The Complete Guide to Second Homes for Vacation, Retirement, and Investment [Paperback]

Gary W. Eldred (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 12, 1999

The Complete Guide to Second Homes for Vacations, Retirement, and Investment

Choosing the perfect location

Finding the right home

Forecasting investment potential

How to save thousands on financing

Here's the knowledge you need to find, buy, and get the most fun and profit from your second home

If you've been thinking about buying a second home for getaways, vacations, investment, or retirement, now is the time to do it. You'll gain from low interest rates, easier financing, large tax savings, and strong potential for appreciation. Smart buyers are getting into the market now, before aging boomers push prices even higher.

But what's the best way to afford a second home? How much should you pay? What are the tax benefits? How can you be sure you're getting good value for your money? What kinds of financing are possible? How can you negotiate the best deals and bargain prices?

Nationally renowned real estate expert Dr. Gary Eldred provides complete answers to these and all your other questions concerning the purchase of a second home. In a simple and clear style, he fills you in on everything you need to know to:
* Develop a strategy to increase affordability
* Research the market to find your best location
* Choose a home that will quickly appreciate
* Make the most of current tax-saving techniques
* Select the right homeowner's insurance
* Rent to minimize risk and maximize profit
* Create value through home improvements
* Vacation free worldwide through home exchanges

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The Complete Guide to Second Homes for Vacations, Retirement, and Investment

Choosing the perfect location

Finding the right home

Forecasting investment potential

How to save thousands on financing

Here’s the knowledge you need to find, buy, and get the most fun and profit from your second home

If you’ve been thinking about buying a second home for getaways, vacations, investment, or retirement, now is the time to do it. You’ll gain from low interest rates, easier financing, large tax savings, and strong potential for appreciation. Smart buyers are getting into the market now, before aging boomers push prices even higher.

But what’s the best way to afford a second home? How much should you pay? What are the tax benefits? How can you be sure you’re getting good value for your money? What kinds of financing are possible? How can you negotiate the best deals and bargain prices?

Nationally renowned real estate expert Dr. Gary Eldred provides complete answers to these and all your other questions concerning the purchase of a second home. In a simple and clear style, he fills you in on everything you need to know to:

• Develop a strategy to increase affordability
• Research the market to find your best location
• Choose a home that will quickly appreciate
• Make the most of current tax-saving techniques
• Select the right homeowner’s insurance
• Rent to minimize risk and maximize profit
• Create value through home improvements
• Vacation free worldwide through home exchanges

About the Author

GARY W. ELDRED, PhD, has been involved in hundreds of real estate transactions as a homeowner, investor, and market consultant. He has also held faculty positions in real estate at Stanford University, the University of Illinois, and the University of Virginia. Dr. Eldred is nationally known for his "Stop Renting Now"TM seminars, as well as his other popular books,The 106 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make (and How to Avoid Them), Yes! You Can Own the Home You Want, and Investing in Real Estate, all from Wiley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (November 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471349674
• ISBN-13: 978-0471349679
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,258,109 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gary W. Eldred has been investing successfully in real estate for twenty-five years and has consulted on real estate issues with many Fortune 500 companies. He formerly served on the graduate business faculty of Stanford University and the University of Virginia. He is the bestselling author of Investing in Real Estate, Sixth Edition, The Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing, Second Edition, and The 106 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make (and How to Avoid Them), Fourth Edition, all from Wiley.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars pathetic waste of $, May 30, 2005

By 

Alexander H. Braun "Bountyhunter" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Second Homes for Vacation, Retirement, and Investment (Paperback)

This piece of garbage was the worst ripoff I've ever come accross. I am convinced that all previous reviewers are somehow related to the author. There was not even 1 piece of valuable info in this pile of junk. The author simply points out the most basic concepts in real estate. The 1st 100 pages or so are dedicated to picking a good location, because real estate in good locations appreciates in value faster than other areas.... wow! what a concept! 100 pages to point this out? JUNK! Don't get ripped off by this poor excuse for a real estate "expert". There is no specific info in this book which could possibly be of help to anyone. Beware!!!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opened my eyes-Highly recomended, April 29, 2000

By 

Joseph - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Second Homes for Vacation, Retirement, and Investment (Paperback)

If you're about to invest several hundred thousand dollars in a second home (as we recently did), you'll find good practical advice in this book. We were set on a specific location, but after reading Eldred's book we started looking around and found a much better deal. Just since January, our home has jumped more than 10 per cent in value. We credit our good choice to the location and investment advice we got from this book. If you remain undecided about where and what kind of second home to buy, we think this book will "open your eyes" as it did us.

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of money, December 27, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Second Homes for Vacation, Retirement, and Investment (Paperback)

This should be a book about a *second* home. Presumably, the reader already has bought a first home. Or so I thought. The advice in this books is either (1) elementary real estate info that all homeowners understand or (2) simple common sense.

I gave up when one piece of advice was "Don't overpay."

Don't bother.