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The Unofficial Guide to Buying a Home Online Table of Contents Click Here! Get Your Copy Today! |
Part I: So You're Thinking About Buying a Home
Chapter 1 Preparing to Buy a Home
Should you purchase a home?
Can you save big bucks by buying a home online?
Getting connected and going online
What does buying a home online really mean?
What you can do online
What you can't do online
Where should you start online?
Finding real estate Web sites
The process of buying a home online
Real estate supersites
Using the Internet to be prepared
Just the facts
Chapter 2 Creating a Financial Game Plan
Getting your financial house in order
The personal financial planning process
Determining your net worth
How are you using your income?
Making a budget based on your goals
Creating your financial plan
Using personal finance software
How much can you afford?
Understanding the credit reporting system
What credit reports do and don't contain
Credit bureaus
FICO scores
Improving your FICO score
Correcting errors on your credit report
Deleting credit inquiries
Getting financial help
Getting help with your credit problems
Avoiding getting into credit trouble
Just the facts
Chapter 3 Is Now the Right Time to Buy a Home?
Financial profiles of homeowners
Where do you stand?
Looking at your finances
Looking at the market
Sorting out your housing needs and wants
Housing options
Rent or buy?
Why rent?
Why buy?
The math aspects of the rent vs. buy decision
Setting a realistic price range)Avoiding the time crunch
Just the facts
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Part II: Shopping for a Home Without Leaving Your Computer
Chapter 4 Finding a Neighborhood Next Door or Across the Country
Nationwide and regional housing trends
Relocation to a different state
Finding the right city
Comparing the cost of living for different cities
Using online cost of living calculators
Finding the right neighborhood
Learning about the neighborhood firsthand
Learning about the neighborhood online
Analyzing and understanding a neighborhood report
Just the facts
Chapter 5 Using a Real Estate Agent
How a real estate agent can help you
Types of real estate professionals
The responsibilities of real estate professionals
The awful truth about commissions
What to look for in an agent
Finding an agent
Finding a buyer's agent
Finding an out-of-state agent
Is your real estate agent doing the job?
Just the facts
Chapter 6 Finding Your Dream Home Online
Organizing your search
Using a scorecard to compare houses
Focusing your search
Determining whether to buy a new or an established home
Purchasing a new home
The advantages of a new home
The limitations of a new home
Checking out the trends in new homes
Getting the right stuff in a new home
Using the Internet to locate new homes
Purchasing a model home
Purchasing an established home
The advantages of an existing home
The limitations of an existing home
Getting the right stuff in an existing home
Purchasing a fixer-upper
Using the Internet to find the best homes at the best prices
Using the Internet to spot overpriced homes
Pay less by using online comparable market analysis
Just the facts
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Part III: Getting Financing with the Help of the Internet
Chapter 7 Online Mortgage Advice and Lending
What is a mortgage?
Online home loan intermediaries and aggregators
What counts to mortgage lenders
The mortgage process
The paperwork you need to provide
The fees you need to pay
Finding the best interest rate
Getting the best deal by comparing mortgage loans
Types of mortgages
Conventional loans
HUD/FHA loans
VA loans
Choosing a program that's right for you
Finding a mortgage online
Getting ahead of the game with prequalification or preapproval
The online prequalification process
The online preapproval process
Comparing online preapproval and loan application forms
Just the facts
Chapter 8 Avoiding the Down Payment Cash Crunch
Coming up with a down payment
How much should you put down?
The lowdown on private mortgage insurance
Buying a home with little or no money down
Government-sponsored no and low down payment plans
VA loans
RHS loans
FHA loans
State and local government loan programs
Other no and low down payment programs
When none of the traditional options work: creative financing
Assuming someone else's mortgage
Doing a seller-take-back
Renting with the option to buy
Using equity sharing
Special programs for first-time homebuyers
Just the facts
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Part IV: Closing in on Your New Home
Chapter 9 Online Help with Appraisals, Inspections, and Insurance
Getting a property appraisal
How property is appraised
Online comparable sales reports
Getting a home inspection
Doing your own home inspection
The benefits of professional home inspections
How to select a home inspector
How to read a home inspection report
Finding homeowners insurance
The basics of homeowners insurance policies
Keeping your insurance costs low
Getting title insurance
Just the facts
Chapter 10 Negotiating and Closing the Deal
Everything is negotiable
Gathering information
Being prepared
Being realistic
Using the Internet to be a better negotiator
Making an offer they can't refuse
Determining your offer price
The reality of "low-ball" offers
How large a deposit?
Adding contingencies to your offer
Adding optional contingencies
Online help with making an offer
Counter offers
Negotiating tips
Typical seller counter offers
Sold!
The final walkthrough
Closing the deal
The closing meeting
After the closing
Online resources to help you prepare for the closing
Just the facts
Chapter 11 Costs and Tax Benefits Associated with Buying a Home
Understanding closing costs
Documents related to closing costs
Comparing actual closing costs with estimates
The types of closing costs
Lender-based closing costs
Government-based closing costs
Other costs for establishing ownership
Reducing your closing costs
Using an escrow account
The tax implications of buying a home
What can you write off?
Online tax help
Just the facts
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Part V: The Real Estate Road Less Traveled
Chapter 12 The Internet and Do-It-Yourself Real Estate
Why go FSBO?
The benefits of FSBOs
The problems of FSBOs
Fair housing and FSBOs
FSBO financing options
Finding FSBO listings online
Nationwide online FSBO listings
Regional online FSBO listings
FSBO notification services
Closing the FSBO deal
Potential FSBO negotiating difficulties
Congratulations! You've struck a deal!
Just the facts
Chapter 13 Getting Online Help with Becoming an Owner-Builder
Deciding to build your own home
Reading all about it
Getting smart with owner-builder seminars and classes
Contractor-assisted programs
Estimating the cost of a building project
Location, location, location
Determining how much to pay for your lot
Using the Internet to find the perfect residential lot
Using the Internet to find land for sale by owner
Selecting your house plans
Finding an architect online
Finding ready-made house plans on the Internet
Selecting the right house plans for the lot
Online help with selecting and evaluating contractors
Finding owner-builder financing online
Tips for staying on schedule and within your budget
Working with building regulations
Acquiring building hazard insurance
Just the facts
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Part VI: Wrapping It Up, Moving In, and Moving Out
Chapter 14 Getting Moving Help Online
Developing a moving plan
The moving time line
Estimating the cost of moving
Deciding whether to move yourself or hire a moving company
Moving yourself
Using a moving company
Using a corporate relocation service
Insuring the valuables you are moving
Other moving issues
Moving children
Moving pets
Moving automobiles
Using the Internet to change your address
Packing for your move
Deducting moving expenses from your income taxes
Just the facts
Chapter 15 Online Help for Making Your House a Home
Remodeling your new home
Planning what to do and how to do it
Dispelling myths about contractors
Defining your home improvement project online
Finding expert home improvement help
Avoiding home improvement scams
Getting it in writing
Do-it-yourself home improvements
Getting the most bang for your home improvement buck
Getting the most for your restoration money
Paying for your home improvements
Just the facts
Chapter 16 Marketing and Selling Your Home Online
Deciding when to sell
Using the Internet to set a price
Getting your house ready
Making your house look its best
Getting your own inspection
Marketing your home online and offline
Advertising
Holding open houses
Working with a listing agent
Selling your home without an agent
The problems of FSBOs
FSBO help from discounted real estate brokerages
Just the facts
Part VII: Appendixes
A Glossary
B Online Home Buying Resource Directory
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