How to Buy a House in California (Paperback)

~ Ralph Warner Attorney (Author), Ira Serkes (Author), George Devine California Real Estate Broker (Author)
Key Phrases: real estate transfer disclosure statement, shared equity, associate licensee, Civil Code, San Francisco, Ideal House Profile (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the most detailed real estate books you will ever read.... Filled with practical advice..." --Los Angeles Times

"Invest in this book... it is virtually impossible to think of anything they left out because they have anticipated every question home buyers might have." (Robert Bruss, syndicated real estate columnist 20080809)

"One of the most detailed real estate books you will ever read.... Filled with practical advice..." (Los Angeles Times )

A valuable resource for California homebuyers and real estate professionals throughout its many editions." (San Francisco Chronicle )

Review

"A valuable resource for California homebuyers and real estate professionals throughout its many editions."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: NOLO; 12 edition (January 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413309232
• ISBN-13: 978-1413309232
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #68,811 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #12 in	Books > Nonfiction > Law > Practical Guides > Real Estate
  #18 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Law > Business > Property
  #19 in	Books > Business & Investing > Real Estate > Buying & Selling Homes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent reference for first-time CA buyers, June 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Buy a House in California (5th Ed.) (Paperback)

If you've bought a house before, some parts of this book may seem somewhat elementary. And, admittedly, a lot of the information about how much you can afford is available on the web on various home-buying sites. On the other hand, I found the location-specific information very helpful, and the advice in the book is solid and reliable.

The real winners are those who are preparing to buy a house for the first time. This book will take you through pretty much all the steps, from thinking about what you want in a house and finding good neighborhoods, through figuring out how much you can afford. It's an excellent reference guide for somebody who's just starting to think about buying, and will be useful all the way through closing. IIf I had to choose just one book on buying a house, it would be this one.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource well worth it's retail price., December 29, 1997

By	[e-mail] (Irvine, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Buy a House in California (Paperback)

This well-written, concise resource helped us to buy our first home in California, with neither the seller nor us (the buyer) using a real estate agent. As a result of having read this book, we were able to cut $10,000 off the price of our home, and convinced the seller to accept our offer even with a contingency on the sale of another property. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering buying a home in California.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As usual, the only book you'll need., January 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Buy a House in California (How to Buy a House in California, 7th ed) (Paperback)

I used the Nolo Press tenants' rights book in the past to (successfully) sue my deposit-greedy/law-breaking landlords. I just used this book to buy my first home in the competitive Bay Area (yes, it's still highly competitive even in these "tough times"). Nolo's book is accurate and insightful, written in a voice that's accessible and, at times, fun and tongue-in-cheek. The organization of information, as usual, is right on. And the links and helpful sidebars are fantastic! Don't waste your money on other books. I swear this one is the only book you'll need.