Homebuyer's Kit [Paperback]

Edith Lank (Author), Dena Amoruso (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2001

No one wants to be a dummy when it comes to buying a house---the single biggest investment most people make. The Homebuyer's Kit helps buyers get smart.

Real estate experts Edith Lank (called the ""Dear Abby of real estate"" by USA Today) and Dena Amoruso give buyers all the tools they need to maneuver the sometimes confusing world of real estate. Packed with handy tips, checklists and worksheets, The Homebuyer's Kit gives practical advice on launching the house hunt; choosing a real estate agent; deciding how much to spend; applying for and comparing mortgages; and managing the negotiation. The language of real estate---escrows, easements, equity and more---is clearly explained. Sample forms, payment and mortgage tables, list of Web resources, glossary and index complete the 224-page kit. For first-time and experienced buyers alike.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edith Lank -- For more than 20 years, Edith Lank has been helping homebuyers through the complexities and stress of purchasing their homes. A best-selling author; award-winning columnist; print, online and broadcast journalist; broker; and real estate educator, Lank continues to be one of the leading experts on consumer real estate issues. Her award-winning real estate column, House Calls, is syndicated by the Los Angeles Times. It reaches more than 10 million readers in 100 newspapers and Web sites across the country. Dena Amoruso -- Dena Amoruso draws her expertise from 14 years in real estate, most notably from the world of new homes, having worked for some of the country's largest homebuilders. Seeing a need to inform the public on new residential construction real estate matters, she began writing in 1997 with a column in the Sacramento Bee. She now writes for The New York Post, in addition to columns in newspapers nationwide dealing with new home issues, trends, designs, and products. She also provides content for numerous Web sites, including Realty Times.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Kaplan Publishing; 5 edition (April 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793144388
• ISBN-13: 978-0793144389
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,419,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide for every aspect of home buying., October 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Home Buyer's Kit: Finding Your Dream Home, Financing Your Purchase, Making the Best Deal, Gaining Tax Benefits (Paperback)

This book is chock full of tips, checklists, and charts to help you through every aspect of the homebuying process. Learn to spot bargains, work with agents, negotiate a final price, and finance your dream house ... condo, co-op, or mobile home This one's a classic.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect home-buying book for dummies!, January 4, 2001

By 

Shannon (Spotsylvania, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Home Buyer's Kit: Finding Your Dream Home, Financing Your Purchase, Making the Best Deal, Gaining Tax Benefits (Paperback)

My husband and I knew nothing about the process of searching for and buying a house until my boss gave me a copy of this book (it was an earlier edition, published in 1989, but it was still immensely helpful.) It has everything a first-time home buyer needs to know from the nitty gritty of financing down to the nerves you'll expereience when you close the deal. I've already recommended this book to other friends who are in the market for a house. And I'm sure we'll reference the book again when it comes time to sell and buy another house.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick education about home-buying, September 28, 2002

By 

S. Brand "sandra807" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Homebuyer's Kit (Paperback)

I looked over a stack of books about how to buy a home, and chose this one because it was the shortest! Since I made up my mind to buy a home, I wanted to do it now, and I wanted to equip myself with knowledge fast! Everything is here in a concise step-by-step format for the process of planning expenses, finding and evaluating a home, dealing with the seller and the real estate agent or broker (never knew there was a difference in them before), making an offer and a contract, getting a loan, going to escrow and closing. Many terms I only had a vague understanding of before are much clearer (and in case I forget, there's a glossary of terms in the back of the book), and I have a good idea of how to proceed and what I'll be encountering. Having this knowledge makes me feel as I step into this venture that I will be in control of what I'm doing, and not be at the mercy of sellers or agents.

The author really knows her subject, and I'm grateful for this book.