Product Description

The classic guide to getting the best deal when buying a home--from America’s #1 real estate expert

Featuring fully revised facts and figures that reflect the most recent changes in the real estate market, Tips & Traps When Buying a Home, Fourth Edition is helpful whether you're a first-time or experienced home buyer. It gives you practical, step-by-step information on a broad range of proven home buying strategies, along with indispensable advice and guidance on buying in an "up" market, flipping, buying with options, bidding wars, and other important facets of real estate deals.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #489478 in Books
• Published on: 2008-12-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780071508414
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Here's a book that's so packed with sound, practical advice for home owners, I kept saying to myself "I wish I had written that!" -- Bruss, Robert J., Detroit Free Press, 2/23/97

From the Back Cover

The ultimate guide to worry-free home buying

Can you afford to buy a home? Should you buy a single-family home, a co-op, or a condo? Do you always need a sizable down payment? How can you be sure you're getting the best possible deal? This completely updated new edition of Robert Irwin's classic guide for homebuyers provides authoritative, often -surprising answers to these questions and many, many more.

You'll find out how to get a great deal on a home , whether the market is rising or falling; how to get a lender to put up all (or most) of your purchase price; and how to avoid getting caught in a bidding war over your dream home. Tips and Traps When Buying a Home, Third Edition gives you practical, step-by-step information; proven home buying strategies; and indispensable advice current market conditions, new rules and regulations, and recent changes in lending practices. Whether you're buying your first home or your fifth, you'll learn plenty that you need to know, including how to:

• Boost your credit rating
• Make successful counter offers
• Get the best mortgage in town
• Save money by buying direct
• Analyze a home inspection
• Avoid getting gouged at the closing

Robert Irwin is one of America's most respected experts in all areas of real estate and the author of more than 20 books, including the bestsellers in the McGraw-Hill Tips and Traps series. To date, his real estate titles have sold more than one and a half million copies.

About the Author

Robert Irwin is one of America's most respected experts in all areas of real estate and the author of more than 20 books, including the bestsellers in the McGraw-Hill Tips and Traps series.

Customer Reviews

Informative, Quick Read
Page per page this book probably has more useful information in it then any other real estate book I've read to date.Useful, practical and applicable, the information contained inside can be used for a myriad of areas that you will be involved in when buying your home. The section on "How to Buy a Home" and "How to Make a Low Offer the Seller Will Accept" is worth the price of the book. It is a VERY quick read. Mr Irwin's style is such that you can pick up the meat of what he wants to say in a few sentences or a quick paragraph or two. I bought it a few days ago and I am 80% finished. It'll be done by the time you allread this review.

Great book
Rather than focusing on the mechanical details of buying a house that you can get anywhere, this book gives you practical knowledge you need. Information about how agents may try to trick you, loan fees that are bogus, how to get sellers excited about your offer, etc.

Plenty of great information and advice
I disagree with the people here who criticize this book for being about "buy low, sell high" and investment purposes. I have a feeling that these people are referring to some of Robert Irwin's other books aimed at real estate moguls in training; however, I took this book as being aimed at people who want to buy the house to actually live in it and to have a home of their own.

I used this book prior to buying my home and took much of the advice to heart. I interviewed several buyer's agents until I found one I liked and trusted, something that is spoken about in the book clearly. I also got some great advice from the finance sections that kept me from paying PMI and helped deal with the mortgage broker.

I bought this book for some friends who were looking at buying a house and it helped them when one deal went sour. I also loaned my copy to two friends shortly before they bought their houses... of course they didn't read it and got screwed on several points (mainly during inspection and negotiation). Oh well... you can lead a horse to water...

Buy and read this book if you're interested in looking for a house. It's well worth it.