The inside scoop . . .for when you want more than the official line So you've decided to invest in real estate--congratulations!--but now you need to know how you can best manage your property and maximize your profit. How much should you spend on renovations? Where will you find responsible tenants? And how can you keep on top of new government regulations? The Unofficial Guide? to Managing Rental Property answers these questions and many more, giving you insider guidance and valuable tips on managing and profiting from your investments. You'll find savvy advice on everything from legally setting rental criteria and managing properties part-time to successfully evicting delinquent tenants and collecting damages. This comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide reveals what other sources can't or won't, presenting unbiased recommendations to help you get the most out of your investments--and enjoy them! * Vital Information on finding and financing great rental property and calculating rent and profit. * Insider Secrets on selecting and retaining good tenants, ensuring on-time rent, and collecting late rent. * Money-Saving Tips for rehabbing a property and obtaining good tax advice. * The Latest Trends in writing legal, effective ads and interviewing and screening applicants to avoid potential problems. * Handy Forms and Letters for contracting new tenants and communicating with current occupants.

The inside scoop… for when you want more than the official line! From real estate supersites to online financing sources, the Internet has made buying a home dramatically easier—or dramatically more complicated. If you're looking to use the Internet to buy a new home, you know you need a guide that alerts you to all your alternatives, from the initial investigation to pulling off moving day. You want the inside scoop! The Unofficial Guide™ to Buying a Home Online is designed to give savvy consumers like you a foolproof appraisal of how to use the Internet to research cities and neighborhoods, tap into the smartest sources of residential financing, and find insurance. In this book you'll get unbiased recommendations that are not influenced by any company, product, or organization. The Unofficial Guide™ to Buying a Home Online is intensively inspected by The Unofficial Panel of Experts: Tamara and Robert Gordon, who are currently searching for a home online; Al Napier, a successful Realtor who pioneered the use of the Internet for buying a home online; Howard Savage, a U.S. Department of Commerce economist whose current work involves analysis of residential mortgage markets; and Timothy W. Thompson, a real estate developer and builder who has launched several online real estate sites. These specialists ensure that you are armed with the most up-to-date insider information on the subject of buying a home online and are told exactly what "the Official establishment" doesn't want you to know. Vital Information on tapping into the vast array of online home-buying resources available Insider Secrets on the pros and cons of FSBOs, securing the lowest down payment, negotiating a great deal, and finding the most reasonable home inspection and insurance options Money-Saving Techniques on using the Internet to track down financing options and making the most of the tax benefits of home ownership Time-Saving Tips on improving your credit rating, calculating your maximum mortgage amount, and selecting a Realtor The Latest Trends in building your own home, finding financing online, and marketing and selling your home online Handy Checklists and Charts to help you determine your net worth, choose between renting and buying, prequalify for a mortage, and more visit us on-line at www.idgbooks.com

In real estate, it's a buyer's market—and here is the buyer's bible . . . Buying a home is the single most important financial move in most people's lives. This book covers a variety of topics including inspecting, evaluating, negotiating, financing, contracts, and legal issues. It also breaks down the roles of the key players and what these professionals, agents, brokers, and inspectors are responsible for—and when to go it alone. The thorough advice, covering everything from buying houses at auctions to what neighborhood to live in, will provide reassurance for every soon–to–be homeowner. • A necessary tool for those who plan to buy homes and even current homeowners in order to keep up with an ever changing market • Will be published in time for spring, when most people start looking into buying new homes • Covers a broad range of buying options and homeowner's needs

Buying a home is, in the authors' words, both a romantic journey and a business venture. For most families, it's the largest single investment they will ever make. The purpose of this book is to transform home buyers--especially first-time buyers--into smart consumers who can evaluate a property objectively as step number one in deciding whether or not to buy. The authors take their readers by the hand through the maze of mortgage shopping, dealing with real estate agents, and hunting down that perfect dream house. Some of the many questions they help prospective buyers answer are: Consideration of family needs: how many rooms, what kind of neighborhood, access to schools, shopping, and the like Is the home affordable? Considerations include the size of the down payment, the size and type of mortgage, projecting monthly payments, and allowing for unforeseen expenses Making an offer and negotiating with sellers and real estate agents The close, settlement, and escrow Remodeling: adding to a home and making improvements Investment Property: understanding market values Selling a home . . . and much, much more Because this book addresses a national audience, it is necessarily general when making reference to local situations. However, the authors offer practical advice on how readers can find reliable local professional assistance in their quest to purchase a home.

It's typically the biggest expense you will encounter in a lifetime. The right choice can make you ecstatic, and the wrong one can leave you burdened beyond belief. Buying a home requires extensive information; the more you know increases the chances that you'll live there happily ever after. The Unofficial Guide to Buying a Home presents readers with unbiased, street-smart advice that helps them assess their options. How much home can you afford? How do you find a realtor? Where should you buy? What type of mortgage should you apply for? How do you make sense of all those fees? And how do you make certain that you're really purchasing your home sweet home? This is the first guide to truly address the anxiety that goes along with the purchase of a lifetime.

A one-stop guide to buying and selling on the Internet. According to Fortune magazine, eBay reports having over 900,000 products for sale in 1,086 categories. The site receives 140 million hits a week! But starting out, either as a seller or a buyer, can be challenging. The Unofficial Guide to eBay & Online Auctions offers step-by-step guidance on everything from reistering and setting up an account, to bidding, to avoiding "auction fever." This book shows you how to maximize your online experience with advice on: The values and pitfalls of selling in online auctions How to choose the best online auction site The right and wrong ways of buying and selling at an online auction What to do if an item doesn't sell Online fraud--what to do if it happens and how to avoid it the next time