Read this book and then watch the Big Short. You will laugh and laugh. This is a recipe for the housing market collapse!

I checked this out from the library in audiobook form. I was intending to check out "The Automatic Millionaire," which I'd heard recommended by people who were into "personal finance." I realized pretty quickly that I had a different book but I decided to start listen anyway and it kind of sucked me in. The voice actor who read this book had a very infomercial-sounding voice. Very pleasing and motivational. There was something deeply enjoyable about driving around listening to him tell me that everything would be okay, and in fact, I was destined for riches if I did just a few simple and easy things. Never mind that this was written before the mortgage crisis and great recession and that, if this book can be trusted as an accurate guide to the world at any time, we live in a different world now. While I listened, I noticed my own desire to be soothed, and became aware of a quality in this account that was soothing. Some other specimens from the self-help genres offend me because they feel predatory, but the "automatic millionaire" of this book seemed too fantastical to be exploitative -- truly a remnant of another era. Meanwhile, I learned some mortgage- and homeownership-related vocabulary, which I'm glad I have now.

parts of this book is catering to the aspirational during the run-up to the financial crisis of 2008. That being said there is still important topics discussed and things to know in this book. I just would not expect homeownership the to the sole driving force for wealth accumulation [millionaire status]

Another very basic book. It does offer some specific tips (for example, to ask for the application fee back from your lender if your mortgage is approved), but it can be summarized on something that goes like this:
- Never rent, but rather buy a home (and once you get another home, don't sell the first one)
- With home appreciation, refinance in a few years, and take equity out to buy another one

The book was written before the real estate market crash of 2008/2009, and does not really address two of the main implicit assumptions it makes, and that not always hold true: that real estate prices will go up, and that you can refinance at a similar rate when you get equity out of your home

Laughably out of date, but I knew that was going to be an issue going in. Principles are presented clearly, though I think putting them into practice (especially after 2008) is going to be extraordinarily difficult.

Practical advise aimed at the first-time home-buyer. If you are thinking about giving up renting, but aren't sure, if you are confused by the various types of mortgages and financing, if you are scared of picking a realtor, this book will be helpful. If you've already purchased a home, it is simply a refresher.

It has a brief section on the value of renting your first home while living in your second which is interesting. The author is careful to not over-hype the value of homeownership, and he certainly didn't underplay the risk (its interesting to note that this book written in 2005 warns about the risk of the housing bubble bursting before it happened. The author doesn't blow smoke to make sales).

Recommended for: First time home-buyers, especially single people in their 20s.

I think his books are written on an 8th grade level and should be read by high schoolers as a class assignment. However, for adults in 2011 they are desperately outdated now. Maybe if you have never read one they are ok.

A few good tidbits. It’s a good book to get a check list of things to follow as you buy. But also one of those you listen to instead of read and at 2.5 speed in the background. It’s a good base for buying but as others have said it’s dated and imo a bit corny. I learned a few things. it’s unclear yet if these are things my real estate agent or lender would have given me anyway though.

Tiene un inicio entretenido y te jala para seguir conociendo más, pero luego en la 2da parte se vuelve muy básico, está recomendado principalmente para personas que aún no tengan una primera vivienda

I picked this up because I had been promised comic relief in the context of a guy telling you to buy as much house as you can afford and the possibilities of "incredible" no-money-down or variable rate mortgages ...in 2006.
But actually he did offer a fair bit of caution and there are some interesting tidbits if, like me, you're unfamiliar with house buying.

Seems to be more helpful and tips useful for only Western people, based on their financial trends, but there are some tips provided, that can be used by anyone who wants to grow.

It was an interesting read; especially being on the wrong side of the bust. However, I thought there were a number of good tips for all aspects of buying a home. I think it would behoove people to be a little more conservative, but the plan of action laid out in this book is certainly insightful. There are also a number of good resources listed in the book.

The style of writing really does motivate me. I want Clayton to read this book so that we can be on the same page as far as some of the tips and goals for the future!

I am also interested in reading the other books in the Finish Rich series.