Date:                     12/31/11

Title:                     The Essential Handbook For Buying a Home

Author:                  Karen Rittenhouse

ISBN 10:                 0983775249

ISBN 13:                 978-0983775249

Pages:                            143

Publisher:              Southeastern Investments, LLC

Cover:                            Paperback

Reviewer:              Yolanda M. Johnson-Bryant – Literary Wonders!  

Rating:                  5 Stars

           The Essentials Handbook for Buying a Home by Karen Rittenhouse is a great tool for first-time homebuyers, those who have previously owned a home and those who currently own a home.

          In the current down turn in the housing market, homeowners and potential homeowners need to be armed with as much information as possible to help them decide if owning a home is really for them and if now is the time to own one.

          Rittenhouse’s book includes information that most real estate agents and lenders won’t necessarily tell you. For instance, there are opportunities available that will allow a buyer to lease a home before they buy, but many potential buyers may not get this information unless they know to ask.

          The Essentials Handbook for Buying a Home will arm its readers with valuable information such as the differences between pre-qualification and pre-approval, things that will hurt a potential buyer’s chance of getting a mortgage, the importance of credit, and buying options such as short sales, foreclosures and REOs.

          This book is chock full of information that is imperative to a potential buyers ability to obtain and maintain a mortgage. I wish this book were around when I bought my first house.

          Kudos to Karen for putting what can be a grueling and complicated process, in simple, laymen terms.