Customer Reviews

Seattle Homes : Real Estate Around the Sound

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I didn't know half of the things involved in buying a house when I started the process not too long ago. This book presents all the major (and minor) events and issues in a clear, understandable way which helped me become knowledgeable quite quickly. I think it helped me most in understanding the process and then giving me the ability to ask the right questions and look for the right answers to these questions. Of the three different books I read (The Unofficial Guide to Buying a Home; and the second I can't remember) this was definitely the most useful.

This book is not a manual or recipe for the ultimate home purchasing experience. Many of the author's suggestions I followed, while some others I didn't. Regardless, though, all of it was very informative and helped me to make the decisions which have led to a very pleasant, happy home buying experience.

I could not have asked for a better book than this. It is very informative and while technical, it keeps me awake with it ever-present humor. If anyone wants to know about this area and how homes are bought and sold here, this is it. It is also a "must read" for anyone expecting to find an agent worth trusting; it will help understand what to look for in an agent, what to do when you find a home you like and how to go about buying it.

Miss it at your peril.

I'm writing this because of the review that says it's not about Seattle. I read this book cover to cover, twice, before buying my first home.

Absolutely it's about Seattle. Contains tons of information about what is unique about buying a home in Washington state and the Puget Sound region. Unique laws, quirky regional behaviors of local real estate agents, all of this is covered by Mr. Stacey.

A lot of the information isn't regional, there isn't THAT much unique to Seattle's real estate market. But the information that is regional is priceless and it's obvious the author knows it well.

This book is an entertaining, must-have book for any Puget Sound home buyer. Stacey fills the pages with insightful advice, humorous cartoons and concrete facts. I enjoyed reading Seattle Homes and found the advice therein extremely valuable when purchasing my first home.

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Seattle Homes is loaded with info specific to Seattle and the Puget Sound while still serving as complete manual for a first timer like myself.

After paddling about Lake Union a few weeks back, I decided to check the multiple listings for houseboats. I couldn't figure out why two seemingly identical homes would vary in price by over $100,000. Now I know.

The reviewer who said the book has nothing to do with Seattle must not have read past page 49. The remaining 400+ pages focus on the Seattle area, in addition to providing a thorough general education in the ins and outs of buying, selling, and investing in real estate.

Definitely a must read, if you're looking to buy a home or invest in property.

Solid work with lots of detail on the Seattle market. Very useful if you need to get a feel for the types of homes in the area, strategies for finding the right home, etc.. I read this book cover-to-cover to get all the information, and have referenced it a number of times. The author has a quirky sense of humor & seems to enjoy the topics. He is also very "pro-consumer" in his portrayal of the real estate industry...

Jim Stacey also teaches a local class on buying in the Seattle area. Details can be found on the University of Washington "Experimental College" web site...

This book is funny, and teaches you how to buy a home. "Work with the best, starve the rest". Stacey describes the factors of different property, financing, and especially *players* and their known and hidden agendas. My new home purchase is a result of reading this book a few years ago.

I just bought my first home and this book had great information and It explained a lot of things I didn't understand. Of all the books I read this is the one I reccommend to anyone who asks. Even if you don't live around Seattle, some of the basic information that all homebuyers should know is in this book.

I have read this book at least three times over the last 6 years. I learned a great deal about real estate from Jim Stacey. I still look information up in the book often, especially when I am in the process of buying or selling. I appreciate the author passing on his years of accumulated knowledge and experience through this book, and I think about his words of advice often- especially while doing or considering a renovation project. I like the writing style and sense of humor- sometimes I pick it up and read it solely for entertainment.

I knew I'd be hiring an agent, but I wanted as much information as I could get right up front. This book is honest and good at explaining all a buyer needs to know. I wouldn't (as the author emphasises over and over) try using this instead of an agent, but it helped me understand the legal issues, the mountains of paperwork, and the unspoken rules of house buying.

The author can get wordy and sometimes takes a while to make a point, but I can't emphasise enough how this book helped me understand this frightening, exciting prospect!