How to Buy a House in California [Paperback]

Ralph E. Warner (Author), Ira Serkes (Author), George Devine (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0873379225 | ISBN-13: 978-0873379229 | Publication Date: June 2003 | Edition: 9th

A thorough, practical guide to every aspect of buying a house, How to Buy a House in California will help you make informed decisions that can save you thousands of dollars. With this bestseller in hand, you'll learn how to:
*choose a house and neighborhood
*find the right agent
*get the most up-to-date information on mortgage options and rates
*take advantage of creative financing strategies – from seller financing to government loans
*figure out how much down payment you can afford

*make an offer and negotiate with confidence for the best price
*buy a new house in a development
*inspect a house for physical problems and environmental hazards
*juggle buying and selling houses simultaneously
*successfully go through escrow

The 9th edition provides all new information on limited equity cooperatives, co-housing and other shared-living arrangements, plus a new section on "non-money" ways to make your purchase offer attractive. It also provides an evaluation of the latest mortgage options, such as no-interest loans, and advice on dealing with California's homeowner's insurance crisis.

Home buyers beyond California: Even though this book provides state-specific forms and information for Californians, most of the material in it can help home buyers in the other 49 states as well. Don't buy a house without it!

Editorial Reviews

Review

A valuable resource for California homebuyers and real estate professionals throughout its many editions. -- Laurie BrianSan Francisco Chronicle

Invest in this book...it is virtually impossible to think of anything they left out ... -- Robert Bruss, syndicated real estate columnist

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

About the Author

Ralph Warner is a co-founder and e-publisher of Nolo.com and one of the pioneers of the self-help law movement. A graduate of Princeton University and the Boalt School of Law (U.C. Berkeley), he is the author of many books and articles aimed at making our legal system more accessible and democratic.He and his wife, Carol, represent Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, El Cerrito and other East Bay home buyers and sellers, and offer nationwide referrals to other buyer brokers. Both Ira and Carol have been awarded the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation by the National Association of Realtors. This is the highest professional designation of residential specialty in the industry. Co-author of How to Buy a House in California, Ira is also an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), one of only 4,000 in the United States.

George Devine is a licensed real estate broker and a widely respected educator in the real estate field. He holds a B.A. from the University of San Francisco, and an M.A. from Marquette University, and has pursued additional studies at San Francisco State University, Seton Hall University and other academic shrines. Currently, he teaches real estate at the McLaren School of Business at the University of San Francisco, where he was named the Outstanding Adjunct Professor in 1991. For several years, George wrote the popular Real Estate Handbook column in the weekly Real Estate Guide section of the San Francisco Progress. He is the author of For Sale By Owner and co-author of How to Buy a House in California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Nolo; 9th edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873379225
• ISBN-13: 978-0873379229
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,860,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and easy to understand, January 27, 2004

By 

ratbert2k (SL,UT) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

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

This book explains all the little nuances about buying a house. I read the whole thing and parts of it more than once before I bought my first house. It is well organized so that you can read just certain chapters if you need specific information right away. I actually sold my copy online after my house closed. Later, I ended up buying a copy as a gift for a friend. I recommend this book to all my friends who are thinking about buying a house.