Written by an investor, not a celebrity's ghost writer. In 12 easy digestible chapters, this book covers what to look for in buying your next home, whether it is a flat or a house. A good home should also make a good property investment. This book should empower you to value the property you want, yourself, without relying on estate agents, and to understand how the system works in England and Wales. It explains about how to work out what you can afford, getting a mortgage and options for first time buyers. This book gives advice on bidding, negotiating, gazumping, hidden costs and conveyancing in England and Wales, and also sets out property development issues to consider. Each chapter concludes with a summary of top tips. There is a sister book written by this author: The Expert's Guide to Selling a House in the UK: helping you to sell well. An effort has been made not to duplicate the information in each book.