Spend the time and money
If you are going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a house, you need to invest the time and money into this book. It has everything you need to know and it is very easy to read and understand. Even if you are not sure your ready yet, this book will help.

essential guide
while some of the stuff is basic info, there's some really excellent advice and info that even a mortgage banker i spoke with didn't know about. definitely worth it

Worth Its Weight in Gold!
I started looking at buying my first house many months ago and realized that the conflicting and often spotty advise I would get from friends and family wasn't enough. I needed a book to guide me and fill in the gaps (of which there were many).

I figured a "Home Buying for Dummies" type book was what I needed, but I didn't stop there and thumbed through almost a dozen home buying books at the local store before finding this gem by Nolo.

This was the ONLY book that guides you through the process, taking logical, simple steps while interjecting real-world experiences from different people.

It's written in a manner that appeals to just about everyone, explaining how to find a good agent (or save yourself on closing costs by using an online broker), what you should REALLY look for when finding the house that's right for you, all the way through closing, and even what's involved afterwards!

Buying a home can be stressful and overwhelming, but this book really made things quite easy. I can't think of a single home buying related subject that it doesn't cover. If you are buying your first house, this book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Excellent comprehensive guide, yet easy to understand
For me, because this is the only first-time buyer's guide that discusses in detail issues around getting a personal gift or personal loan towards purchasing a home, it already deserves 5 stars.

But it's more than just that. This is a very comprehensive guide with a helpful accompanying CD-ROM. The materials are organized clearly and presented in an easy-to-understand manner. I had read other guides such as the Dummies one which tended to be really verbose and confusing. This book stands out as a highly useable companion as you search and purchase your first home (and as you deal with real estate agents and lawyers).

Very highly recommended.

Great - Covers all the basics
My boyfriend and I are buying a place together. He already owns his condo though, so has been through this before, where as I haven't. As a law student, I've used nolo law before and this book was similarly great. Gave me a great foundation so I could understand all my options. Most helpful was the entire chapter on financing and what kind of loan works best for you.