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There's no place like home!The number of homes for sale is on the rise and mortgage rates remain near historic lows. That makes now a great time to say goodbye to your landlord. With Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home, you'll not only find the right house for you, you'll have fun doing it.This book provides everything you need to: research the local market and listings decide between a house, condo, co-op, or townhouse create a realistic budget qualify for a loan you can truly afford borrow a down payment from friends or family protect yourself with inspections and insurance, and negotiate and close the deal successfully.You'll find insights from 15 real estate professionals -- brokers, attorneys, mortgage specialists, a home inspector, a neighborhood researcher, and more.



About the Author

Ilona Bray J.D.

Ilona Bray, J.D. is an award-winning author and legal editor at Nolo, specializing in real estate, immigration law, and nonprofit fundraising. Many of her books are consistent Nolo bestsellers and award-winners. Ms. Bray particularly enjoys interviewing people and weaving their stories into her books.Bray's working background includes solo practice, nonprofit, and corporate stints, as well as long periods of volunteering, including an internship at Amnesty International's main legal office in London. She received her law degree and a Master's degree in East Asian (Chinese) Studies from the University of Washington School of Law and Jackson School of International Studies, and an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Bryn Mawr College. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, going to open houses, writing children's stories, and gardening.Bray also blogs on Nolo.com on topics such as nonprofit fundraising, real estate, and immigration matters. She's the winner of NAREE's 2012 "Best Blog" award.



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