Book Review: Home Buying for Dummies 4th Edition

Home Buying For Dummies is your complete guide to start your home purchase adventure from initial planning and financial preparation to the closing and then some.

Contents 21/25
Ease of Understanding/Practicality 20/25
Pictures/Illustrations 15/25
Additional Features 18/25
Total 81/100

Home Buying For Dummies 4th Edition is your all in one guide to the home buying process from the very start with you thinking of buying that new home to the final closing and beyond. The book details and gets down to the terms and definitions of home buying that may be confusing so you know what you're doing from the start.

In buying a home you may have heard this is one of the most expensive things you will buy in your life and that is correct for most of us. A home is an expensive and even scary prospect but you can calm yourself with knowledge and understanding of the process so you are better prepared.

Learning how the home purchase process works and understanding not only the terms but the entire legal and technical aspects of purchasing real estate will help arm you so you do not make huge mistakes. Arming yourself with knowledge and the right people on your side when buying a home ensures you take the necessary steps in your purchase to protect your hard earned money.

Home Buying for Dummies goes from the initial idea of buying a home and starting to get your finances and self in order to the final closing process and beyond. They even discuss some aspects of real estate investing in case you're interested and give advice for after the fact savings and simple ways to help you after you move in.

The book starts off with before even consulting that all important buyers' agent with helpful financial advice and savings tips. You will continue on to the browsing the market and searching not only for that home but for the mortgage that is right for you.

Some terms and words may be difficult to understand in the realty world as well as finances and the book not only explains these to you but gives examples in real world terms to help you understand at a gut level. I found the helpful examples of real world people and their financial and home buying mistakes to be helpful to be able to learn from others mistakes.

Much of the book covers the home buying process in detail but also covers some helpful after the fact advice with finances and savings as well as anyone interested in real estate investing. The chapter in real estate as an investment seems more like a cautionary addition to give you an idea if you might be interested in using real estate buying or renting as an investment but not as a step by step how to.

The book contains logical well laid out chapters from the initial idea of buying a home to after the fact savings and other things you should do following the closing. Chapters from before you begin home buying with major decisions about what you want and what you can afford to some quick advice if and or when you become a seller.

Chapter 1: Deciding Whether to Buy
Chapter 2: Getting Your Financial House in Order
Chapter 3: What Can You Afford to Buy?
Chapter 4: Why Home Prices Rise and Fall
Chapter 5: Understanding and Improving Your Credit Score
Chapter 6: Selecting a Mortgage
Chapter 7: Mortgage Quandaries, Conundrums, and Paperwork
Chapter 8: Where and What to Buy
Chapter 9: Assembling an All-Star Real Estate Team
Chapter 10: What's It Worth?
Chapter 11: Tapping the Internet's Best Resources
Chapter 12: Negotiating Your Best Deal
Chapter 13: Inspecting and Protecting Your Home
Chapter 14: It Ain't Over Till the Weight-Challenged Escrow Officer Sings
Chapter 15: Ten Financial "To Do's" After You Buy
Chapter 16: Ten Things to Know When Investing in Real Estate
Chapter 17: Ten Things to Consider When Selling Your Home

Home Buying for Dummies also includes a helpful glossary along with example contracts so you know what you're looking at when it comes time to actually look over your own. The book goes over common terms in real estate so you understand what others are talking about as well as the simple things that you may take for granted but needs reinforcing from time to time.

One thing I found and this book highlights well is the importance of a buyer's agent as a second impartial helper in your purchase that will be unemotional from first viewing to sale. An agent can be that crucial solidly grounded third person who will give advice about not only the home but the process and mortgage.

A buyer's agent is someone who will not only advise you on your purchase but will be able to find out things you cannot. Home value and appraisal value is different and an agent on your side, not a dual agent, will be able to find out anything you need to know.

In gray highlighted paragraphs the book helps you with very important parts of the real estate deal and emphasizes things that need it. One I like that is a full page is the dual agent and how they may not be interested in your purchase but more in the sale of the home.

A dual agent is one who is paid by the seller to sell a home and paid by you the buyer to purchase the same home; this is not usually a good idea as they cannot look after both interests at the same time. Home Buying for Dummies stresses facts like not using the same buyer and seller's agent or even agents from the same realty.

Home Buying for dummies goes through the whole process and helps you with facts and advice so you make the right decisions in this high cost purchase. The entire process can be emotional and trying but having knowledge can help you with the process and making the right decisions.

Home buying for Dummies 4th Edition is a great book and does a great job of giving you sound advice on home buying from the standpoint of people who have been there and know what they're talking about. The book even gets into things to do after like saving up in case things happen, protecting yourself from predators just because you bought a home and even with selling your home.

While some of the advice like using real estate as an investment or selling your home is not in depth chapters they do help with some basics and Dummies does have books for sale on these topics alone. The chapters deal with some questions you may have and give advice for further thought and searching if you're interested.

I highly recommend Home Buying For Dummies 4th Edition as a great step by step guide through the home buying process to protect your major investment and help you make all the right decisions.