HOME BUYING IN 30 MINUTES

A real estate expert offers his thoughts on the most important aspects of buying a home.

Debut author Morrison was a home inspector in Greater Boston for 25 years and a contributor to numerous publications covering real estate and construction. In this book, he shares his expertise with readers who may be buying a home for the first time or looking to improve their experience in an increasingly tough market. The author lays out the pitfalls that many homebuyers often fall into—including choosing the wrong agent to work with, not hiring a real estate attorney, not conducting a thorough inspection, or making the wrong decisions when choosing a mortgage—and then structures his chapters around each topic. “By the time you finish this guide,” he promises, “you will know how to assemble a team of real estate professionals that will advocate for your best interests.” The book includes some helpful charts and graphs that explain the basic math of mortgages to house hunters, breaking down income levels and corresponding payments and interest rates. Mainly, though, it’s filled with Morrison’s personal wisdom, as when he advises home purchasers to seek the help of an attorney early in order to make the whole process go as smoothly as possible. He also makes clear arguments against choosing friends and family members as agents, attorneys, and lenders. Instead, he urges readers to ask loved ones to recommend other professionals—and then do homework on each one they suggest. Morrison also warns that one should be skeptical of buzzwords, such as “green,” when evaluating what previous owners have done to improve a home’s efficiency. However, although Morrison’s prose is succinct and efficient, its density makes it more than a 30-minute read despite the promise of the book’s title. More visual elements, checklists, and charts might have helped to make the book even more dynamic and accessible.

A guide that’s a bit text-heavy but filled with appealing advice for house hunters.