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Tables of Contents for The Everything Homebuying Book
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Introduction
xvii
Part I: Paying for Your Home
3
46
Chapter 1: Where Will the Down Payment Come From?
3
12
Why So High These Days, Anyway?
4
1
If You Are in a Special Situation
5
1
Think About Your Finances
6
1
Can Your Folks Help Out?
7
1
Federal Government Programs
8
1
Look to Your State
9
1
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
9
1
The Five Percent Solution
10
1
A Lease/Purchase Program?
10
1
The Sellers
11
1
Equity Sharing
12
1
What's That-No Down Payment?
13
2
Chapter 2: Choosing the Right Mortgage for You
15
22
Preapproved or Prequalified
16
2
Who Offers Mortgages
18
2
Your Loan Choices
20
1
Which Type of Loan Is Best for You?
21
1
Credit Problems?
22
1
Alphabet Soup
22
1
What to Ask Lenders
23
4
How Much Can You Borrow?
27
2
Preparing to Apply for a Loan
29
1
The Paper Chase
29
2
Your Credit Report
31
1
Dealing with a Poor Credit History, Including Bankruptcy
32
3
Bankruptcy
33
2
A Few Words about Mortgage Insurance
35
2
Chapter 3: Buying Solo or With Others
37
12
Single and House Hunting
38
1
All Together Now
38
3
How You Will Own Your Home
41
2
Married Couples
43
1
Couples Living Together
44
1
A Living Trust
45
1
Buying with Cousins, Friends, or Coworkers
46
3
Part II: Your Guide to House Styles
49
92
Chapter 4: Which House Is Right for You?
49
10
Take a Look at Your Lifestyle
50
1
City? Suburbs? Country?
51
2
The World of Home-Owner Associations
53
2
The Gated Community
55
1
Where Are All the Children?
56
1
Finally--Your Wish List
57
2
Chapter 5: The Resale Home: Your Likely Choice
59
24
Shopping for the Right Neighborhood
61
5
Common Home Styles
66
2
Features to Look For-and Watch Out For
68
8
View and Landscaping
68
1
Siting
69
1
Style
69
1
Construction Materials
69
1
Driveways
70
1
Garages
70
1
Decks, Patios, and Porches
71
1
Pool
71
1
Windows
71
1
Entranceways
72
1
Kitchens
72
1
Bathrooms
73
1
Closets
73
1
Bedrooms
73
1
Family Rooms
74
1
Fireplace
74
1
Living Rooms
74
1
Dining Rooms
74
1
Attics
75
1
Basements
75
1
Laundry Facilities
76
1
Floor Plans and Traffic Patterns
76
2
The Very Old, Even Historic House
78
5
Chapter 6: Condos and Co-ops
83
14
Why So Popular?
84
1
Is Every Owned Apartment a Condo?
85
1
How a Condo Works
86
3
Buying
86
2
Everyday Life
88
1
Bylaws, Covenants, and Rules and Regulations
89
1
What Happens If Something Breaks?
89
1
Beware of Overbuilding!
90
1
Selecting the Right Condo
91
2
Reading the Financial Statement
91
1
About Tenants
92
1
Buying Into a Brand-New Community
93
1
The Cooperative Lifestyle
94
1
The Nonprofit Co-op
94
1
Which Is the Better Buy, a Condo or Co-op?
95
2
Chapter 7: Special Choices: Two-Family Houses, Fixer Uppers, and Lofts
97
22
Could You Become a Landlord?
98
1
The Flip Side
99
1
What Being a Landlord Entails
99
1
Finding the Right House
100
2
Charming Up Your Rental Area
102
1
Open for Business
103
1
The Tenant Search
104
1
Buying a Fixer Upper
105
3
What Should You Pay for a Fixer Upper?
108
1
Net Results
109
1
Lofty Ideas
109
2
If You'll Need a Home-Improvement Loan
111
1
First Things First
111
1
Where to Find Additional Loans
112
1
Some Other Sources to Try
113
3
What about Home Equity Loans?
116
1
Credit Cards: Skip This Option
117
2
Chapter 8: A House Built Just for You?
119
22
The Easy Way to Acquire a Lot
120
1
When You Have to Buy Land
120
2
When Shopping for a Site
122
2
The Very Affordable Manufactured or Modular Home
124
2
Where to Buy
125
1
Financing
126
1
Mobile Homes
126
1
Don't Forget about Resale
126
1
How about a New Development Home?
127
2
How to Find These New Affordables
127
1
Owners Associations
128
1
Negotiating to Sweeten the Deal
128
1
Buying a House Before It Is Built
129
3
Financing Help from the Developer
132
1
Checking Out the Place Before You Move In
132
1
The Custom-Built Home
133
1
There's Building and There's Building
133
1
Working with an Architect or a Custom Builder
134
2
An Architect
134
1
The Custom Builder
135
1
Paying for Your New Home
136
1
New-Home Warranties
137
4
Part III: How to Find the Home You Want--and Buy It
141
102
Chapter 9: House Hunting with a Real-Estate Agent--and on Your Own
141
16
How a Realty Agent Can Help
142
3
Qualifying for a Mortgage
142
1
Supplying Local Information
143
1
Offering Maps and Printed Information
143
1
Using Multiple Listing Service Tools
143
1
Offering Comparables
144
1
Evaluating Properties
144
1
Hand Holding
144
1
Understanding the Term "Disclosure"
145
1
Finding the Right Agent
146
2
The Buyer's Broker
148
1
A Few Words about Discrimination
149
1
Making the House Hunt Easier
150
1
House Hunting without Your Agent
150
1
No Agents Involved
151
1
Distressed Properties
151
2
Houses Sold at Auction
153
4
Chapter 10: The Art of Shopping a Town, a Neighborhood ... and a Lot
157
20
Choosing the Right Town
158
8
Taxes
159
2
Schools
161
2
Services
163
2
A Community's Character
165
1
Is It the Right Neighborhood for You?
166
5
Size and Style
166
2
Boundaries
168
1
Maintenance
168
1
Lifestyle
169
1
Travel Patterns
169
1
Traffic Patterns
170
1
Sounds and Smells
170
1
Talk with the Neighbors
170
1
A Look at a Lot
171
6
Shape
172
1
Size
172
1
Contour
172
1
Position
173
4
Chapter 11: Negotiating for the Best Price and the Best Contract
177
20
What Is "Fair Market Value"?
178
2
The Market at the Moment
180
1
Your Initial Offer
181
1
The Contract
182
1
What a Contract Must Have
182
1
Other Considerations and Contigencies
183
4
Mortgage Contingency Clause
183
1
Termite Inspection
184
1
Home Inspection Contingency
184
1
House Delivered Vacant
184
1
Sale of Existing Home
185
1
The Promise of Clear Title
185
1
Personal Property
185
1
Subject to Buyer's Review of (Name of Community) Covenants
185
1
Day of Closing Inspection
185
1
Closing Costs
186
1
Liability and Maintenance
186
1
Subject to Review by Buyer's Attorney
186
1
Writing the First Check
187
1
An Additional Deposit
187
1
If You Change Your Mind about the House
188
1
Back to Negotiating: The Counteroffer
188
1
As You Move Toward Agreement
189
1
Keeping Emotion Out of Negotiating
189
3
Love
190
1
Anger
190
1
Pride
191
1
Possessiveness and Greed
191
1
Prejudice
192
1
Secrets of Successful Negotiating
192
2
Negotiating with FSBOs
194
1
Finding a Lawyer
195
2
Chapter 12: The House Inspection
197
14
When You Inspect a House
199
6
The Foundation
201
1
The Crawl Space
202
1
The Basement
202
1
Termites
203
1
The Working Systems
204
1
Radon and Lead Paint
205
1
Radon
205
1
Lead-based Paint
206
1
Calling in the Pros
206
3
Checking Out Complaints
209
1
The Condo or Co-op Inspection
210
1
Chapter 13: The Closing
211
18
Mortgage-Related Charges
214
1
Special Items Required by the Lender to Be Paid in Advance of Taking on Your New Mortgage
215
1
Reserve (Escrow) Funds to Be Deposited with the Lender
215
1
Charges for Title Services
216
1
Other Settlement Charges
217
1
Chores for Closing Day
218
2
Is Anything Tax Deductible Here?
220
1
Finally, in "Closing"
220
1
Home-Owners Insurance
221
1
What Is a Home-Owners Policy?
221
1
Varieties of Policies
222
4
Your Choice
222
2
On the Personal Side
224
1
The Umbrella Policy
224
1
Special Valuables
225
1
Still More Coverage
226
1
Flood Insurance
226
1
Hurricane Coverage
226
1
Earthquake Coverage
227
1
Insurance for a Condo or Co-op
227
1
Keeping Track of Your Policy
227
2
Chapter 14: Moving
229
14
A Successful Move, in Three Steps
230
1
Look into the New Community
230
4
The Newspaper
230
1
The Chamber of Commerce
231
1
The State Department of Tourism
231
1
Take Inventory
231
1
Charities
232
1
Classified Ads
232
1
Garage Sales, Gate Sales, Block Sales, Lobby Sales, Etc.
232
1
Tag Sale
233
1
Auction
233
1
Storing
233
1
Select a Mover
234
5
Which Company?
236
1
Timing
237
1
Liability
237
2
The Corporate Move
239
2
About Those Relocation Companies
241
1
Setting In Smoothly
242
1
Glossary
243
12
Appendix
255
8
Regional and Field Offices of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
256
7
Forms
263
6
Mortgage Calculator
264
2
Lender Survey Sheet
266
1
Lender Comparison Sheet
267
2
Index
269