买房和卖房 Buying &Selling a Home Your all-in-one guide for success from America’s leading personal finance authority，By the Editors of KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE MAGAZINE，2002 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc.，368页，全英文

INTRODUCTION ix
PART I—For Buyers
CHAPTER 1: To Buy or Not to Buy 3
The Intangibles • Financial Benefits • The Risks and Hard
Work of Homeownership • Rent Versus Buy • Buying a
House With Others
CHAPTER 2: Assessing Your Resources 11
Figure Your Net Worth • The Down Payment • How Big a
Loan? • Prepare Yourself • How Much Down, How Much
Borrowed? • Clean Up Your Credit Report • Your Credit Score •
Obtaining Preapproval With a Lender • Kinds of Loans •
Get Your Earnest Money Ready
CHAPTER 3: Home Sweet Tax Shelter 29
Deductibility of Mortgage Interest • Adjust Your Withholding •
Record Keeping • Deductibility of Mortgage Points •
Deductibility of Closing Costs • Other Tax Angles of
Owning • Deductibility of Interest on Debt Secured by
a Home • Refinancing
CHAPTER 4: Define Your Needs, Pick a Neighborhood 45
Make a List of Needs and Wants • Make a ‘Don't Want’
List, Too • Choosing a Neighborhood • Tips for Relocation •
Weigh the Negatives • How is the Neighborhood Organized? •
Examine the Lot
CHAPTER 5: Many Kinds of Homes 61
Single-Family Detached Houses • Condominium Ownership •
Cooperative Apartments • Manufactured Homes
CHAPTER 6: House-Hunting Strategies 87
The Buyer's Market • The Seller's Market • Searching on
Your Own • Shopping With a Real Estate Agent • Using a
Buyer's Broker • Perusing the Ads • Handling the 'Sale by
Owner' • Touring the House • Scope Out the Sellers •
If You Encounter Discrimination
Contents
CHAPTER 7: Making an Offer 111
How Much Is the House Worth? • Finding an Appraiser •
Establish Your Priorities • Need Seller Financing? • Hire
Your Own Representative • Hone Negotiating Skills • Put
It in Writing • The Opening Bid • The Purchase Contract •
Presentation and Counteroffer • Relocation Loans •
Guaranteed Sale • Bidding on a Sale-by-Owner House
CHAPTER 8: Have the Home Inspected 131
Finding a Good Inspector • The Cost • The Inspection •
The Report • Back to the Seller? • Special Situations: New
Homes, Condos and Co-ops • New-Home Warranties •
Help From the FHA or VA
CHAPTER 9: Pick the Right Mortgage 147
The Basics • Fixed or Adjustable Rate? • Fixed-Rate Loans •
Adjustable-Rate Mortgages • No-Down, No Kidding • Making
a Mortgage Choice • Go for Equity? • The Vanishing Point
CHAPTER 10: Find a Lender, Get a Loan 171
The Secondary Market's Role • Sources of Mortgage Money •
Other Types of Financing • Using a Reporting Service •
Fine-Tuning Your Choice • The Loan-Application Process •
Private Mortgage Insurance • Credit Life Insurance—
Something You Can Do Without • The Wait and the Tension
CHAPTER 11: Get a Good Title 195
How the Process Works • Hazards of a Clouded Title •
Less Than Best • Buying Title Insurance • Title Documents
You May See at Closing
CHAPTER 12: Get Ready for Settlement 205
How to Take Title • Insurance on Your New Home • Flood
Insurance • Earthquake Insurance • Insurance on Your Life •
On to Settlement • What to Bring to Closing • The Final
Inspection • Prepare a File for Your Taxes • When Your
Mortgage Is Sold
CHAPTER 13: Buying a Vacation Home 229
Study Before You Buy • Vacation-Home Strategies •
Buying With Partners • Taxes Take No Holiday
PART II—For Sellers
CHAPTER 14: Alternatives to Selling 247
Tapping Your Home Equity • Second Mortgages • FHA
Loans • Full Refinancing • Special Help for Senior Citizens
CHAPTER 15: Tax Angles of Selling a Home 271
Keeping Uncle Sam's Hands Off Your Profit • A Tax-Free
Vacation Home • A Home-Office Trap • Record Keeping •
No News Is No News • Owner Financing • What If You
Can't Sell? • Permanent Rental • Selling for a Loss •
Moving Expenses
CHAPTER 16: Polishing the Merchandise 285
First Impressions Count • Get the Place in Shape • Do Your
Homework • Are Disclosures Needed?
CHAPTER 17: Sell Through an Agent or Go It Alone? 293
An Agent's Strengths • Going It Alone • Steps to Success
for the Fizzbo • Getting Help
CHAPTER 18: Picking a Broker, Listing Your Home 309
Selecting the Firm • Finding the Best Agent • Interviewing
the Agents • Kinds of Listings • Get Ready to Sell
CHAPTER 19: Setting the Right Price 321
The Dangers of Overpricing • Study the Comparables •
Seller Financing? • Get an Appraisal? • Special Advice for
Fizzbos • Faster Ways to Sell • Offer Help With Financing
CHAPTER 20: Negotiating With Buyers 337
Negotiating Through an Agent • Considering the Contract •
Take Back a Mortgage? • Forging an Agreement • Selling
on Your Own
CHAPTER 21: Preparing for Settlement 351
Keep Yourself Informed • The Papers You'll Need
INDEX 355