Nolo’s Real Estate Tips for Home Buyers

I love "best" lists, because they're usually:
1) short and snappy.
2) based on a decent amount of research, and
3) give you a sense (maybe artificial) that the world can be ranked in an orderly way.

And this seems to be the season for best lists. For example, Forbes magazine has named its ten best retirement spots. Yes, Florida is on there, but not in the first three, which include:
1) Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
2) Nassau County, New York, and
3) Pima County, Arizona.

U.S. News & World Report magazine has named its 2009 ten best places to live in the U.S. based on factors like strong economies, low costs of living, access to healthcare and education, and recreation. Its top three are:
1) Albuquerque, New Mexico
2) Auburn, Alabama, and
3) Austin, Texas.
(Apparently, use of the letter "A" in the name was a criterion as well.)

And not to be outdone, Kiplinger's magazine has named the ten top U.S. cities for stable employment and new career opportunities. Start packing your bags for:
1) Huntsville, Alabama
2) Albuquerque, New Mexico, or
3) Washington, D.C.

Hey, Albuquerque made two out of the three lists! Maybe I should start packing.

Thanks go to Money magazine's annual "Best List" for mentioning this website in its "Best Way Not to Sell Your House" category: Lovelylisting.com.

My coworkers have probably wondering why I've been giggling at my desk for the last ten minutes, and this is it. The website collects listing photos that would cause most home buyers to run in the other direction; you'll see photos dedicated to showing off giant cracks in the flooring, cleaning equipment seemingly tumbling down a steep staircase, obviously Photoshopped giant tulips in an otherwise drab yard, and more.

There were times when I was writing our recent book, Selling Your House in a Tough Market, that I worried our advice about making the place look good was too obvious to merit space on the page... but I've just put those fears to rest.

That's right, I'm now the owner of a new (but old, made of recycled wood), Audubon-specification-compliant wren house.

Actually, I think I spent more time with this choice than with the house I'm living in. As with human houses, the particular bird houses I was checking out were all unique, made by Berkeley Rustic Birdhouses. I had to carefully consider price range, size (the entry, in particular, can't be too big if you want to attract wrens), aesthetics, and -- trying to get into the mindset of a small bird here -- which one might feel like "home." Sound familiar?

Mounting it became another lesson in home ownership -- there's nothing so valuable as a friendly neighbor with power tools! (Thanks, Joe.)

Now I'm suddenly shifting into the mindset of a home seller. Will any birds take a look? Will they peer inside in delight and say, "This is it!" or just look for signs to the next open house? I'm told it could take a year or more (for one thing, the birds need to feel sure I'm not going to move this new object tomorrow), but of course I want some to move in right now...

Nothing fits so well into your budget as something that's entirely free. And the plus side of living in a consumer society on overdrive is that people are increasingly willing to just give stuff away rather than figure out what else to do with it.

Sometimes being alert to what's on the street is enough. Even in my own, less-than-upscale neighborhood, I've picked up post-garage-sale finds ranging from clothing to file drawers to my very own Oakland A's baseball cap (I'm not a native, but I'm told it's a must-have around here.)

And the online world has added a new layer of possibilities. If you're not yet addicted, check out the free section of Craigslist. (It's there under "For Sale.") In the SF Bay Area, at least, you'll find everything from desks to dirt to dressers.

Another favorite is Freecycle, a grassroots nonprofit where members both advertise giveaways and post requests for what they need.

And for more tips and inspiration, see this September 5th USA TODAY article by Jayne O'Donnell, "If you can't afford it, then get it for free". 

Trust the English to come up with a list of tips for homebuyers who have -- or are thinking of getting -- a dog. It's in the Telegraph, and includes the sage advice, "If your dog is unhappy with your new house, you will end up unhappy there, too."

Of course, not every house will have the backyard creek and first floor walk-in shower featured in the article, but it's worth keeping your eyes open for such dog-friendly features. At the very least, every pet owner should consider where the dog's paws will first step after a romp in the mud.

While you're reading the Telegraph, check out the "Property" and "Gardening" sections, where every home really does look like a castle.

Ilona Bray

If you love to fantasize about new businesses or keep up with the latest entrepreneurial ideas, check out Springwise.com. Here are just a few of the interesting sites you'll find in the Homes & Housing section:

• Realius.com. Suite of fantasy real estate games where you can do everything from compete with other players guessing the real price of homes, or build fantasy houses -- perfect for real estate junkies (though now limited to the Bay Area only).


• RentOMeter.com. Offers help figuring out whether or not you're paying too much rent (for tenants) or charging too little (for landlords), compared to other properties in the area.


• DesignMyRoom.com. Ideal for new homeowners who want help designing a room -- includes feedback from friends and product suggestions.


• HalfShare.com. Share owning in a second (luxury or vacation) home.


• Ecolect.net. Extensive library of sustainable building and design materials from tiles and paint, to insulation and more.

But Springwise covers much more than real estate. Where else will you find out about press-on eyeshadow kits, a DVD that puts your child in a cartoon with Dora or another favorite character, custom-made energy bars, a shoe-fanatic vlog network, or guided running tours in major cities like New York and Chicago? Check it out!

Marcia Stewart