The Essential Guide for First-time Homeowners: Maximize Your Investment & Enjoy Your New Home

by Bray, Ilona M.

• ISBN13: 9781413308952
• ISBN10: 1413308953
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-10-01
• Publisher: Ingram Pub Services

Summary

Owning a house is a tricky financial proposition nowadays, but this book can help anyone figure it out!

Author Biography

Ilona Bray and Alayna Schroeder are both Nolo editors as well as attorneys who specialize in real estate and other business-related topics. They are co-authors of Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home. Both make their homes in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Table of Contents

Your Homeowning Companion	p. 1
It's Really Yours! What to Do First	p. 3
Getting the Word Out: You've Moved!	p. 4
At Your Fingertips: Organizing Your Records	p. 7
Now Where Did I Put...? Organizing Your Worldly Goods	p. 11
Making Sure Your Home Is Safe and Secure	p. 15
First-Year Finances: Living on Spaghetti	p. 21
Eyes on the Prize: Set Your Goals	p. 22
See Whatcha Got: Your Current Financial State	p. 25
Save or Spend? Putting Your Priorities in Order	p. 33
Of Mice and Maintenance: Keeping Up Your Property's Value	p. 45
Regular Maintenance, Whether You See Problems or Not	p. 48
Do You Hear Munching? Know Your Pests	p. 53
In the Garden: First, Do No Harm	p. 56
Reviewing and Renewing Your Homeowners' Insurance Policy	p. 58
Greening Your Home-On a Budget	p. 67
Easy Changes Anyone Can Make	p. 68
Life Inside: Greening Your Home's Interior	p. 72
The Green Garden	p. 77
Eating Green	p. 80
Driving Green (Without a Hybrid)	p. 84
Maintaining and Upgrading Responsibly	p. 86
Hey, Neighbors: Getting Acquainted and Resolving Disputes	p. 91
Meet and Greet: Introducing Yourself to Neighbors	p. 93
Drawing the Line: Knowing Where Your Property Ends	p. 95
Other Basic Property Rights: Nuisances, Fences, Trees, Noise, and Pets	p. 99
Getting Neighbor Buy-In on Your Remodel Plans	p. 108
Creating Peaceable Solutions to Neighbor Issues	p. 110
Keeping Up With Your Mortgage	p. 115
It All Looks Like Fine Print! What's in Your Mortgage	p. 116
Keeping Your Mortgage Costs Down	p. 123
Troubled Times: What to Do If You Can't Pay	p. 128
Is It Time to Refinance?	p. 143
Why Refinance?	p. 144
Calculating the Costs and Benefits of Refinancing	p. 148
Choosing the Right Loan	p. 154
Qualifying for Your New Loan	p. 158
Alternatives to Refinancing	p. 162
Tax Breaks for Homeownership	p. 167
Are You a First-Time Itemizer?	p. 169
Tax Deductions for Homeowners	p. 172
Tax Credits for Homeowners	p. 177
In Case You Sell: Plan Ahead to Avoid Capital Gains Taxes	p. 180
Your Property Tax Bill: Keeping It Low	p. 183
Sweat Equity: Home Renovation Projects That Pay Off	p. 189
How Renovations Can Increase Resale Value	p. 190
What You Can Do ... And What to Leave to the Pros	p. 195
Before You Leap: Learning More About the Project	p. 197
Scheduling Your Project	p. 204
Hiring Extra Hands	p. 206
Remodeling Your Home With a Contractor's Help	p. 211
Blueprints and Rock Piles: Planning Your Remodel	p. 212
Who's Going to Help? Hiring Contractors	p. 221
Negotiating a Written Contract	p. 227
Figuring Out Where the Money Will Come From	p. 234
Living Through a Remodel	p. 238
After Damage: Who Pays?	p. 241
Look What Happened! What to Do First	p. 242
Making a Homeowners' Insurance Claim	p. 245
Making a Home Warranty Claim	p. 253
How Long Has This Been Going On? Liability for Existing Defects	p. 254
Built to Last? Liability for Defects in New Homes	p. 258
Should You Sue? Deciding to Go to Court	p. 262
Movin' on Up: Planning for Your Next House	p. 265
Ready to Go? Deciding When to Move	p. 266
Another Paint Job!? Your Selling and Moving Costs	p. 267
Financial Strategies for Moving Up	p. 269
Maximizing Profits on Your Home Sale	p. 276
How to Buy and Sell Simultaneously-Without Getting Stuck	p. 282
Index	p. 285
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.