The 106 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Everything first-timers need to know to avoid the most common mistakes homebuyers make Written especially for first-timers, this eye-opening guide turns you into an educated consumer, ensuring that the home or condo you buy is both a comfortable place to live and a great investment for the future. Compiled from the experience of hundreds of homebuyers, real estate agents, home builders, and mortgage lenders, it shows you the most common mistakes buyers make and illustrates them in practice so you don't fall into the same traps. Now revised and updated for today's hot real estate market, this invaluable resource covers everything from negotiating with sellers and making the down payment to shopping for the best mortgage and handling the closing. The new Fourth Edition also includes totally up-to-date guidance on using the Internet to find properties, secure financing, and collect important data. If you're thinking about buying a home in this overheated market, don't make these mistakes: Researching selling prices and still overpaying Believing everything your agent tells you Buying into an upscale neighborhood that's moving downscale Underestimating utilities and other costs Allowing your agent to negotiate for you Letting fear get the better of you and not buying at all Written by one of the nation's leading real estate experts and packed with hundreds of valuable tips and suggestions, The 106 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make, Fourth Edition will give you the confidence--and the wisdom--to buy the right home at the right price.

Everything first-timers need to know to avoid the most commonmistakes homebuyers makeWritten especially for first-timers, this eye-opening guideturns you into an educated consumer, ensuring that the home orcondo you buy is both a comfortable place to live and a greatinvestment for the future. Compiled from the experience of hundredsof homebuyers, real estate agents, home builders, and mortgagelenders, it shows you the most common mistakes buyers make andillustrates them in practice so you don't fall into the sametraps.Now revised and updated for today's hot real estate market, thisinvaluable resource covers everything from negotiating with sellersand making the down payment to shopping for the best mortgage andhandling the closing. The new Fourth Edition also includestotally up-to-date guidance on using the Internet to findproperties, secure financing, and collect important data. If you'rethinking about buying a home in this overheated market, don't makethese mistakes:* Researching selling prices and still overpaying* Believing everything your agent tells you* Buying into an upscale neighborhood that's movingdownscale* Underestimating utilities and other costs* Allowing your agent to negotiate for you* Letting fear get the better of you and not buying at allWritten by one of the nation's leading real estate experts andpacked with hundreds of valuable tips and suggestions, The 106Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make, Fourth Edition will give youthe confidence--and the wisdom--to buy the right home at the rightprice.

Preface to 4th Edition.1. Profit from the Mistakes of Others.2. Explore Possibilities, Set Priorities.3. Home Ownership: How to Make It Your Best Investment.4. How to Find a Good Buy.5. Locate a Great Neighborhood.6. Is This Home for You?7. Negotiate Win-Win.8. The Best Loan at the Lowest Cost.9. Become a Satisfied Homeowner.10. The Biggest Mistakes of All.11. How to Afford the Home You Want.12. Writing Your Offer.Internet Appendix.