Although the title is a bit weird, the book and it's content is GREAT for the beginning home buyer!

The information is what you need to be on the cutting edge of what goes on in this arena of buying a home.

I would recommend you read this first BEFORE you go to look at houses.

Enjoy!
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A friend recommended this book, and it is a helpful reference that covers all the basics. Confused by inspection and what to expect? There are helpful hints and good definitions to help you figure that stuff out. This book helped "calm me down" by explaining all the processes of home buying in a simple way so there were no surprises.

My only real gripe is that the book is VERY California biased. While it is impossible to clarify all the nuances of buying a home in different states, counties, and towns... the homebuying process differs significantly in California than most of the northeast. Well, the process may be the same - but escrow agents? Huh? We got lawyers for that. Some terminology was a bit confusing. And there was plenty of coverage about earthquakes... but what about snow? Or what to look for with different types of heat? These are HUGE concerns when buying a house in the northeast and these issues aren't even discussed. I felt the book could be more comprehensive in addressing homebuying across the USA... not just in Cali.