Book Description
The procedure of buying a home can be a scary experience. There are a lot of people to deal with, from realtors to attorneys to bankers. There's tons of paperwork with terms and vocabulary that read like a foreign language. In this new book you will find vital information and great strategies that will allow you to find your dream home faster and feel confident about the purchase. You will learn to avoid some of the most prevalent—and potentially dangerous and expensive—mistakes made by first-time home buyers.
According to Money Magazine, "Over the past five years, home values nationally have risen 65 percent while the stock market has fallen." Now is the time to get into the real estate marketplace. With the help of this comprehensive new guide, you will learn how to find the best opportunities, negotiating, financing, budgets, needs and wants, credit reports, home-buying timeline, the process of building a house, manufactured homes, real estate and mortgage glossaries, setting values, home warranties, homeowners insurance, creative financing, buying with little or no money down, closing, moving plans, walk-throughs, closing and settlement inspections, legal contracts, mortgages, what you can afford, deciding which neighborhood to choose, hiring a realtor, which government agencies can help, considerations for veterans, IRA use, hiring an attorney, the offer, calculating monthly payments, and escrow.
This comprehensive resource contains a wealth of modern tips and strategies for financing and closing on a property. The author shows readers how to find out how much they're really worth, how to uncover unknown assets, and how to enhance credit ratings within six months, provides information and suggestions on everything from no-down-payment mortgages to finding the right agent. It leads you down the path to home ownership, one step at a time. Though you may be relatively cash-poor or have a less-than-perfect credit rating, you can acquire a mortgage and find the house you've always wanted.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Information.......2007-08-27
I just recently finished it and I feel like having taken a course on Real Estate 101. It is helpful, practical, and easy to read. It has great tools like check-off lists and sample contracts all on a complimentary CD.
We are looking into buying a house and this has given me a great base of knowledge to start making smarter decision.
Worth the $$.
excellent advice for all homebuyers.......2007-01-11
Though this book's title specifies that it's for the first time buyer, my advice would be to pick it up and read it thoroughly regardless of how many times you've bought or built. It is a super compendium of all the steps a buyer needs to take, including information on motivation and emotions in home buying, taxes, paperwork, hiring a professional advocate such as a lawyer or real estate agent, and an in-depth discussion of how to find out your credit score. The section on credit also gives good advice about establishing and maintaining a good credit score that would be helpful for anyone trying to finance a large purchase. The information in this book should be available from the real estate agent you're working with, but it's good to know it yourself in case the agent isn't keeping your well-being in mind at all times.
I also appreciated the straightforward, matter-of-fact tone of this book. There were no embellishments, just the information in a logical, easy to understand format. It also includes a 15 page glossary, helpful for the novice. Five stars out of five.
Feel Confident Buying Your First Home.......2006-12-21
First off, let me say that my husband and I really appreciate the CD. It has all the forms and lists we needed to feel confident when we bought our first home. From building costs and budget worksheets, to banking support, these documents were a big help.
From why you want to own your own home, what to do when you find the one you're looking for, and what to expect at closing, this handbook walks you through the process. This step-by-step guide shows you how to fill out the attached forms and gives you confidence that is sure to eliminate any buyer's remorse you would have felt after your purchase.
Overall, the book was very helpful and will be a useful tool for anyone going through the process for the first time. Buying your first house doesn't have to be scary. This handbook makes the process an understandable and exciting experience.
Even building your own house is examined in this excellent, wide-ranging guide recommended for its easy explanations........2006-12-12
The First-Time Homeowner's Handbook: A Complete Guide and Workbook for the First-Time Home Buyer comes with 30 forms on a convenient cd-rom and covers the entire experience of buying a home, from understanding terminology and confusing points to avoiding common, expensive mistakes. Chapters cover the basics from how to look and assess to financing and closing. Even building your own house is examined in this excellent, wide-ranging guide recommended for its easy explanations.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Exceeded my hopes and expectations.......2006-11-09
I was a little nervous about buying yet another book on how to buy my first home. After all, if I had spent all the money I spent researching the concept on my down payment... Well, ok may that's a bit of an exaggeration. I was still skeptical I could learn anything new, but I was wrong. This book is different from other guides in that it provides accessible information for me, the everyday Joe Q. public person. I don't have a trust fund to take care of my bills, my credit isn't pristine for the past billion years, and my credit-to-debt ratio reflects 8 years of college from a working class environment. Yet, this book gave me answers, strategies, and lots of helpful information that was more than just hope. It made it seem possible. Nothing is just glossed over; rather there are comprehensive guides, tools, and strategies to make owning your own home a reality. The forms included on the CD are a bonus as well! And in PDF format for a win so it's simply filling it out on screen, printing and moving forward with no excuses left! I can't wait till I finally close!
Book Description
A PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
The first simple guide to understanding the real estate closing process
Closing and escrow are among the most importantand least understoodcomponents of a real estate transaction. The Complete Guide to Your Real Estate Closing takes the mystery out of the confusing, expensive process by giving real estate professionals, investors, and consumers a step-by-step explanation. In simple, everyday language, the book explains closing documents and paperwork, what to do when something goes wrong, mortgage options, how to save money on title insurance, problems that can occur on a title report,
and much more. With sample forms, work sheets, and more, this sophisticated but accessible book covers:
- Insider tips on how to save moneyfrom a closing professional
- Who does what: the real estate agent, lender, title company, closing officer, attorney
- State-specific information for all 50 states
Customer Reviews:
Could be better.......2006-03-22
Very good book; could have gone a little deeper into the mechanics of the closing process.
Practical, Real-World, Current Information.......2005-10-10
This book is an easy to read, step-by-step guide through that 'magical' period called 'Escrow.' Explanations are easy to understand yet thorough. I highly recommend this book.
Complete and Easy to Read........2005-01-11
Sandy Gadow's real estate closing book explained the part of the buying process which confuses most people, and where most of the costly mistakes can occur. I was able to understand the concepts and explanations which are provided, and felt confident enough to ask questions which I am sure saved me several hundreds of dollars. Before reading Sandy's book, I was intimidated by the professionals involved in a closing: for example, the attorney and closing agent, even the inspector involved. Knowing what questions to ask, I felt comfortable making lists of questions to ask, and which answers I needed. Although real estate laws vary state to state, this book does an excellent job of being all-inclusive for each state. Whether called "escrow", "closing" or "settlement", this book covers the essentials of a real estate deal.
In each chapter are "Tips" and "A Typical Misunderstanding" which lighten the reading and make the subject matter easy to follow along. The chapter on handling Tax-Deferred Exchanges was a welcome addition to the book. I was prompted to buy Sandy's book after watching her on CNN's show, "Open House."
I would recommend this book to anyone buying property, considering entering the escrow profession, or anyone interested in the investment aspect of real estate. I am now a real estate professional and am grateful for Sandy's book. I know the book helped me and I have recommended it to many of my friends and colleagues.
Good book, but...........2005-01-04
...it's the same book as her previous books - only the title has changed. If there were any minor editing done to the book, I didn't notice. If you've read or purchased one of her previous books don't waste your time or money.
Truth in Advertising.......2004-11-08
Gadow does an excellent job of providing a comprehensive view of a California Real Estate Closing. The subject matter is appropriate and well written. The illustrations, tables, charts and forms all useful. The only real problem with a volume like this is that all real estate is essentially LOCAL in nature.
Thus, many of Gadow's points and concepts are inapposite to other parts of the country. I found myself annotating my copy with local exceptions to Gadow's statements (I am a Real Estate Attorney in the Washington, DC metropolitan area). As with any volume with this much information there are certain errors that may have not been caught by the editors. For example, Gadow talks about obtaining multiple termite inspections. "Shopping for a clean termite inspection" and failing to disclose the known existence of termites is a patent violation of the Seller's duty to disclose known defects and could subject the homeseller to serious liability for any resulting damages incurred by the buyer.
Nevertheless, for the layman this book is an essential resource and I wish everyone of my clients would read it before coming to our office for their settlements.
Book Description
At last, the first comprehensive consumer ratings guide to every manufactured home builder and their brands, with at-a-glance up-to-date listings that provide key information home shoppers need to make an informed buying decision.
All 79 U.S. builders evaluated
More than 300 brands and series described. Plus,
An annotated construction rating chart with 56 criteria you can use to evaluate any home—before you buy.
John Grissim's bestselling The Grissim Buyer's Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land has been hailed as the definitive resource for navigating the tricky waters of the manufactured home marketplace. Now, he has written a companion guide that takes a close critical look at every manufacturer and the brands they build, providing up-to-date, essential information together with authoritative, no-nonsense insights that have made him a respected industry observer and voice for the home-buying consumer.
Each manufacturer's listing includes: • Company background/history • States where sold • Principal market niche/target customer • Retail price range • Who they compete against • Construction rating on a 1-to-10 scale • Brands and series described • Description of a popular model • What distinguishes brand from competition • Number of dealerships • Warranty structure • Availability of in-house financing/insurance • Web site rating and evaluation • Grissim's comments
Exhaustively researched, and containing much information that many manufacturers would prefer you not know, The Grissim Ratings Guide to Manufactured Homes not only tells you who's who in the manufactured home universe—enabling you to compare and evaluate their products—it will help you be informed, empowered and confident as you make the many decisions involved in the purchase of your new home.
Customer Reviews:
Knowledge is power.......2007-05-23
This seems to be an excellent book. The truth will be when I'm ready to buy a home. I feel so much more knowledgable! It's easy to understand and well illustrated.
an "A" for effort.......2007-04-13
we purchased this relatively inexpensive paperback--inexpensive, based on the effort this writer put into research and readable format--and based on the glowing reviews we saw here on amazon. i fully appreciate the need for this kind of book and for the writers best intentions.
however, i'm here as a reader who relied on his construction ratings (the introduction credits the writer for these construction ratings) to buy not one, but three 'homes of merit' manufactured homes. this enabled me to see that despite receiving a healthy construction rating (7) in the price range, the manufacturer wasn't able to sustain a consistent product in a) the plant where carpeting was laid crookedly in one home, and quality of kitchen counters were not matched from one home to the next, the refrigerators were not the same cubic foot size or manufacturer, leaving the impression they picked them up at a discount house, b) the placement of the homes on the property (one cannot be matched at the top where the two halves come together), c) the subcontractors who install air conditioners (with tubing reversed in one home so that exhaust was expelled into the home)--this after delivering the a.c./heat pumps much later than contracted for--awkward when renters are also contracted to move in. even more awkward when the steps are not delivered or built, and the keys either don't work or are interchangeable from home to home--all of these occurred.
this is only the beginning of a long list of things that are not rectified by a manufacturer who knew it was our intention to purchase more homes. so while i commend grissim for his efforts to catalog the myriad considerations in buying a manufactured home, based on my own experience, i have to say the construction ratings for homes of merit are optimistic, to say the least. let the buyer beware.
Must Read Book for Anyone Buying Mfg Housing.......2007-02-16
This book has excellent (and recent) information regarding all manufactured housing builders in United States and is exceedingly helpful by rating the builders as to how they construct their product. The history of each company also clears up a lot of the confusion in knowing what brand belongs with what builder. It even gives information about which model names are high end/mid/low range within each builders line of models. The helpful information about which options should be upgraded according to financial ability helps buyer have an idea what to consider when ordering their new home.
Good source to compare MH manufacturers.......2006-08-23
Excellent book for comparing different brands/manufactureres of New Mobile Homes. I've found it very useful while searching for a used home to buy. I would like to see something like this for older models and obsolete brands but this one goes a long way. I now know which manufacturers sell in my state, What their typical prices are, How well they are constructed on a scale of 1 to 10. It does not break the value down to specific models but there is a chart i can compare with what ever home I'm looking at to see how it compares with the others.
If I had found this book at the library I would go out and buy my own copy.
If You're Looking for a New Home, Read This book!.......2006-04-28
If you have any questions or doubts about buying a manufactured home, buy this book! I thought I had done exhaustive research (well, I had!) on manufactured housing, but this book is an excellent and necessary tool to use during the process. During a meeting with a dealer, I used the Guide as a reference and the dealer finally asked me if he could see it. He flipped through a few pages and then wrote down the author's name and the title and asked me where I bought it! After reading the Guide, I visited two dealers in New Mexico that I originally passed by and I am seriously considering the product of one. And, trust me, I am so well informed now by reading and studying this Guide and it's companion book, The Complete Buyer's Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land, that no dealer will ever think I'm a dumb broad they can take advantage of! Thank you, John, for writing these books.
Book Description
College guides are a must for any teenager trying to choose the right school. Unfortunately, most guidebooks are vague, boring tomes written by administrators and journalists, instead of the real experts-the college students that actually go there. Students' Guide to Colleges is different. Entirely student-written and edited, this invaluable resource cuts through the cant with comprehensive listings of the vital statistics and requirements for America's top 100 schools accompanied by three totally honest, fresh, fun-to-read descriptions penned by attending undergrads from different walks of life. Want to know how big classes really are? How rigorous the academics get? Or how greek or granola, chill or up-tight, homogenous or diverse, gay or straight, a campus really is? Lively, irreverent, and insightful, the Students' Guide to Colleges is the only guidebook that offers multiple perspectives on each school and tells it like it is so that college applicants can make the best choice when deciding where they want to spend their college years.
Customer Reviews:
This is a great book.......2007-10-16
This book is so amazing (and I can justifiably say that because I am a prospective college student). This book includes 100 schools, and each school has 3 students that filled out a questionare about their college. This book is so great because it offers 3 different points of view, and not from people who are just telling you canned stuff about the college like admissions officers. It even has a question that asks what an admissions counselor might not mention on a tour. As a prospective college student, this gave me such a great view on the colleges I am looking at. The 3 reviews allows you to distinguish between those students that are exaggerating and those who are censoring. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the top schools- not just Ivy League (because believe me, I am not Ivy material and this book was still amazing) but any colleges. I read so much of this book, and I was able to throw out certain colleges and add other colleges to my list that had not been on my radar. Since I read all those reviews, I have a much better understanding of college life in general, and each college's student's life specifically.
I could rant and rave about this book forever, but I recommend you see for yourself. Look and make sure you are interested in at least one of the schools in the book, and, heck, you might be surprised to find a school you never would have thought of before--I know I did.
Great secondary source of information.......2007-08-16
If you are going to get more than one college guide, I highly recommend this volume. For each of the top 100 colleges, it contains three long essays by students who attend. You should get a great feel for what its like to attend these colleges. One of the coauthors, by the way, was a prospective student being tracked in "The Gatekeepers"--an insightful book abut the whole college admissions process.
Mixed!.......2007-03-13
My biggest problem is that most of the students were from the same state that the school is located it. Therefore, not very helpful for people out of state which we are. There was one section that was helpful--things that the administration probably wouldn't want you to know but overall disappointed.
Very helpful review for parents.......2007-02-07
I found a lot of information in this book, which is not found in some of the other college review books. Even though it is not realistic to get a complete picture about a college/university based on the opinion of 2-3 students, it is very informative to hear the students perspective. For some institutions the reviews were very uniform among the 3 students, and for some were completely contradictory.....but still quite useful!
Very helpful! The best!.......2007-01-29
This book is very helpful for getting the feel of a college, especially when said college is too far away for a visit. Each college is reviewed extensively by 3 different current students, who answer open-ended questions such as "What is the college's reputation? Is this accurate?" and "what would a prospective student not see on the college tour?" Reading the book feels much like chatting with the students in person. The size is more manageable than most guides (about 8 inches square by 1 inch deep) which means that one can carry it around in a bag and read it anywhere. I only wish that this book included more than 100 colleges; a few of the less-prestigious colleges I'm really interested in aren't included. All in all, just about the best college guide I've seen.
Book Description
The second edition of the best-selling consumer guide to manufactured homes and purchasing land or leasing a home site, providing up-to-date, essential information home buyers need to make an informed purchase decision.
Completely revised and updated, including a new, annotated Construction Rating Table with 56 criteria you can use to evaluate any home—before you buy.
The Buyer's Guide has been widely hailed as the definitive resource for navigating the tricky waters of the manufactured home marketplace. With this new 2006 edition, journalist, author and consumer advocate John Grissim (himself a manufactured home owner) has made many revisions and up-dates and added new material that make this invaluable resource even more useful to home shoppers.
Among the many additions are a greatly expanded discussion on selecting the right home, including a new glossary of common terms used in manufactured home construction, plus a new three-page Construction Features and Specifications Comparison Table with 56 criteria. This table enables you not only to identify what features are associated with different levels of quality but also to determine the construction quality (on a 1-to-10 scale) of any home you are evaluating. This is by far the most comprehensive detailed listing of construction features and quality ever provided consumers.
Among many topics receiving an expanded discussion is the installation (or set-up) process and the role of the set-up contractor, including a detailed installation check-list for home buyers. Warranty issues, and how to deal with them, receive added emphasis. Also included are tips to better calculate the fair asking price for a home, together with a simple formula for determining your offering price during negotiations.
Customer Reviews:
Not Happy with the books........2007-07-23
I was not impressed with the 2 books I ordered. There was not a lot of information that was helpful. I felt the books touched a little on everything but not enough that I felt I got anything from it. It was just a book talking about the things that could happen or might be but no concrete info that could really help you make a decision on which mobile home to buy. I would like to be able to return these books.
The Grissim Buyer's Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land.......2006-09-20
Contrary to most people's impression of manufactured homes as slipshod and flimsy, John Grissim found out that many of them are attractive, well constructed, and built to last. In this thorough and clear book, Grissim guides the reader through the tricky waters of the manufactured home industry, detailing how to find a reputable dealer and negotiate a fair price, what to look for in construction details, how to hire a contractor for assembly (or act as your own), and conduct an informed inspection of the finished product. Manufactured homes can offer substantial savings over site-built homes and I wouldn't consider buying one without this comprehensive book. See also Grissim's accompanying volume, The Grissim Ratings Guide to Manufactured Homes.
-Lloyd Kahn, Editor, Shelter Publications
Great Information .......2006-07-31
I learned a lot from this book. It was very helpful to me and my customers. !!
Great book!.......2006-03-16
We purchased the Grissim book and found it to be an excellent guide and well-written. It covered all the bases, including what to watch out for when looking for the right rental community, which we're doing. We also bought his second book, The Grissim Ratings Guide to Manufactured Homes. That book is like a one-man Consumer Reports on all the builders, with construction ratings, the good, the average and the cheap. A huge help in our search.
A real eye opener.......2006-02-24
I've just moved to a nwe state and I had never thought of buying a manufactured home. That was until I started to look through some of them at a few of the dealers here. I was impressed at the affordability and quality of the units. The problem was I didn't know where to begin. I had so many questions, what are the options that are available, what must you be prepared to do to develop the site, who does what and when, what to look for in choosing a reputable company and salesperson, etc., etc. I was a little overwhelmed at all there was to do and to know. That was until I read John Grissim's book "The Complete Buyers Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land". Extremely well organized and easy to read and understand. This book was just what the doctor ordered. The book is not just read once but after reading to use as a reference and guide throughout the process. I can now, with cofidence, move forward with the project of finding a parcelof land and placing a new manufactured home on it. A project I was totally ill equipped to tackle before I read John Grissim's book.
I should add here that Grissim has written a companion book "The
Grissim Ratings Guide to Manufactured Homes" that is an overview of the pros and cons of manufactures, types of products each produces and a table of features and specs with ratings. These books complement each other and in my opinion you should have both of them.
Book Description
Over 3500 items of popular Chinese and Japanese antiques—such as blue-and-white ginger jars, richly carved lacquer boxes, and jade jewelry—receive illustrated, detailed, and up-to-date coverage in this excellent entry in the popular Miller’s Buyer’s Guide series. It’s first divided by type of ware (such as furniture and ceramics) and then subdivided by country for ease of reference. Each section contains practical guidance on collecting, what to be aware of when starting out, how to spot fakes, and ways to avoid making expensive mistakes.
Customer Reviews:
A great sampler........2003-02-04
Encompassing 2000 years of history, and everything from ceramics to furniture to Mao era propaganda, it isn't a comprehensive guide to any one subject. It isn't meant to be; nevertheless it serves as a full intro to the field in one portable volume. Several thousand pieces with prices in Brit pounds (most for museum quality specimens, not the more everyday kind). About 70% b&w, though does include some lovely color sections. Still a bargain.
Too many black and white pictures.......2001-01-05
I bought this book to help me discern chinese porcelain and learn a little more about the oriental collectables. This book has too many black and white photos and falls short of being a necessary refrence guide.
Average customer rating:
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RE/MAX Home Buyer's Survival Guide
Bridget McCrea
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Buying & Selling Homes
| Real Estate
| Business & Investing
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Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX
ASIN: 1402735413 |
Book Description
Today’s home buyers face what can seem like a bewildering array of questions. How do you find a trustworthy agent? Which mortgage is right for you? Is remodeling a worthwhile investment? But making the right decisions for your situation doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. Like millions of people, you too can efficiently work through the process with ease and reach your dreams of homeownership.
Real estate guru Bridget McCrea and RE/MAX, ranked as the Best of the Best in real estate services for the sixth time in seven years by Entrepreneur magazine, help you determine what you can afford and where you want to buy. Don’t make a move without checking essential information on selecting an agent, evaluating mortgages, understanding inspection reports, keeping closing costs down to a minimum, and more.
Draw on the straight facts and practical, real-world advice of some of the best professionals in the industry to purchase your perfect house.
RE/MAX will donate all its proceeds from the sale of this book to their family of charitable organizations.
Book Description
144 pages of sound advice for anyone contemplating to buy a new home and considering the savings offered by choosing a manufactured home.
The book covers everything from choosing a floor plan to arranging favorable financing, and from finding a site for the home to choosing options.
Customer Reviews:
Another Industry Insider Sings Industry Praises.......2005-12-12
I'll bet industry insiders really do love this book. It drastically overstates the number of manufactured homes being sold (as a percentage of all home sales), it drastically overstates their savings as opposed to site-built homes, brags about "strict" HUD requirements (which are anything but), etc. There is one factual error after another with nothing to back up the claims. Although Talylor stresses how much "research" went into this brief fluff piece, he doesn't site anyone or any study that I recall seeing. The worst part of the lies to me are his claims that "the vast majority of home sales professionals are well-intentioned and eager to give you sincere advice and service . . . Some of the finest individuals I've known make their living in the manufactured housing business." Well, that certainly conflicts with my experience when I went shopping at dozens of lots in two states, and it seems to be at odds with Consumer's Union finding that half of all consumer complaints involve fraud on the part of these "fine" individuals. I don't know where Mr. Taylor worked (he was an industry employee), but maybe it was on a different planet. The typical earthly dealership incarnation bears little resemblence to what Manufactured Homes: The Buyer's Guide describes. Specifically, Consumer's Union found several kinds of fraud prevalent (in the article "In Over Our Heads" / February 2002):
* the dealership substituted a different home (another model, year, or size) for the one the customer thought they were buying
* the dealership falsified information on the loan application (often lying about the down payment amount or accepting borrowed money as a down payment)
* the dealership ended up charging more for the home than the price they originally quoted
* the terms of the sale were changed on the customer midway through the deal (when momentum makes it hard to back out) and additional expenses were added like extra fees or higher interest rates
* the dealership refused to give the customer copies of contracts they had to sign
Wow, these guys do sound like the salt of the earth, don't they? In my on family's case, we were on multiple occasions asked to sign blank forms for our "conveinence." After the contract was official, and when we complained about things that weren't right, people from the dealership actually cussed us out!
Another extremely important point is the home's set-up. Even the best manufactured home can be destroyed by a faulty set-up, and it won't be covered by warranty. I think Taylor devotes 1 or 2 inconsequential pages to this very important topic. Wes Johnson devotes 25 pages to the set-up in his book on manufactured homes (The Manufactured Home Buyer's Handbook), and 7 more just on the foundation itself. In fact, Johnson's book is the only one I've read that actually tells it like it is. If you're considering buying a manufactured home, or even if you've already bought one, you should buy The Manufactured Home Buyer's Handbook (ISBN 0-7864-2209-2). While Taylor, Burnside, and Grissim are sugar-coating the industry and basically getting their facts wrong over and over, Johnson's narrative rings true to experience. He tells you how you can get a good manufactured home and save a ton of money without getting ripped off like so many others have.
Industry insider.......2004-03-28
After reviewing Grissom's and Burnside's books on the subject, I came across Taylor's version and found his book "Manufactured Homes: The Buyer's Guide" to be profoundly accurate and useful, not only for the buyer, but as a training guide for new sales staffers within our company. This book is user-friendly and literally packed with lists and charts, which make the decision-making process of buying a mobile home much simpler and logical.
Inaccurate and shallow.......2004-03-22
This lightweight booklet is terribly researched with numerous factual errors, particularly in the first four chapters. Later, when giving buying advice, it assumes you are a low-credit, high-risk buyer. A much better book is John Grissim's.
A step-by-step guide for aspiring home owners.......2004-03-07
Ably researched and accessibly written by Steven Taylor, Manufactured Homes: The Buyers Guide -- How To Realize Your Dream In A Manufactured Home is a "user friendly", step-by-step guide for aspiring home owners who are new to the phenomenon of manufactured homes -- domestic dwellings which are designed, cut, and constructed according to a standardized format. From surveying how such homes are built; to understanding warranties; selecting a floor plan; financing the new home; meticulously shopping for the right house in the right location, and more, Manufactured Homes: The Buyers Guide is a superb primer and introduction to preparing for home ownership before committing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Enhanced with lists of manufacturers, trade associations, state agencies, and federal departments relevant to manufactured homes, Manufactured Homes: The Buyer's Guide is the best introduction to the subject available to non-specialist general readers today!
Customer Reviews:
Review.......2007-01-11
This book has really helped me increase my knowledge and ability to recognize different kinds of rugs in a dealer's showroom. There are good color photographs, many diagrams about motifs and descriptions of features that rugs from various locales have. I keep going back to the book and re-reading things I didn't pick up before. It is definitely a buyers' guide.
Consider this book a VERY basic introduction only.......2003-06-21
If you are interested in buying a book to learn just the basics of Oriental Rugs in a short time span, this book is just fine. The content is good, and there are about 20 pages of glossy pictures showing different designs of rugs.
If your intention is to buy a book which will help you really understand the nuances of Oriental rugs, you need to look elsewhere. I gave the book an average rating, because that's what it is - not a great reference, but also not a bad value for the money. Just a decent book conveying about what you'd expect from a 100 page introductory text.
Plentiful information for novices.......2003-01-29
I found this book a useful text for beginners. It provides organized information without being overly complex and boring. One benefit of the book is that occasionally when the author makes reference to an item explained in detail elsewhere in the text, a page number is given so the reader can jump to the detailed description if necessary. It's the 1980's version of hyperlinks. The color plates are beautiful, but lack descriptions of the sizes of the rugs. Also lacking is the pronunciation guide; A basic guide exists, but falls short by lacking pronunciations for all but one or two words. I was also hoping to read a discussion of the varrying lengths of rug fringes, which this book did not discuss. A final benefit of the book is the last chapter on the major and minor weaving groups. These sections provide a good source of reference when one needs to get quick, basic information about a particular group.
Great Help for Beginners in Oriental Rugs.......2000-01-06
If you have recently been bitten by the Oriental Rug bug, here is a down to earth book for to help you through the complicated names of regions and styles. The author gives everything you need to know without overwhelming you with a subject and a trade hundreds of years old. Moreover, the pictures are a great visual aid for showing examples of rugs mentioned in a well written text. This book will make easier your understanding of the subject and get you off to a good start to an enjoyable pursuit.
A Must For Collectors.......1998-07-20
As said in the synopsis - this is a book on available rugs not ones gracing the walls of museums or showing up in the big auction houses for 30 000 bucks. As a rug dealer, I use his books as a bible (perhaps Quran would be more appropriate!) and they have never let me down. As I tell my customers... before you invest a 1000 dollars on a rug, invest 15 dollars to learn more about them. You will be amazed at how carpet dealers will drop their prices as soon as you show even a small amount of knowledge. Best series by far. Enjoy.
Book Description
Unlike most other real estate books, this one doesn’t offer any get-rich-quick schemes. It doesn’t delve into the different types of mortgages or other overly technical information, and doesn’t include a glossary of terms and definitions. That kind of “textbook” information is readily available elsewhere. Instead, Making the Right Moves in Real Estate focuses exclusively on the proven principles and concepts of real estate. In clear, cogent prose, author Richard Ardia teaches the reader about the basic building blocks of the real estate business and how to apply them to real-life situations. The book reveals the inner workings of buyers, sellers, and real estate agents. It also provides information about marketing, market conditions, and the financial concepts necessary to purchase and sell real estate. Intended to help the novice navigate the real estate maze, it is also a useful guide for real estate companies and their agents, regardless of experience level.
Customer Reviews:
Right Moves Has It All.......2007-09-30
After thirty years of buying and selling real estate, I thought I knew it all. I was wrong. Dick Ardia's creative, insightful and entertaining presentation of the subject has taken me to a new level of expertise. Within pages of opening the book you will realize Dick Ardia has been there and done it.
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Books Index
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