Houseonomics: Why Owning A Home Is Still A Great Investment

by Gary Smith, Margaret H. Smith

Houseonomics explains why a home is still an excellent investment for most people and helps readers make smarter housing decisions wherever they are. This book is for anyone who wants to move toward financial security with a home to call their own.

214 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2008

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Reviews

[Ridzwan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t be misled by the sub-titles. This 214-page book devotes very little attention to the subject it vows to take up on its front cover. What you will find instead is a how-to-sell-or-buy-a-house guide.

The book has been published in the backdrop of a slumping US housing market and sub-prime mortgage crisis. Given such circumstances, the avid reader would have somehow expected this theme to be given its due share of discussion. You will be disappointed if this is what you anticipated.

Fiscal discussions are shallow at the very most. The authors have not gone past “because you will save money on rents” as the main reason why one should buy a house. The rest of the book dwells on real estate jargon and numbers to make up the rest of the remaining pages. Somebody should have shelved this under the DIY section instead of the investment section.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors tell what a great investment owning your home is, separate from increases in value, and they include a formula for calculating what they call your "home dividend". Lots of good information, and very well put. I recommend it for anyone, but especially younger people or those considering their first home.

[Liz Busby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapters 1-3 are so repetitive that you want to knock yourself out, chapter 4 is too rushed and doesn't fully explain itself, but after that, the quality evened out. I loved finally reading a rational perspective on why owning your own home makes sense. Some nice tricks for evaluating your financial options.