This is something of a departure for the former host of PBS's This Old House , who is better known for his advice on fixing houses than for buying them. Thus, while the physical qualities of the would-be ``dream house'' are nicely covered in the several chapters on house inspection, the real value of the book is in Vila's explication of the arcane processes related to purchase and finance. These include working with a broker; shopping for a mortgage; making the offer (and negotiating the best price); and surviving the curious ritual of the closing. Throughout, Vila is more cautionary than most writers when considering the true costs of home ownership. He sees the days of speculative real estate investment as mostly over. A house, he says, is to be lived in and enjoyed. A good guide for the first-time home buyer and recommended for most public libraries.-- Bill Demo, Tompkins Cortland Community Coll., Dryden, N.Y.

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