Introduction 1

Part1: Getting Started with Buying a Home 5

Chapter 1: Deciding Whether to Buy 7

Chapter 2: Getting Your Financial House in Order 23

Chapter 3: What Can You Afford to Buy? 39

Chapter 4: Why Home Prices Rise and Fall. 69


Part2: Financing 101 83

Chapter 5: Understanding and Improving Your Credit Score 85

Chapter 6: Selecting a Mortgage 103

Chapter 7: Mortgage Quandaries, Conundrums, and Forms 133


Part3: Property, Players, and Prices 161

Chapter 8: Where and What to Buy 163

Chapter 9: Assembling an All-Star Real Estate Team 207

Chapter 10: What’s It Worth? 239

Chapter 11: Tapping the Internet’s Best Resources 261


Part4: Making the Deal 271

Chapter 12: Negotiating Your Best Deal 273

Chapter 13: Inspecting and Protecting Your Home 301

Chapter 14: It Ain’t Over till the Escrow Officer Says So 325


Part5: The Part of Tens 341

Chapter 15: Ten Financial “To Dos” After You Buy 343

Chapter 16: Ten Things to Know When Investing in Real Estate 351

Chapter 17: Nearly Ten Things to Consider When Selling Your House 359


Part6: Appendixes 367

Appendix A: Example of a Good Inspection Report 369

Appendix B: Glossary 387

Index 407