The subject of two articles recently published in the New York Times and endorsed by many leading economists, the authors have developed a completely new process for accurately assessing the value of your home or a potential home. For generations, buying a home has been the best investment Americans could make. But what about now? In the wake of the "housing bubble," some talking heads claim that it's become foolish to own a home with a mortgage. They're wrong. In Houseonomics, two leading economists demonstrate why owning a home is still an excellent investment for most people in most places and help you make smarter decisions wherever you are. This book isn't for aspiring slumlords or flippers: it's for anyone who simply wants to move towards financial security, with a roof over their heads, and a home to call their own. You won't find "too good to be true" schemes here: you'll find a sensible, rational, and totally up-to-date explanation of the economics of home ownership. You'll discover how to calculate the intrinsic fundamental value of a house based on a completely new valuation strategy developed by the authors; develop a vision for financial prosperity via home ownership; and treat housing decisions as the investment decisions they really are. Learn how to negotiate more effectively when purchasing, selling, financing, refinancing, or remodeling; decide when you should prepay your mortgage; and intelligently evaluate rental/vacation properties.