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First-Time Home Buyer: The Complete Playbook to Avoiding Rookie Mistakes
No matter how much you want to escape the renters cycle, buying a house isn't always a good investment. Your home can make or break your chance to generate wealth and freedom and this book will show you how to make the right decisions to give you the most financial flexibility possible.
Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast have been buying and selling houses for a collective thirty years. In First-Time Home Buyer, they'll give you a real-world masterclass in the home-buying process (Brad Barrett, co-host of the ChooseFI Podcast)so you can consider all of your options and avoid common mistakes before you jump into the life-changing role of homeowner. Buy your first house with your eyes wide open, and learn the strategies that will help you build a strong financial foundation for life.
In this book, youll
How to find and analyze the homes you can actually afford When to buy a house instead of rentingand what to look for and avoid How to improve your financial fitness before your next big purchase Which early decisions and steps will help you turn your first home into a future cash-flowing investment Whether fixer-upper houses and home renovations are really worth it How to choose a real estate agent and a lender who have your best interests in mind An experts view of the housing market and buying processfrom loan pre-approval to submitting offers, home inspections, closing, and everything in between!
Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast have been buying and selling houses for a collective thirty years. In First-Time Home Buyer, they'll give you a real-world masterclass in the home-buying process (Brad Barrett, co-host of the ChooseFI Podcast)so you can consider all of your options and avoid common mistakes before you jump into the life-changing role of homeowner. Buy your first house with your eyes wide open, and learn the strategies that will help you build a strong financial foundation for life.
In this book, youll
How to find and analyze the homes you can actually afford When to buy a house instead of rentingand what to look for and avoid How to improve your financial fitness before your next big purchase Which early decisions and steps will help you turn your first home into a future cash-flowing investment Whether fixer-upper houses and home renovations are really worth it How to choose a real estate agent and a lender who have your best interests in mind An experts view of the housing market and buying processfrom loan pre-approval to submitting offers, home inspections, closing, and everything in between!
Audible Audio
First published March 25, 2020
157 people are currently reading
2525 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
March 1, 2023
Thorough but concise info that makes the topic not as intimidating
March 23, 2021
**Now available wherever you buy books!**
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When you do this:
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When you do this:
May 14, 2021
I genuinely recommend this book to anyone even considering purchasing a home. I learned so much about each step of the process from deciding if you truly should purchase a home to how to get through closing. If you want to be an informed buyer and take an active role in the process of home ownership this is a great place to start!
August 25, 2022
A great place to start if you have zero knowledge about the house-buying process (like me). I did ding a star because I think the authors don't completely understand how renting an apartment works.
July 17, 2022
This book was so incredibly helpful on our journey to buying our first home! It made me feel like it wasn’t our first rodeo and gave me confidence that we were doing the right things. I even caught a mistake on our contract before signing because I knew what to look for! My husband and I read through it together and then referenced back to it multiple times during the process. When we had a question, we often found ourselves saying, “what does the book say about it?”. I would definitely recommend this to any first time home buyer!
March 19, 2024
It feels weird to rate a DIY book on Goodreads but for some reason every other book I’m reading this year is 1,000 pages and I’m trying to meet my reading goal lol. This is a super helpful guide and a learned a lot about the literal contracting process that’s very helpful! I definitely recommend, even though the dorky jokes can get painful
February 6, 2022
Great information that is easy to digest.
August 8, 2025
Short book for first-time home buyers. While possibly helpful to some, the book's stellar reviews (4.46 with 781 reviews) are unjustified. It’s a challenging mix of truly helpful info and missing/inconsistent details, presented in a somewhat patronizing way.
I'd otherwise have given this ~2.5 stars but I feel obligated to help dilute the publisher BiggerPockets' self-promotional 5-star review.
My detailed thoughts below:
The Good:
- This book gave pragmatic advice guiding readers to avoid buying too expensive of a home thereby becoming “house poor”
- Discussed the key requirements for the $250k/500k capital gains tax exclusion
- List of various loan types and eligibility I found helpful
- Really useful list of questions to ask a broker when picking one out
- Self-directed pre-inspection list was comprehensive and will be useful
- Downloadable documents were broadly helpful resources
The Bad:
- Multiple times the authors discuss the opportunity cost of a home purchase to include investments in “stocks, real estate, or retirement accounts” which is analogous to listing out “protein, carbs, or lunch.” Why confuse readers with this non sequitur?
- Book is littered with anecdata. Claims include: The best home improvements are bathroom/kitchen remodel or adding sqft, the cheapest house in a neighborhood is the most opportunity to appreciate in value, among others. Maybe these are facts, maybe not, but having some supporting data (even if just national averages) would be nice
- Somewhat consistently imprecise use of precise terms: Authors called a home “personal property” (p. 156); I'd have called it “real property.” While a nitpick, they stated mortgage rates are based on "factors like the bond market and Treasury rate." (p. 92); I'd more precisely call this the "Treasury yield"
- The book, while short, did not have an index, which I generally find useful
- Book was entirely focused on detached single-family residential properties (which is fine) but I was hoping for more discussion alternative property types (e.g., condos/duplexes)
- I would have liked to see some discussion about zoning laws
The Ugly:
- The authors suggest that a down payment represents a decline in one’s net worth. While certainly a cash outflow, I've never once seen the calculation of net worth exclude home equity
- The rear cover states that coauthor Mindy is working on her ninth live-in flip, yet page 18 says it’s her eleventh—an indication that this book lacked editing rigor
- Book is littered with low-effort dad jokes/puns and authors are audacious enough to suggest “that’s what you’re really here for”
- There's no bibliography and the only further reading is a QR code to the publisher's website
Items I’d add/expand upon in subsequent edition:
- In an updated version, it would be useful to read about the NAR Settlement from Burnett v. National Association of Realtors, including the ramifications of this case for buyers and any changes they should make when it comes to finding and compensating an agent. Book discussed that they currently receive a ~2.5% success fee and learning if/how that has changed would be nice
I'd otherwise have given this ~2.5 stars but I feel obligated to help dilute the publisher BiggerPockets' self-promotional 5-star review.
My detailed thoughts below:
The Good:
- This book gave pragmatic advice guiding readers to avoid buying too expensive of a home thereby becoming “house poor”
- Discussed the key requirements for the $250k/500k capital gains tax exclusion
- List of various loan types and eligibility I found helpful
- Really useful list of questions to ask a broker when picking one out
- Self-directed pre-inspection list was comprehensive and will be useful
- Downloadable documents were broadly helpful resources
The Bad:
- Multiple times the authors discuss the opportunity cost of a home purchase to include investments in “stocks, real estate, or retirement accounts” which is analogous to listing out “protein, carbs, or lunch.” Why confuse readers with this non sequitur?
- Book is littered with anecdata. Claims include: The best home improvements are bathroom/kitchen remodel or adding sqft, the cheapest house in a neighborhood is the most opportunity to appreciate in value, among others. Maybe these are facts, maybe not, but having some supporting data (even if just national averages) would be nice
- Somewhat consistently imprecise use of precise terms: Authors called a home “personal property” (p. 156); I'd have called it “real property.” While a nitpick, they stated mortgage rates are based on "factors like the bond market and Treasury rate." (p. 92); I'd more precisely call this the "Treasury yield"
- The book, while short, did not have an index, which I generally find useful
- Book was entirely focused on detached single-family residential properties (which is fine) but I was hoping for more discussion alternative property types (e.g., condos/duplexes)
- I would have liked to see some discussion about zoning laws
The Ugly:
- The authors suggest that a down payment represents a decline in one’s net worth. While certainly a cash outflow, I've never once seen the calculation of net worth exclude home equity
- The rear cover states that coauthor Mindy is working on her ninth live-in flip, yet page 18 says it’s her eleventh—an indication that this book lacked editing rigor
- Book is littered with low-effort dad jokes/puns and authors are audacious enough to suggest “that’s what you’re really here for”
- There's no bibliography and the only further reading is a QR code to the publisher's website
Items I’d add/expand upon in subsequent edition:
- In an updated version, it would be useful to read about the NAR Settlement from Burnett v. National Association of Realtors, including the ramifications of this case for buyers and any changes they should make when it comes to finding and compensating an agent. Book discussed that they currently receive a ~2.5% success fee and learning if/how that has changed would be nice
August 10, 2024
Read this cover to cover during my hair appointment and learned a lot about how to buy a house. There's lots of great information in here for first-time home buyers, including the different types of loans, what to ask for when you're interviewing an agent, what to look for in your own personal home inspection, what it actually means to be "under contract" and what you do while you're under contract, things like earnest money, etc. I've come out of this feeling more educated about this process, and confirmed that a process like this shouldn't be at all taken lightly.
April 3, 2021
Gave excellent insight on the many mistakes you could unintentionally make during a home purchase, and the many things that should not be overlooked while in this process. I think it’s a must read for anyone buying their first home (which I am currently in the process of).
April 12, 2023
Excellent read to prep for first time homebuyers. This book is fun to read and easily lays out more of a systematic approach to purchasing your first home and answers tons of questions along the way.
February 25, 2023
I think “financial monkey business” is my few favorite term. Very informative & a quick read
April 2, 2023
surprisingly easy to read and useful. recommended for anyone who is planning to buy their first house
November 24, 2025
An informative, concise overview of the home buying process. It emphasizes important items, and does it with brevity and silly jokes. It was a good refresher since I read a longer, more in-depth guide before this one. I like that this book touched on how to think about a house as an investment and how it might appreciate due to the market, but that you can also force appreciation through the work you put into it.
August 28, 2024
*Just curious*
October 14, 2024
A concise book, but a good guide to the home buying process. I liked all the checklists they included.
January 28, 2025
This is a good book that explains the processes you need to know when purchasing a house. I plan on doing so soon, so I was hoping to learn some stuff, and now I feel very prepared.
April 16, 2025
In the off chance I can ever buy a home this will be very useful lol
July 7, 2025
4⭐️ An excellent, well-written book packed with valuable educational insights. It boosted my confidence in real estate terminology and made me feel much more prepared for homeownership. I highly recommend it to any first-time homebuyer.
June 10, 2021
Scott & Mindy have done a wonderful job explaining the home-buying process from start-to-finish, but you could have found all that information on the internet. This is an excellent resource I have referenced many times over my home-buying process. What sets this book apart is:
a) reframing the entire home-buying conversation through the lens of your larger financial situation.
Housing is a cost. Whether you're renting or buying, you are paying money for a roof over your head. Buying a home CAN be an investment that improves your financial standing, but you need to do your due diligence to make that happen.
I LOVE that they started the book with an interrogation of whether you should actually buy a house in the first place. There is a pressure to buy a house because "that's what people do". That's not a reason for you to make what is probably the biggest purchase of your life. The first part of this book discusses everything you should think about before you even start looking at Zillow or finding a realtor. They discuss the pros and cons of buying vs. renting (yes, there are definite pros to renting), explain exit strategies and outline different paths to home appreciation (from a financial perspective).
b) compiling the do's and don'ts for every step of the process.
I was doing Internet research on every step of the process. While it was beneficial to rely on many different sources, it was also exhausting and at times confusing to sift through conflicting answers. This book covers the entire process in one place.
c) sharing some real-life examples that convey best practices or dangerous downsides.
a) reframing the entire home-buying conversation through the lens of your larger financial situation.
Housing is a cost. Whether you're renting or buying, you are paying money for a roof over your head. Buying a home CAN be an investment that improves your financial standing, but you need to do your due diligence to make that happen.
I LOVE that they started the book with an interrogation of whether you should actually buy a house in the first place. There is a pressure to buy a house because "that's what people do". That's not a reason for you to make what is probably the biggest purchase of your life. The first part of this book discusses everything you should think about before you even start looking at Zillow or finding a realtor. They discuss the pros and cons of buying vs. renting (yes, there are definite pros to renting), explain exit strategies and outline different paths to home appreciation (from a financial perspective).
b) compiling the do's and don'ts for every step of the process.
I was doing Internet research on every step of the process. While it was beneficial to rely on many different sources, it was also exhausting and at times confusing to sift through conflicting answers. This book covers the entire process in one place.
c) sharing some real-life examples that convey best practices or dangerous downsides.
January 10, 2025
Best book for first time home buyers! So many learnings and takeaways:
1. Two types of appreciation: market (3.4% national average) and forced. Easy forced appreciation easy wins:
- bathroom remodel ($10k)
- Kitchen remodel ($20k+)
- Adding square footage (e.g., bedroom in the attic, bathroom in the basement)
- Interior paint
- New flooring
- Landscaping/exterior paint
- Minor touches (doorknobs, ceiling fans, outlet covers)
2. IRS rule that you can exclude $250k/individual or $500k/couple capital gains from the sale of your home (either market or forced appreciation) as long as you’ve lived there 2+ out of the last 5 years
3. Don’t buy the best house in the neighborhood, buy the shittiest house in the nicest neighborhood to allow for the most appreciation
4. Simple formula to calculate cash flow from renting out your home:
Rental income
- mortgage payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance)
- HOA
- Cost of utilities
- Maintenance and CapEx (1% of properties value annually)
- Optional: Property mgmt. (10% of gross rents)
- Optional: absence (overlap in leases, if someone leaves unexpectedly)
=cash flow (should be estimated at a net positive when buying a home)
5. House hacking: generate income while living in your home (ex: duplex with extra unit rented out, rent out the coach house, etc.)
6. Lenders require that you escrow your property taxes = you pay monthly into an account that will then pay the taxes for you. This is so if you go into foreclosure, property taxes are paid first. Taxes increase each year in line with inflation or due to any new regulations
7. Lenders require you to have home owners insurance. Similar to taxes, you usually pay the monthly insurance rates to your lender who then passes them on to the insurer. Known practice for insurers to jack up rates the 2nd year - if this happens, call and ask why. The lender doesn’t care who your insurance is from as long as you have it.
8. PMI = private mortgage insurance. Insurance premium you have to pay when you put down less than 20%. These are usually .5-1% of the total loan amount on an annual basis. With a conventional loan, the PMI can be removed upon request once you’ve reached 20% equity in the property. If you don’t request this, the lender has to remove this by law after 22% equity is reached
9. Picking a lender:
* You’re now able to contact multiple lenders in a short period of time for “rate shopping”. As long as you do this within a 30-day window, multiple lenders can pull your credit and it counts as only 1 hard inquiry (1 ding costs about 5-10 credit points
* From each lender, make sure you get (1) interest rate (2) total closing costs (3) lender fees (4) any credits they’re giving (5)max amount they’ll lend (6) your estimated total monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance)
* If a credit is offered, personal preference if you prefer to pay less cash up front or less cash over time
* Lender pre approval is required by most sellers to see. These usually come with a 90-day expiration date, so don’t waste your time and hard credit pull unless you’re serious about buying
10. Self-directed pre-inspection items to look for during an open-house:
* Windows: open/close easily, no stains underneath them, not foggy/cloudy
* Doors: open/close easily, don’t stick or scrape the floor
* Flooring/Stairs: no creaking or obvious unevenness
* Walls: no holes/poor patchwork
* Trim: any damage or clear wear from an animal
* Lights/Fans: turn on each switch to make sure they work
* Layout: does the house flow or are there walls/angles that don’t work
* Garbage Disposal: does the house have one? If so, does it run smoothly?
* Faucets: how is the water pressure? Fill up the skink and let the water run to test for backups/poor drainage
* Tub: no cracks/chips, no mold around the tub
* Efflorescence: on any basement walls, no white marks on cement walls which indicates past water damage
* Furnace and Water Heater: look for stickers on the furnace / water heater to indicate installation date
* House siding: good condition, no rotting spots, missing boards, cracking, or peeling
* Roof: avoid flat roofs if you get a lot of snow, ensure the south side (which gets the most sun) has no curling or bucking (indicates roof needs work)
11. Offer contract components:
* Parties & Property: who is buying from whom. Joint tenants (equal ownership) or tenants in common (unequal ownership)
* Inclusions: things the seller owns the buyer wants included (appliances, sheds, etc.)
* Exclusions: things the buyer doesn’t want the seller to leave (pool table, garage boxes)
* Dates & Deadlines: includes the closing date (legally own home and loan goes into effect) and possession date (move-in)
* Purchase Price
* Seller Concessions: money a buyer requests from the seller to cover the cost to buy (inspection fee, appraisal fee, lender fees, home repairs, etc)
* Earnest Money: upfront money to show a seller a buyer is interested, goes toward your down payment
* Loan Limitations: type of loan
* Appraisal Provisions: outlines the appraisal process, who pays for it, and what happens if an appraisal comes under value (in a hot market, ‘covering the appraisal gap’ means buyer bringing money to the table to cover the purchase price vs appraisal price difference)
* Title: who has the rights to the property, who pays for the title transfer
* Seller Disclosures: disclosure of known defects, varies by state and not strict
* Due Diligence Documents: manuals and maintainable logs for everything (roof warranties, windows, HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical systems, appliances)
* Taxes
* Contingencies: conditions that let a buyer back-out without losing their earnest money
12. Inspections are usually $400-$600 and last 4-hours
* Deal-breakers: meth, foundation issues, underground oil tanks, knob and tube/aluminum wiring, water damage
* Potential deal breakers: mold, randon gas, asbestos, roof damage, termites, lead paint, HVAC repairs, water heater near end of life span
* Ask the inspector lots of questions and point blank “what is your opinion of the condition of this home? Would you let your mom buy it?”
* Buyer issues and objection notice after the inspection which asks the seller to fix the selected issues or issue a credit
1. Two types of appreciation: market (3.4% national average) and forced. Easy forced appreciation easy wins:
- bathroom remodel ($10k)
- Kitchen remodel ($20k+)
- Adding square footage (e.g., bedroom in the attic, bathroom in the basement)
- Interior paint
- New flooring
- Landscaping/exterior paint
- Minor touches (doorknobs, ceiling fans, outlet covers)
2. IRS rule that you can exclude $250k/individual or $500k/couple capital gains from the sale of your home (either market or forced appreciation) as long as you’ve lived there 2+ out of the last 5 years
3. Don’t buy the best house in the neighborhood, buy the shittiest house in the nicest neighborhood to allow for the most appreciation
4. Simple formula to calculate cash flow from renting out your home:
Rental income
- mortgage payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance)
- HOA
- Cost of utilities
- Maintenance and CapEx (1% of properties value annually)
- Optional: Property mgmt. (10% of gross rents)
- Optional: absence (overlap in leases, if someone leaves unexpectedly)
=cash flow (should be estimated at a net positive when buying a home)
5. House hacking: generate income while living in your home (ex: duplex with extra unit rented out, rent out the coach house, etc.)
6. Lenders require that you escrow your property taxes = you pay monthly into an account that will then pay the taxes for you. This is so if you go into foreclosure, property taxes are paid first. Taxes increase each year in line with inflation or due to any new regulations
7. Lenders require you to have home owners insurance. Similar to taxes, you usually pay the monthly insurance rates to your lender who then passes them on to the insurer. Known practice for insurers to jack up rates the 2nd year - if this happens, call and ask why. The lender doesn’t care who your insurance is from as long as you have it.
8. PMI = private mortgage insurance. Insurance premium you have to pay when you put down less than 20%. These are usually .5-1% of the total loan amount on an annual basis. With a conventional loan, the PMI can be removed upon request once you’ve reached 20% equity in the property. If you don’t request this, the lender has to remove this by law after 22% equity is reached
9. Picking a lender:
* You’re now able to contact multiple lenders in a short period of time for “rate shopping”. As long as you do this within a 30-day window, multiple lenders can pull your credit and it counts as only 1 hard inquiry (1 ding costs about 5-10 credit points
* From each lender, make sure you get (1) interest rate (2) total closing costs (3) lender fees (4) any credits they’re giving (5)max amount they’ll lend (6) your estimated total monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance)
* If a credit is offered, personal preference if you prefer to pay less cash up front or less cash over time
* Lender pre approval is required by most sellers to see. These usually come with a 90-day expiration date, so don’t waste your time and hard credit pull unless you’re serious about buying
10. Self-directed pre-inspection items to look for during an open-house:
* Windows: open/close easily, no stains underneath them, not foggy/cloudy
* Doors: open/close easily, don’t stick or scrape the floor
* Flooring/Stairs: no creaking or obvious unevenness
* Walls: no holes/poor patchwork
* Trim: any damage or clear wear from an animal
* Lights/Fans: turn on each switch to make sure they work
* Layout: does the house flow or are there walls/angles that don’t work
* Garbage Disposal: does the house have one? If so, does it run smoothly?
* Faucets: how is the water pressure? Fill up the skink and let the water run to test for backups/poor drainage
* Tub: no cracks/chips, no mold around the tub
* Efflorescence: on any basement walls, no white marks on cement walls which indicates past water damage
* Furnace and Water Heater: look for stickers on the furnace / water heater to indicate installation date
* House siding: good condition, no rotting spots, missing boards, cracking, or peeling
* Roof: avoid flat roofs if you get a lot of snow, ensure the south side (which gets the most sun) has no curling or bucking (indicates roof needs work)
11. Offer contract components:
* Parties & Property: who is buying from whom. Joint tenants (equal ownership) or tenants in common (unequal ownership)
* Inclusions: things the seller owns the buyer wants included (appliances, sheds, etc.)
* Exclusions: things the buyer doesn’t want the seller to leave (pool table, garage boxes)
* Dates & Deadlines: includes the closing date (legally own home and loan goes into effect) and possession date (move-in)
* Purchase Price
* Seller Concessions: money a buyer requests from the seller to cover the cost to buy (inspection fee, appraisal fee, lender fees, home repairs, etc)
* Earnest Money: upfront money to show a seller a buyer is interested, goes toward your down payment
* Loan Limitations: type of loan
* Appraisal Provisions: outlines the appraisal process, who pays for it, and what happens if an appraisal comes under value (in a hot market, ‘covering the appraisal gap’ means buyer bringing money to the table to cover the purchase price vs appraisal price difference)
* Title: who has the rights to the property, who pays for the title transfer
* Seller Disclosures: disclosure of known defects, varies by state and not strict
* Due Diligence Documents: manuals and maintainable logs for everything (roof warranties, windows, HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical systems, appliances)
* Taxes
* Contingencies: conditions that let a buyer back-out without losing their earnest money
12. Inspections are usually $400-$600 and last 4-hours
* Deal-breakers: meth, foundation issues, underground oil tanks, knob and tube/aluminum wiring, water damage
* Potential deal breakers: mold, randon gas, asbestos, roof damage, termites, lead paint, HVAC repairs, water heater near end of life span
* Ask the inspector lots of questions and point blank “what is your opinion of the condition of this home? Would you let your mom buy it?”
* Buyer issues and objection notice after the inspection which asks the seller to fix the selected issues or issue a credit
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2022
good book for first time buyers, mostly shallow information, but here are some of the things I learned and think would be useful:
- Read HOA, CCR and rules that the communities apply
- If you live in your property for at least 2 years of the last 5 years, you get tax benefits (almost tax-free!)
- Refinance after brining capital to your home (doing home fixes, updates) and get better rates
- Piti: principal, interest, tax, insurance (main costs for a home)
- Do your homework: find the best lender!
- Find the right agent!
- create 3 lists for houses: must have, nice to have, deal-breakers
- Don’t get homes adjacent to highways/fire station/train trails, etc.
- Request for warranties on equipments/sewer, etc.
- Ask for recent bills (electricity and gas, etc.)
- Ask for recent tax bills
- Look up permits (for maintenance/adding things …) and confirm with HOA
- Tax benefits: 1. If you live there for Two or more years of last five years before selling , you can pocket $250k of appreciation! 2. You can deduct mortgage interest paid from your income (doing itemized tax return forms)
- Read HOA, CCR and rules that the communities apply
- If you live in your property for at least 2 years of the last 5 years, you get tax benefits (almost tax-free!)
- Refinance after brining capital to your home (doing home fixes, updates) and get better rates
- Piti: principal, interest, tax, insurance (main costs for a home)
- Do your homework: find the best lender!
- Find the right agent!
- create 3 lists for houses: must have, nice to have, deal-breakers
- Don’t get homes adjacent to highways/fire station/train trails, etc.
- Request for warranties on equipments/sewer, etc.
- Ask for recent bills (electricity and gas, etc.)
- Ask for recent tax bills
- Look up permits (for maintenance/adding things …) and confirm with HOA
- Tax benefits: 1. If you live there for Two or more years of last five years before selling , you can pocket $250k of appreciation! 2. You can deduct mortgage interest paid from your income (doing itemized tax return forms)
Read
February 6, 2022Really helpful and entertainingly-written guide for first-time homebuyers. Lots of good background and tips. Here’s a few of them:
“Life events shouldn't affect your purchase decision. Always create a timeline where you are in command. While it won't guarantee you a good deal, it will certainly help you avoid a bad one.”
“For your first home, you must:
• Be financially ready
• Have a reasonably long purchase timeline
• Define exactly what you want
• Know what a good deal looks like”
“You might ask, "Do I really need a home inspection?"
Yes.
One more time, for the people in the back.
Yes!
Don't make us say it again, or so help us, we will turn this car around.”
“Life events shouldn't affect your purchase decision. Always create a timeline where you are in command. While it won't guarantee you a good deal, it will certainly help you avoid a bad one.”
“For your first home, you must:
• Be financially ready
• Have a reasonably long purchase timeline
• Define exactly what you want
• Know what a good deal looks like”
“You might ask, "Do I really need a home inspection?"
Yes.
One more time, for the people in the back.
Yes!
Don't make us say it again, or so help us, we will turn this car around.”
August 10, 2025
Good book for the rookie
July 7, 2024
Yes, you could probably google and find some of this info, but it’s so convenient to have everything all in one place. Also, many of the tips are specifically from experience, and that’s invaluable! I definitely feel more prepared after buying this book, although I don’t plan on buying for at least 9 months. I took off a star because of the FAQ section at the end. It has so much potential, but most of the questions were already answered in the book elsewhere. I was hoping for more outside of the box type questions. All in all, I’ll be reading this book again and buying the physical copy instead of just having the Kindle version.
Also, kindle would mark a chapter complete although I still had 5-10 minutes left in that chapter. That’s never happened with my other kindle book. Maybe this needs to be formatted better for kindle.
Also, kindle would mark a chapter complete although I still had 5-10 minutes left in that chapter. That’s never happened with my other kindle book. Maybe this needs to be formatted better for kindle.
June 18, 2021
This was a good overview, but I wish it was more in depth and had more FAQ's at the end because I found those really helpful. I did get the full picture of buying a house, but it didn't really answer all my questions. Some parts that were complicated were breezed through a little too quickly, and I had to re-read and do my own math to try to understand the intricacies of appreciation, for example. It was a good starter book for understanding how to buy a home, but not really anything more than I found out by Googling. I bought this book because neither my realtor nor my lender is answering my questions to my satisfaction, but I wouldn't say I really feel a whole lot more confident after reading this cover to cover.
January 23, 2022
A concise book of under 200 pages.
The content of this book is extremely helpful, vital even, for those who feel overwhelmed with the house buying process. I would recommend reading this book if you are considering purchasing a home in the United States. You will be glad you did. Unfortunately, some of the humor made me want to violently cringe in frustration but that is a small price to pay for the knowledge. I also felt like perhaps the book could’ve been organized a bit better but overall, it went by quickly and proved to be extremely useful. The book also offers online resources and checklists that help make the process much easier.
Overall, noticeably imperfect but invaluable.
The content of this book is extremely helpful, vital even, for those who feel overwhelmed with the house buying process. I would recommend reading this book if you are considering purchasing a home in the United States. You will be glad you did. Unfortunately, some of the humor made me want to violently cringe in frustration but that is a small price to pay for the knowledge. I also felt like perhaps the book could’ve been organized a bit better but overall, it went by quickly and proved to be extremely useful. The book also offers online resources and checklists that help make the process much easier.
Overall, noticeably imperfect but invaluable.
April 10, 2023
An absolutely wonderful read. Extremely succinct and surprisingly entertaining, the amazing duo of two experts in real estate, Scott Trench and Mindy Jenson, come together to create the perfect guide for first time home buyers, and they perfectly succeed. This short book has everything you need to know about buying a home without including any unnecessary details or fluff. It’s a great book for anyone looking to venture into homeownership either for the first time or, contrary to the implications of the title, anyone buying a home regardless of experience who would simply like to know what they are doing and how to navigate the treacherous waters of the real estate market.
April 27, 2025
This is an excellent book for a “First Time Home Buyer.” Scott and Mindy explain the intricacies involved with preparing and executing the biggest purchase of your life, while offering scenario examples, easy to digest financial term definitions, and punny jokes. Coming from a person who was never taught about how to go about buying a house, I would 10/10 recommend this book to anyone considering pulling the trigger but does not know where to start. I will definitely be utilizing the insights and downloadable reference sheets during my home buying process!
June 3, 2021
I received this book during a giveaway but reviews are my own.
This was a much needed book at this time of my life when I am contemplating buying a house.
Very clear and well delineated steps on what to consider or do before thinking about buying a house. The language was easy to understand and I do feel more confident (if also slightly overwhelmed) with the process of buying a house.
I highly recommended for any newby home buyer out there.
This was a much needed book at this time of my life when I am contemplating buying a house.
Very clear and well delineated steps on what to consider or do before thinking about buying a house. The language was easy to understand and I do feel more confident (if also slightly overwhelmed) with the process of buying a house.
I highly recommended for any newby home buyer out there.
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