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book review
Barron's Real Estate Handbook, 5th Edition
by Jack C. Harris, PhD, and Jack P Friedman, PhD, MAI, CPA, CRE
Published by Barron's Educational Series, 2001, 832 pages
$35, hardcover
A reference and basic introduction-to-the-topic information book of very wide scope and limited depth, Barron's Real Estate Handbook is now in its fifth edition. Of the more than 800 pages, about 430 (a little over 50%) are devoted to an extensive glossary of real estate terms; about 30 pages (not quite 4%) provide a good list of references for more in-depth information on various topics; and about 220 pages (a little over 25%) are allocated to financial and other tables and appendix material.
The book's first section is a Home Buyers Guide. The authors discuss the home buying process; offer advice on setting a price range, searching for, negotiating, and obtaining financing; and describe some of what is involved in closing a real estate transaction. This section could be improved by adding more information on the search process for homebuyers, the selection of a broker, Internet and local resources, and professionals helpful to buyers such as appraisers, construction experts, and home inspectors.
The several types of housing that are addressed in this section provide some help for the novice in understanding what is generally meant by a condominium and a cooperative and the difference between such terms manufactured housing and cluster housing. In their description of financing alternatives, the authors explain how to calculate the price a homebuyer can afford to pay, the qualifying process, and assumption financing. Other financing information provided for homebuyers includes the closing process of a real estate transaction, the types of documents commonly used in a closing, and the tax benefits of home ownership.
The second section is a Home Sellers Guide, which discusses the pros and cons of selling your own home or...