Your Map for a Brave New Real-Estate WorldThe days of real-estate maniawhen you really couldnt go wrong with buying a home, then selling it in a few years for a lot more than you paid for itare over. Inflated prices and the subprime mortgage crisis have finally burst the bubble. Now, more than ever, its important for current and prospective home buyers to understand just what theyre getting into when they take that plungeand to think smarter when it comes to making the most of their biggest asset. The Wall Street Journal. Complete Home Owners Guidebook shows readers how to become savvy home buyersand eventually ownersnot only in this new, uncertain era but in any market: Understand the benefits and pitfalls of owning versus renting Make sense of the housing marketask the important questions, factor in the unforeseen costs, and explode the big myths of home ownership Take advantage of current opportunities if youre a first-time home buyer Overcome the challenges if youre looking to trade up or cash out on your home for retirement Make the best profit on your home in any market Understand why your homeyour number one assetreally isnt such a great investmentFrom the Trade Paperback edition.