When our son and daughter-in-law called long-distance to say they were starting to look for their first home, I sat down at the typewriter (in those days we still used typewriters) and sent them ten closely typed pages of advice—everything I’d learned that could help first-time buyers—drawn from my experience in selling houses, teaching real estate at the college level, and answering thousands of queries that pour in every year to my syndicated newspaper column, and radio and TV shows:
How do we start to buy a house?
How much house can we afford?
Should we wait to save up more down payment?
Which mortgage plan is best?
Where do you find a good agent?
Do we need a lawyer?
When I got up the courage to ask my daughter-in-law over the phone a few weeks later if the letter was helpful, she answered, “Terrific! I’ve already lent it to three people at my office. Edith, make it into a book.”
And here it is, six editions later.
Buying a home, particularly your first one, is an adventure, like a trip to a foreign country. First off, there’s the language problem—the natives use words like easement, margin, and amortization so fast you can’t follow them. And they have strange customs as well. Is it polite to ask questions? Should you tip the driver? It always helps to have a guidebook for the trip—here it is. Bon voyage, and have fun on your journey!
If you’d like to send me a postcard about your adventures, do write me at 240 Hemingway Drive, Rochester, NY 14620, or send e-mail to ehlank@aol.com. |
