Single doesn’t mean renter in this guide for female buyers

DO single women really need their own book on buying real estate?

They certainly are buying homes in greater numbers. In 2005, 21% of home purchases were made by single women, according to a National Assn. of Realtors survey. That’s up from 15% in 2001. Single men accounted for just 9% of the home-buying market in 2005.

The figures shouldn’t be a surprise, considering the number of women who are marrying later, who go through a divorce at some point and who outlive their husbands. Nevertheless, women can be nervous about making such a big purchase on their own, according to Donna Raskin and Susan Hawthorne, authors of “The Single Woman’s Guide to Real Estate.”

Raskin, a magazine and book writer, and Hawthorne, owner of a Boston Re/Max office, wrote their book to speak to these potential home buyers -- the unmarried, the newly divorced and those ready to purchase a vacation, retirement or investment property. Their hope was to write a book that communicates useful information to women in a fun, intimate and reassuring way and to address issues unique to single female buyers.

They have largely succeeded, although single men and couples might also appreciate their informed, candid advice and clear explanations of financial transactions and strategies.

The first half of the book focuses on general information for any home buyer. It’s particularly strong in its explanations of mortgage loan products (including the benefits and risks of adjustable-rate mortgages), credit scores, down payments, closing costs and fees.

The authors describe how to work with all the players -- real estate agents, brokers, lenders, sellers -- and list websites they find reliable. They explain how to make an offer, what’s involved in title searches and home inspections and how to approach negotiations.

Trying to decide whether a house is right for you? Raskin and Hawthorne offer their “secret decision-making method”: Write down all the pros in one column, the cons in another. Rate each item on a scale of importance from 1 to 20. Then add up the numbers in both columns, subtracting the “cons” total from the “pros.”

“If you end up with a negative number, then that’s not the house for you,” they write. “The negatives outweigh the positives.”

Raskin and Hawthorne have a light touch when discussing the emotional aspects of real estate purchases and issues that may be of particular concern to women, such as safety, discrimination and maintenance. They clearly are sold on homeownership, but they spend a few pages describing situations where it’s not a good idea to buy, such as when there’s high credit-card debt or a lack of interest in maintaining a property.

Interspersed throughout the book are first-person accounts by women who are at different stages of their lives. They write about working two jobs and living with a parent to save up for a first home, recovering financially after a difficult divorce, learning how to become a full-time real estate investor. These personal stories are compelling and show how women take risks, both good and bad, with their money.

The second half of the book zeros in on specific situations: buying a first home, deciding about housing after a divorce, choosing a vacation house, considering investment properties and building a home.

In the chapter on the post-divorce home, the authors suggest that if your credit has been harmed (by unpaid bills or revenge credit-card use), you should pay bills for a few months, then contact creditors to explain the situation and ask them to fix your credit report.

“These issues are so typical, in fact,” the book says, “that many credit agencies and lenders will give you the benefit of the doubt IF you have been responsible in the past and return to your responsible habits within a reasonable period, such as three or six months.”

The book is filled with charts, Q&As;, sidebars and checklists, as well as a sample offer letter, a sample home warranty and a mortgage calculator.

Because it covers so much ground, all of “The Single Woman’s Guide” is not going to be of interest to every reader. But a first-time buyer might gain something from having an eye to investing in a second piece of property down the line. And a retiree who’s been out of the market for years will benefit from reviewing the latest lending trends.