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My First Home
A step-by-step guide to achieving the ultimate American Dream
- GenresBusiness
206 pages, Paperback
Published January 17, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 28, 2017
A Great Guide to Buying Your First Home!
Amazon.com best-selling author Shashank Shekhar succeeds again in his stellar new book My First Home: A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving the Ultimate American Dream. Packed full of useful information and clear info graphics, this book should top the reading list of anyone who wants to buy their first home.
Although my own first home was purchased years ago, I was still able to glean information from this book, especially in the area of finances. Also, I plan to keep this book on hand in case I ever move. Shekhar gives great detailed explanations about all those papers you have to sign at closing and what each mean.
My First Home begins by asking the reader if they are ready, and how they know when is a good time to start looking. Then in clear layman’s terms, Shekhar talks about credit: how to establish it, do you have enough of it, and what can you do if yours is bad? He explains why it is more important than ever to have good credit nowadays, then lays out different ways to get into a house even if you don’t have the full down payment or haven’t got the best credit.
An important element for me is that Shekhar realizes how much of an emotional decision home buying is. It’s a big step, and a home is much more than a purchase, especially for those of us who plan to raise children. Shekhar, a father with two daughters, understands the impact a home purchase can have on family, and how it establishes the foundation for a better future for our kids. He backs up these emotional decisions with solid statistics, showing that children of homeowners are 59% more likely to become homeowners themselves, 25% more likely to graduate from high school, and 116% more likely to graduate from college than renters.
Shekhar has an impressive record of knowledge and is considered one of America’s Premiere Mortgage Lenders. Founder and CEO of his own lending company, he is the recipient of numerous awards and has been published in Yahoo! News, FOX, Washington Post, Bankrate.com, Huntington Post and several other media outlets for his expertise.
This comprehensive, how-to guide is one of the most clear, concise books I’ve read on this topic. It takes something that seems so complicated to most of us, and whittles it down into a manageable step-by-step process. I highly recommend this to anyone thinking of purchasing a home. It would be a great gift for a newly married couple.
Amazon.com best-selling author Shashank Shekhar succeeds again in his stellar new book My First Home: A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving the Ultimate American Dream. Packed full of useful information and clear info graphics, this book should top the reading list of anyone who wants to buy their first home.
Although my own first home was purchased years ago, I was still able to glean information from this book, especially in the area of finances. Also, I plan to keep this book on hand in case I ever move. Shekhar gives great detailed explanations about all those papers you have to sign at closing and what each mean.
My First Home begins by asking the reader if they are ready, and how they know when is a good time to start looking. Then in clear layman’s terms, Shekhar talks about credit: how to establish it, do you have enough of it, and what can you do if yours is bad? He explains why it is more important than ever to have good credit nowadays, then lays out different ways to get into a house even if you don’t have the full down payment or haven’t got the best credit.
An important element for me is that Shekhar realizes how much of an emotional decision home buying is. It’s a big step, and a home is much more than a purchase, especially for those of us who plan to raise children. Shekhar, a father with two daughters, understands the impact a home purchase can have on family, and how it establishes the foundation for a better future for our kids. He backs up these emotional decisions with solid statistics, showing that children of homeowners are 59% more likely to become homeowners themselves, 25% more likely to graduate from high school, and 116% more likely to graduate from college than renters.
Shekhar has an impressive record of knowledge and is considered one of America’s Premiere Mortgage Lenders. Founder and CEO of his own lending company, he is the recipient of numerous awards and has been published in Yahoo! News, FOX, Washington Post, Bankrate.com, Huntington Post and several other media outlets for his expertise.
This comprehensive, how-to guide is one of the most clear, concise books I’ve read on this topic. It takes something that seems so complicated to most of us, and whittles it down into a manageable step-by-step process. I highly recommend this to anyone thinking of purchasing a home. It would be a great gift for a newly married couple.
March 15, 2017
While not a first time home buyer myself, we do plan on moving sometime soon and I thought it would be useful to read a book written about the process, as I am not a realtor nor really know that much about the housing industry. Happily, I was offered a copy of the book to read (And review if I so chose to do that) by an agent of the publisher/author, which met my needs admirably well. If your a new home buyer or just thinking of the possibilities this book is an excellent starting place. If you have bought a home before (Like me) and will be looking it will give a good refresher - and likely will answer some questions you may have *and did not know - about the process.
The author, Shashak Shekhar, has written another book on home buying (Which I have not read but plan to as I liked this one quite a bit). He also writes a blog dealing with home buying, and appears to be an authority in the field. The book itself reads quickly, being just over 200 pages, and is divided into 5 parts - which if followed will prepare you for the sometimes arduous task of finding and financing a house. This begins with 'Getting Ready' - what you need to do before even beginning to look for a home, goes through what you need to do to find a home and have the buyer accept your offer, covers the various types of financing, details the loan process, and ends with information on how to pay your loan off more quickly and even includes some tips (Good ones) on decorating ideas.
The housing industry uses some terms with which you may not be that familiar, such as abstract of titile, Buy-Down, Fee Simple, etc - there is an excellent glossary in the back of the book you might actually want to read first. (Of course, you can always look up an unfamiliar term when/if found). Curious how much time you save by making a house payment every two weeks rather than monthly? Wondering about the types of protection homeowners insurance provides? Should buy an older home or a new one? These, and much else, are explained in detail in this book. If your looking to buy another home, I highly recommend that you read this book first.
The author, Shashak Shekhar, has written another book on home buying (Which I have not read but plan to as I liked this one quite a bit). He also writes a blog dealing with home buying, and appears to be an authority in the field. The book itself reads quickly, being just over 200 pages, and is divided into 5 parts - which if followed will prepare you for the sometimes arduous task of finding and financing a house. This begins with 'Getting Ready' - what you need to do before even beginning to look for a home, goes through what you need to do to find a home and have the buyer accept your offer, covers the various types of financing, details the loan process, and ends with information on how to pay your loan off more quickly and even includes some tips (Good ones) on decorating ideas.
The housing industry uses some terms with which you may not be that familiar, such as abstract of titile, Buy-Down, Fee Simple, etc - there is an excellent glossary in the back of the book you might actually want to read first. (Of course, you can always look up an unfamiliar term when/if found). Curious how much time you save by making a house payment every two weeks rather than monthly? Wondering about the types of protection homeowners insurance provides? Should buy an older home or a new one? These, and much else, are explained in detail in this book. If your looking to buy another home, I highly recommend that you read this book first.
November 21, 2018
Decent short overview of home buying process.
February 6, 2017
From what I have read, 2015 marked the return of the first-time home buyers after they stayed away in droves in the aftermath of the housing crises of 2008 and subsequent years. I wonder how many of these purchasers were well-equipped to face the daunting and stressful experience in purchasing their first home?
Before my retirement, I had been a title attorney in Canada for over thirty-five years and I had been involved in thousands of real estate closings. I can't begin to count the number of new home buyers that did not have a clue as to the important steps they had to take before finding their dream homes. Unfortunately, many purchasers relied on second hand advice from friends, relatives, colleagues and part-time realtors- something that is common where everyone seems to know someone who can add his or her two cent piece in.
My First Home: A Step-by-Step guide to achieving the Ultimate American Dream, which is the newest tome to add to the dozens of books dealing with the same subject matter is important not only for the way the material is presented but also its reader friendly comprehensive contents.
Organized into five sections, Author Shashank Shekhar with the collaboration of Richa Sarin explore the important elements involved in purchasing your first home. These sections include getting ready, searching for your dream home, getting a mortgage, and a closing section dealing with tips on moving, twenty-one ways to save money on utilities, and paying of your mortgage faster. Each section explores such topics as: If you should purchase your own home or rent one, the different types of properties, the flip properties, making an offer, getting your mortgage and what it entails, pitfalls and foolish mistakes to avoid during mortgage approval, property appraisal, insurance, unconventional ways in acquiring properties, home warranty and common ways to hold title. It should be noted that if you are much further ahead in the purchasing process, you can jump directly to sections two or three. However, as the author recommends, it is advisable to read the book from section one to five.
Shekhar has many years of experience as a mortgage lender and first-time buyer expert and is very aware of the complexities in purchasing a home. His motive for writing the book was to make the process of purchasing a home easier and more predictable and as he states: “I do not want lack of knowledge to come in your way of not buying your home.”
He fully understands that purchasing your first home can be frightening especially if you have a complete lack of experience. Consequently, devoid as much as possible of confusing technical terms, Shekhar and Sarin present the material in a manner which demystifies the process and after reading the book you may wonder what all the fuss was about. It also gives you realistic scenarios and lays the groundwork for what what to expect.
What I found particularly helpful is the book's design with its bold large titles introducing topics as well as rich illustrations that appear throughout the book. For example, at the beginning there is a chart that succinctly condenses most of the book's material into little boxes that provide a step-by-step illustration of the process.
In addition there are valuable checklists with rankings that will guide you as to the kind of property that would interest you. For example, the list concerning property features contains what to consider: number of floors, age of the property, type (condo, single level etc), number of bathrooms, number of bedrooms, number of garage spaces, living area, lot size, back yard family room, laundry room, type of appliances, central air conditioning, type of flooring, storage, neighborhood features, commute to work, close to good schools and close to parks/playgrounds. Beside each of these features is a box that you would rate from 1 to 5 in importance to yourself.
The book delivers what it sets out to do and provides timeless important advice in your quest to purchase a new home that will save you much time and money in the long run. It can serve as a starting point for the novice home purchaser or a firm reminder for the experienced as to the different important steps to bear in mind. It is not so much about doing things, but rather doing the right things.
One word of caution, the book is primarily meant for U.S. purchasers, particularly the tax advice and the manner in which banks and lending institutions operate, nonetless a good deal of the information and suggestions can be used for individuals living in Canada, Europe or elsewhere.
Follow Here goo.gl/oWca1o To Read Norm's Interview With Shashank Shekhar
Before my retirement, I had been a title attorney in Canada for over thirty-five years and I had been involved in thousands of real estate closings. I can't begin to count the number of new home buyers that did not have a clue as to the important steps they had to take before finding their dream homes. Unfortunately, many purchasers relied on second hand advice from friends, relatives, colleagues and part-time realtors- something that is common where everyone seems to know someone who can add his or her two cent piece in.
My First Home: A Step-by-Step guide to achieving the Ultimate American Dream, which is the newest tome to add to the dozens of books dealing with the same subject matter is important not only for the way the material is presented but also its reader friendly comprehensive contents.
Organized into five sections, Author Shashank Shekhar with the collaboration of Richa Sarin explore the important elements involved in purchasing your first home. These sections include getting ready, searching for your dream home, getting a mortgage, and a closing section dealing with tips on moving, twenty-one ways to save money on utilities, and paying of your mortgage faster. Each section explores such topics as: If you should purchase your own home or rent one, the different types of properties, the flip properties, making an offer, getting your mortgage and what it entails, pitfalls and foolish mistakes to avoid during mortgage approval, property appraisal, insurance, unconventional ways in acquiring properties, home warranty and common ways to hold title. It should be noted that if you are much further ahead in the purchasing process, you can jump directly to sections two or three. However, as the author recommends, it is advisable to read the book from section one to five.
Shekhar has many years of experience as a mortgage lender and first-time buyer expert and is very aware of the complexities in purchasing a home. His motive for writing the book was to make the process of purchasing a home easier and more predictable and as he states: “I do not want lack of knowledge to come in your way of not buying your home.”
He fully understands that purchasing your first home can be frightening especially if you have a complete lack of experience. Consequently, devoid as much as possible of confusing technical terms, Shekhar and Sarin present the material in a manner which demystifies the process and after reading the book you may wonder what all the fuss was about. It also gives you realistic scenarios and lays the groundwork for what what to expect.
What I found particularly helpful is the book's design with its bold large titles introducing topics as well as rich illustrations that appear throughout the book. For example, at the beginning there is a chart that succinctly condenses most of the book's material into little boxes that provide a step-by-step illustration of the process.
In addition there are valuable checklists with rankings that will guide you as to the kind of property that would interest you. For example, the list concerning property features contains what to consider: number of floors, age of the property, type (condo, single level etc), number of bathrooms, number of bedrooms, number of garage spaces, living area, lot size, back yard family room, laundry room, type of appliances, central air conditioning, type of flooring, storage, neighborhood features, commute to work, close to good schools and close to parks/playgrounds. Beside each of these features is a box that you would rate from 1 to 5 in importance to yourself.
The book delivers what it sets out to do and provides timeless important advice in your quest to purchase a new home that will save you much time and money in the long run. It can serve as a starting point for the novice home purchaser or a firm reminder for the experienced as to the different important steps to bear in mind. It is not so much about doing things, but rather doing the right things.
One word of caution, the book is primarily meant for U.S. purchasers, particularly the tax advice and the manner in which banks and lending institutions operate, nonetless a good deal of the information and suggestions can be used for individuals living in Canada, Europe or elsewhere.
Follow Here goo.gl/oWca1o To Read Norm's Interview With Shashank Shekhar
March 3, 2017
Over the course of my life, I have purchased four homes, two privately and two through realtors. Therefore, I consider myself qualified to evaluate a book about the hoops you need to jump through in order to purchase a home. The process is a complicated one, in the world we live in now, the pile of forms in order to complete a home mortgage is nearly an inch thick. This is true even in the cases where the buyer’s credit is excellent, all things move smoothly and other complications such as inspections are not present.
The content of the book is presented in an understandable style and in a logical sequence. All of the basics of purchasing of a home from the perspective of a buyer are covered. It is an excellent primer on the steps you need to go through in order to buy a home, including some of the potential pitfalls. While it is no substitute for professional advice when appropriate, it will properly prepare you for the process, from making the offer to closure.
The content of the book is presented in an understandable style and in a logical sequence. All of the basics of purchasing of a home from the perspective of a buyer are covered. It is an excellent primer on the steps you need to go through in order to buy a home, including some of the potential pitfalls. While it is no substitute for professional advice when appropriate, it will properly prepare you for the process, from making the offer to closure.
January 24, 2017
‘Home ownership is the greatest American Dream, is it not?’
California author/entrepreneur Shashank Shekhar not only is a finance expert focusing on Real Estate and Mortgages; he also has built a company (Arcus) that aids families in financing their homes. Having written two other books – REAL ESTATE UNLEASHED and FIRST TIME HOME BUYING 101 – he also hosts a television and radio show ‘Mortgage Matters’ and has received multiple awards as a mortgage profession for the past five years. His success extends into philanthropy: he is a board member of Give India, a non-profit that works for fundraising for Indian charities.
In his Foreword Shashank states ‘I wrote this book with the sole purpose of making the process easier and more predictable. I do not want lack of knowledge to come in your way of not buying your own home. I have tried to demystify the entire process by avoiding the jargon as much as possible. The book first helps you in deciding whether you are ready to buy or not and then gives a step by step instruction on what you can expect along the process should you decide to buy. The book takes it a step further and even advises you on steps you can take to remain a happy home owner.’
In this warm and accessible manner Shashank discusses the benefits of home ownership as opposed to home rental – building equity while diminishing overall outlay of investment over time, tax benefits (interest on home mortgage, property taxes, loan points for a purchase mortgage), increased stability, appreciation of property, forced saving, increased net worth – in addition to the psychological aspects owning a home imparts to your family, your confidence, your neighborhood, etc. Given the positive aspects of home ownership Shashank then addresses how to decide if you are ready to buy a home (wise points here), assessing your financial readiness (including an excellent section on The Two Headed Savings approach!), obtaining pre-approved for a mortgage, and the process of Home Buying he outlines – get pre-approved, loan search, house hunting, loan application documentation, home appraisal, signing, funding, and closing -choosing a buying team (realtor selection, loan officer (mortgage broker or bank loan officer) and then the journey of searching for your dream home.
Areas of advice on home searching not offered by other books is another reason Shashank’s inclusion of these making his book more valuable, more practical. His discussion regarding the choice of home type (condo, townhouse, single family home) is not only focused on financial aspects but also on personal preferences and social aspects. He describes how to utilize Open House opportunities, how to judge short sale and foreclosure opportunities, evaluating a fixer-upper, researching of neighborhood comparables, making an offer, and all the amenities of termite inspection, home inspection contingencies, and finally – Getting a Mortgage (capacity, cash, credit and collateral). He embellishes his advice with excellent graphics and graphs.
It is in the closing section that Shashank becomes the wise, guiding expert – all of the pitfalls and rarely discussed aspects of gaining a purchase and a mortgage that accompany home ownership. He not only spells out what we should know, but he provides sound recommendations on how we can arrive there safely, securely and happily. His ‘Ten Avoidable Mortgage Blunders’ is worth the price of the book alone! And he Glossary of terms and conditions at the close of the book is invaluable poignant information. This is the most complete, most accessible book yet written about buying a home. Shashank Shekhar has accomplished the firsts fully ‘compleat’ guidebook for your first home. Highly Recommended.
California author/entrepreneur Shashank Shekhar not only is a finance expert focusing on Real Estate and Mortgages; he also has built a company (Arcus) that aids families in financing their homes. Having written two other books – REAL ESTATE UNLEASHED and FIRST TIME HOME BUYING 101 – he also hosts a television and radio show ‘Mortgage Matters’ and has received multiple awards as a mortgage profession for the past five years. His success extends into philanthropy: he is a board member of Give India, a non-profit that works for fundraising for Indian charities.
In his Foreword Shashank states ‘I wrote this book with the sole purpose of making the process easier and more predictable. I do not want lack of knowledge to come in your way of not buying your own home. I have tried to demystify the entire process by avoiding the jargon as much as possible. The book first helps you in deciding whether you are ready to buy or not and then gives a step by step instruction on what you can expect along the process should you decide to buy. The book takes it a step further and even advises you on steps you can take to remain a happy home owner.’
In this warm and accessible manner Shashank discusses the benefits of home ownership as opposed to home rental – building equity while diminishing overall outlay of investment over time, tax benefits (interest on home mortgage, property taxes, loan points for a purchase mortgage), increased stability, appreciation of property, forced saving, increased net worth – in addition to the psychological aspects owning a home imparts to your family, your confidence, your neighborhood, etc. Given the positive aspects of home ownership Shashank then addresses how to decide if you are ready to buy a home (wise points here), assessing your financial readiness (including an excellent section on The Two Headed Savings approach!), obtaining pre-approved for a mortgage, and the process of Home Buying he outlines – get pre-approved, loan search, house hunting, loan application documentation, home appraisal, signing, funding, and closing -choosing a buying team (realtor selection, loan officer (mortgage broker or bank loan officer) and then the journey of searching for your dream home.
Areas of advice on home searching not offered by other books is another reason Shashank’s inclusion of these making his book more valuable, more practical. His discussion regarding the choice of home type (condo, townhouse, single family home) is not only focused on financial aspects but also on personal preferences and social aspects. He describes how to utilize Open House opportunities, how to judge short sale and foreclosure opportunities, evaluating a fixer-upper, researching of neighborhood comparables, making an offer, and all the amenities of termite inspection, home inspection contingencies, and finally – Getting a Mortgage (capacity, cash, credit and collateral). He embellishes his advice with excellent graphics and graphs.
It is in the closing section that Shashank becomes the wise, guiding expert – all of the pitfalls and rarely discussed aspects of gaining a purchase and a mortgage that accompany home ownership. He not only spells out what we should know, but he provides sound recommendations on how we can arrive there safely, securely and happily. His ‘Ten Avoidable Mortgage Blunders’ is worth the price of the book alone! And he Glossary of terms and conditions at the close of the book is invaluable poignant information. This is the most complete, most accessible book yet written about buying a home. Shashank Shekhar has accomplished the firsts fully ‘compleat’ guidebook for your first home. Highly Recommended.
February 7, 2017
“There’s security in bricks and mortar,” my Dad said to me when I was buying my first house, many years ago, and the phrase is still as true today. As was pointed out to me, if you rent forever the place is never your own, and the owner of the property continues to be paid, however the money on a mortgage will decline, and seem easier as the years go by, until your home is 100% your own.
The author of this excellent book has a wealth of experience in this field and offers a tremendous amount of unbiased advice to the reader.
Not only does he take you through the whole process, from the moment you decide you might like to own your own home, till completion and even afterwards, but he also looks at each step objectively with you in mind.
Whether you are unsure as to if your credit score is good enough, if there are tax benefits, how much money you would have to put down, if any, the answers are there.
Are you even sure you are ready to take this huge step?
Or are you not sure, do you want to know more?
Do you need qualification of what will be involved, and how it will affect your life in the future?
Look no further, all the answers lie within these pages.
If your current status is not as you wish, there are plenty of options, on all steps of the path to home ownership, which will help you steer round the obstacles, or at least know what you have to do to overcome them.
Can you save easily, or do you have difficulty in putting money aside for one reason or the other, well advice is offered on how to do this, and where to put the money you are saving.
Then finally, when you are ready the author takes you through the whole process. The attention to detail, each step of the way can help you decide what to do. The author explains to you the pros and cons of working with a Realtor, Mortgage Broker, Bank Loan Officer, and if you chose to do so, how to choose one.
Then he takes you through the search for your dream home, pointing out that location, an urban or rural setting for example, is the prime thing, after all as he says “you can remodel the house and pretty much change everything; but you can’t change the location.”
You may have fixed ideas, but even if this is so, it is worth reading the comparisons between different types of homes and also consider as he says, the things which you would like to have versus the things you must have. This is perhaps especially important if you are buying a property with your partner/spouse, as you may find you have different ideas, such as, your wife may want secretly to have another baby and so that extra room which you think of as a ‘like to have,’ may be a ‘must have,’ to her.
Once you have found your perfect home the author will help you through the mine field of purchasing it, in detail, from making the offer to closing the transaction, explaining what things such as appraisals, home Inspections, insurance, and warranties are, why you should or should not have them.
Until, finally you are set to move into in your new home, where he advises you who you must tell you are moving in.
Of course, once settled, you will have other things to think about, perhaps you may be considering changing the style of décor, or even paying off the mortgage sooner…
I found My First Home incredibly comprehensive, and anyone looking to buy their first home would find it priceless.
The author of this excellent book has a wealth of experience in this field and offers a tremendous amount of unbiased advice to the reader.
Not only does he take you through the whole process, from the moment you decide you might like to own your own home, till completion and even afterwards, but he also looks at each step objectively with you in mind.
Whether you are unsure as to if your credit score is good enough, if there are tax benefits, how much money you would have to put down, if any, the answers are there.
Are you even sure you are ready to take this huge step?
Or are you not sure, do you want to know more?
Do you need qualification of what will be involved, and how it will affect your life in the future?
Look no further, all the answers lie within these pages.
If your current status is not as you wish, there are plenty of options, on all steps of the path to home ownership, which will help you steer round the obstacles, or at least know what you have to do to overcome them.
Can you save easily, or do you have difficulty in putting money aside for one reason or the other, well advice is offered on how to do this, and where to put the money you are saving.
Then finally, when you are ready the author takes you through the whole process. The attention to detail, each step of the way can help you decide what to do. The author explains to you the pros and cons of working with a Realtor, Mortgage Broker, Bank Loan Officer, and if you chose to do so, how to choose one.
Then he takes you through the search for your dream home, pointing out that location, an urban or rural setting for example, is the prime thing, after all as he says “you can remodel the house and pretty much change everything; but you can’t change the location.”
You may have fixed ideas, but even if this is so, it is worth reading the comparisons between different types of homes and also consider as he says, the things which you would like to have versus the things you must have. This is perhaps especially important if you are buying a property with your partner/spouse, as you may find you have different ideas, such as, your wife may want secretly to have another baby and so that extra room which you think of as a ‘like to have,’ may be a ‘must have,’ to her.
Once you have found your perfect home the author will help you through the mine field of purchasing it, in detail, from making the offer to closing the transaction, explaining what things such as appraisals, home Inspections, insurance, and warranties are, why you should or should not have them.
Until, finally you are set to move into in your new home, where he advises you who you must tell you are moving in.
Of course, once settled, you will have other things to think about, perhaps you may be considering changing the style of décor, or even paying off the mortgage sooner…
I found My First Home incredibly comprehensive, and anyone looking to buy their first home would find it priceless.
March 3, 2017
I received a complimentary copy.
I found that this book absolutely covers the whole setup of home buying. The author has included much needed tips and knowledge filled chapters that will most assuredly help to get you on the right path..
I found that this book absolutely covers the whole setup of home buying. The author has included much needed tips and knowledge filled chapters that will most assuredly help to get you on the right path..
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