities	p. 86
No Children Allowed	p. 87
Your Dream House	p. 88
Keep the Resale Value in Mind	p. 89
7 The Resale House	p. 91
The Benefits of a Resale Home	p. 92
Choosing the Right Neighborhood	p. 92
Features to Look For	p. 95
Evaluating Floor Plans	p. 107
Historic Houses	p. 109
A Word of Warning	p. 111
8 Condos and Co-ops	p. 113
The Growth of Condominiums	p. 114
Is Every Owned Apartment a Condo?	p. 115
How a Condo Works	p. 116
What If Something Breaks?	p. 120
Maintenance-Free Living	p. 121
Beware of Overbuilding!	p. 121
Selecting the Right Condo	p. 122
Buying into a Brand-New Community	p. 124
The Cooperative Lifestyle	p. 125
Condo or Co-op?	p. 126
9 Special Home Choices	p. 127
New Housing Developments	p. 128
Lofts	p. 130
Fixer-Uppers	p. 133
Paying for a Fixer-Upper	p. 136
Using Contractors	p. 142
Manufactured or Modular Homes	p. 143
Mobile Homes	p. 145
10 Shopping the Neighborhood	p. 147
Choosing the Right Town	p. 148
How's the Neighborhood?	p. 148
A Community's Character	p. 151
Evaluating Real-Estate Taxes	p. 153
Schools	p. 156
Is It the Right Neighborhood for You?	p. 158
A Look at the Lot	p. 162
Be Prepared to Expand Your Search	p. 166
11 Negotiating the Best Price	p. 167
What Is Fair Market Value?	p. 168
The Market at the Moment	p. 170
Your Initial Offer	p. 171
The Counteroffer	p. 172
Keep Your Emotions in Check	p. 174
Negotiating with FSBOs	p. 176
Secrets of Successful Negotiating	p. 177
Negotiating the Closing Date	p. 179
Other Negotiating Tactics	p. 179
12 Negotiating the Best Contract	p. 181
Finding a Good Lawyer	p. 182
Who Writes the Contract?	p. 183
What a Contract Must Have	p. 183
Other Considerations and Contingencies	p. 184
Writing the First Check	p. 189
An Additional Deposit	p. 189
Can You Change Your Mind?	p. 190
13 The House Inspection	p. 191
Why Have an Inspection?	p. 192
When You Inspect a House	p. 193
The Condo or Co-Op Inspection	p. 194
What to Look For	p. 194
The Seller's Disclosure	p. 200
Calling in the Pros	p. 201
Checking out Complaints	p. 203
Evaluating the Problems	p. 204
Be Reasonable	p. 205
14 The Closing	p. 207
Closing Ceremonies	p. 208
Closing Costs	p. 209
Mortgage-Related Charges	p. 210
Special Items	p. 211
Reserve Funds	p. 212
Charges for Title Services	p. 212
Other Settlement Charges	p. 213
Closing Day Tasks	p. 214
Is Anything Tax Deductible Here?	p. 216
Finally, "In Closing..."	p. 216
15 Building Your Own House	p. 219
Simple Ways to Acquire a Lot	p. 220
Does the Government Offer "Free" Land?	p. 220
Shopping for a Site	p. 221
There's Building, and There's Building	p. 224
Buying a House Before It Is Built	p. 224
The Custom-Built Home	p. 228
Working with Professionals	p. 229
Paying for Your New Home	p. 231
New-Home Warranties	p. 232
You Can Do It!	p. 232
16 Vacation Homes	p. 233
Is Owning a Vacation Home for You?	p. 234
Benefits of Owning a Vacation Home	p. 236
Obligations of Owning a Vacation Home	p. 237
Types of Vacation Homes	p. 238
Renting out Your Vacation Property	p. 240
Your Future Residence?	p. 240
17 Other Real-Estate Opportunities	p. 243
Dealing with the FSBO	p. 244
Distressed Properties	p. 244
Buying Houses at Auction	p. 247
Sheriff's Sales	p. 248
Conventional Auction	p. 249
The Best Time to Buy	p. 252
18 Is Landlording for You?	p. 253
Could You Become a Landlord?	p. 254
What Being a Landlord Entails	p. 255
Finding the Right Property	p. 256
Making Improvements	p. 258
Open for Business	p. 259
Dealing with Tenants	p. 260
Handling Basic Maintenance Repairs	p. 262
Rental Property Is Like a Second Job	p. 264
19 Protecting Your Investment	p. 265
The Importance of Homeowner's Insurance	p. 266
What Is a Homeowner's Policy?	p. 266
Varieties of Policies	p. 267
Still More Coverage	p. 270
Insurance for a Condo or Co-op	p. 272
How to Lower Your Insurance Costs	p. 272
Keeping Track of Your Policy	p. 273
20 When It's Time to Move	p. 275
Moving into Your New Home	p. 276
Looking into the New Community	p. 276
Taking Inventory	p. 277
Before You Go	p. 281
Selecting a Mover	p. 281
The Corporate Move	p. 285
Relocation Companies	p. 286
What You'll Need the First Days	p. 288
Settling In	p. 289
Appendix A Glossary	p. 292
Appendix B Mortgage Tables	p. 300
Appendix C Resources	p. 318
Index	p. 325

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Author Notes

Table of Contents