Product guide

Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home, Ninth Edition

Ninth Edition: Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home is a 480-page English-language guide for people navigating a first home purchase. It covers researching listings, choosing among property types, budgeting, loans, inspections, insurance, negotiation and closing, with contributions from real estate professionals and stories from more than 20 first-time buyers.

At a glance

Topics span property searches and choosing among houses, condos, co-ops and townhouses through budgeting, loans, inspections, insurance, negotiation and closing.
The listing describes contributions from real estate professionals including agents, attorneys, mortgage specialists and a home inspector.
Includes real-life accounts from over 20 first-time homebuyers, according to the listing.

Price

$20.99Save 22%

Reference price: ~~$26.99~~

Price checked: Nov 14, 2026

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Home Buying Kit For Dummies

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Pros and cons

Pros

Covers multiple stages of buying, from researching listings and budgets to inspections and closing.
The listing presents perspectives from professionals in several real estate roles, rather than only one type of contributor.
The described subject matter includes several property types, including condos, co-ops and townhouses.

Technical specifications

9 specifications

Publication
Publisher	NOLO
Edition	Ninth
Publication date	March 25, 2025
Language	English
Print length	480 pages

Identifiers
ISBN-10	1413332420
ISBN-13	978-1413332421

Dimensions and installation
Weight listed	1.6 pounds
Dimensions	7 x 1.25 x 9.19 inches

What to know before buying

The buying guidance is presented as a broad guide. The supplied listing does not identify a particular state or local market, so readers should confirm that details relevant to their location are addressed.

Who is it for?

A good fit for

First-time buyers who want an overview of home searches, financing, inspections and closing.
Readers comparing houses, condos, co-ops or townhouses and planning a purchase budget.

Less suited to

Readers seeking a guide specifically tailored to a named state or locality, based on the supplied listing details.
Readers looking only for a narrow reference on one step, such as home inspections or mortgage qualification.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.6 / 5 · 525 ratings

5 stars78%78%
4 stars14%14%
3 stars7%7%
2 stars1%1%
1 star0%0%

Customer feedback describes the guide as informative and easy to understand, with readers appreciating its usefulness as a starting point for first-time buyers. The listed customer summary also characterizes the chapters as well-structured and written by contributors specializing in their fields. For buyers who need a broad process overview, that reported clarity may help with initial research, while the guide's listed subject coverage should not be mistaken for advice tailored to a specific locality.

Positive themes

Customers report that the guide is informative and understandable.
Customer feedback praises its relevance as a resource for first-time homebuyers.
The customer summary describes the chapters as well-structured and written by contributors with subject-area specialties.

Frequently asked questions

What parts of the buying process does the guide cover?

The listing describes coverage of local market and listing research, selecting a home, budgeting, loans, down payments, inspections, insurance, negotiation and closing.

Does it cover more than detached houses?

Yes. The listing says it addresses choosing a house, condo, co-op or townhouse.

Who contributes to the book?

The listing says it includes insights from professionals such as agents, attorneys, mortgage specialists and a home inspector, as well as stories from over 20 first-time homebuyers.