Book Description

This intriguing book is not just another get-rich-quick scheme: the Fast Cash is what you pay, not what you get!

And what you pay Fast Cash for is notes—valuable and legally binding promises to pay, secured by real estate, and bought at a discount.

Then you collect the full amount of the note, usually in monthly payments, and earn a handsome profit.

Lorelei Stevens is one of America’s premier career note buyers. In the pages of Fast Cash she immerses you in the business through absorbing stories of how it’s really done, one note at a time.

The unexpected result is a masterpiece of human interest writing. It follows the dreams and despair of people who’ve sold their real estate, financed the sale with a note, and later found themselves in need of fast cash.

That’s where the note buyer steps in—and that’s where you step into Lorelei Stevens’ fascinating world of Fast Cash. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Makes you want to leave your desk and hit the streets!
From someone who recently passed the Real Estate exam, this book gets you motivated, eager to get started and the confidence to do it right! Mr. Hopkins shares his success right down to the small details. He practically provides a road map to success. This book is all the training in Real Estate you'll ever need.

Sure-fire strategies to build a great business!
Whether you are new to the business or are a seasoned pro, this book will give you all the techniques, strategies, scripts, ideas and more to build a great and lasting real estate business.

Probably the best feature about this book is that Mr. Hopkins doesn't just tell you what to do, he tells you EXACTLY how to go about doing it -- step by step, including the exact language to use. (My only issue with the book is that, even though it was written in 1991, it is a bit dated. But this is a minor point at best.)

This book covers essential real estate business development activities such as:

* Canvassing
* For Sale By Owner
* Expired listings
* Listing banks (farming)
* Listing Tools
* Listing Presentations
* Closing

Chock full of scripts to handle each situation, necessary charts and graphs for presentations, letters and notes, plus essential descriptions of how to be and what it means to be a real estate professional versus a run-of-the-mill real estate person, this book is worth its weight in diamonds for anyone willing to study it and put its ideas into action.

For the SERIOUS real estate professional ONLY, this book will kick your business into high gear!!

Classic Book For All Realtors
A must read for any new Real Estate Agents. The material is older, but there are timeless techniques that any Realtor can benefit from. There is an abundance of information and inspiration. Highly recommended.

Slightly outdated but many useful ideas
The book itself is slightly outdated with verbiage and action plans that are better suited to the 80s. However, it is still a good read. There are numerous ideas, scripts, and sample documents that can help any agent add a little something different to their business.
The author is reknown in our business and offers another point of view in handling difficult customer situations - I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it very informative.

Reads like a car salesman
Its an okay book. My only problem is the author provides a lot of scripts and selling techniques that use lies to manipulate people. For example he recommends pretending you may want to buy a home as a personal investment when calling of FSBOs who advertise "no brokers". Its also a very old book and some of the stuff that worked in the 80s doesnt work any more. ... Read more

Book Description

This imporant book provides the model for ethics-based, client-first servicein the real estate industry.It shows you how to stay in step with technology and incorporate the Internet with the personal touch clients expect.You'll also learn a variety of strategies in deal-making, home staging, reverse farming, referral streams, and future income streams that will make you a more productive and more successful agent. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

great book
This is a great book especially for the new agent. It tells all about every single step you are going to take during a real estate transaction and gives great tips on prospecting and other helpful information a new agent might want to know. I have read several others books and this one is by far the best. Most of the other books have been about "scripts" and salesmen approaches to closing the deal. I totally disagree with the old approach. There is nothing wrong with being honest in a real estate transaction, after all it's your own business.

Positive and Informative
This book has loads of useful information and advice both for people considering a career as a real estate agent and for those already in the business. The author is extremely positive in her style throughout the book, and makes the reader believe he/she can't help but succeed with the right approach, hard work, and perserverence. I recommend this book to anyone thinking of becoming or already a real estate agent.

Buy this book if you're considering a career in real estate!
This book is fun, helpful and informative to anyone interested in starting a real estate career. It contains a ton of helpful information and is written in an intelligent manner, with tips and hints along the way. I'm studying for my real estate license and although I'm learning a lot from an accredited company, it's nice to have a book that discusses the aspects of real estate in a lighter, easy-to-read tone.

Not Realistic
The author has a utopian view of the world of real estate that is far from reality. She acts as if one does everything in her book clients will come flocking to one's door. If it were this easy, everyone would be a real estate agent. As proof, I visited the author's website, and she has only one house listed for sale.

This book gives the new agent tools to move with confidence
I bought this book immediately after passing the real estate exam. While I was reading it I became engrossed in it. Marilyn Sullivan inspires the spirit of professionalism, integrity and Ethics for the Real Estate Agent. This book is loaded with excellent principals, suggestions, advice and must do's. This book really should be a must read for every Real Estate Agent Candidate in every state. Speaking as the new kid on the block, this book has given me the tools to move ahead in my new career with confidence and a sense of pride of being a Real Estate Agent. I feel that armed with this new knowledge from Marilyn Sullivan, I will be a success in my new career. ... Read more

Book Description

This popular business start up guide prodives an effective system for new agents to successfully plan their days and weeks.Up and Running in 30 Days features a results driven business development model that will increase productivity in new and seasoned agents like. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Keep Your Checkbook Open
If you buy this book, plan on keeping your checkbook open. You'll need it to buy the other books that Carla Cross frequently references and which are, unfortunately, key to using some of the charts contained in this book. Without the information from the other books it makes some of the charts useless. In the first 20 pages alone there are a dozen references to other books, either written by the author or others.

Up & Running in 30 Days
This book seemed very interesting but it still left me with a lot of questions..... For one where are these tapes that are continuously reffered to in the book? Also, this book assumes you are already an agent and I would think that part of getting running is how to get started! If anyone knows about the tapes for this book please e-mail me at mpdragon@netzero.net

Simply the best quick start business plan for realtors.
Very logical, simple, yet through. This book pinpoints why so many agents fail in their first year of real estate. Lack of proper planning from a true business perspective. Excellent jump-start to get going in this industry.

Not a good book
This book was a waste of money! The forms and checklists are great, but it lacks a lot of other important information. I would suggest "How to List and Sell Real Estate in the 90's" by Daniell Kennedy, it is very motivational and packed with excellant information. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

pass this book if you want to pass the test
I studied using practice tests that had been supplied to me by the professional school through which I had taken the Real Estate Principles course. I ordered Minnie Lush's book as a supplemental item and found it completely useless. In fact, during my last few days of "cramming" before taking the test, I found a question that was identical in two different books, and for which different answers were given. In a state of panic, I examined my study guides more carefully and decided to toss Minnie's book aside. I took the California salesperson test on June 14th for the first time, after using mainly a prep book from Anthony Schools, and PASSED.
Looking back, I see that Minnie's questions were vague in their wording and apparently incorrect in some instances. I would not recommend this book to anyone preparing for the state exam.

A good solid secondary source to complement your prep
For those of you currently preparing for the California real estate salesperson or brokers' exam(s), you're probably enrolled in a live or video course that already has its own books and materials that were included with it.

This book is a nice secondary addition to the primary materials that you alreadly likely have in place. That being said, I found this book to be extremely helpful to examine the various real estate principles one will face on the actual California real estate exam.

Often, I think many California realty students get too bogged down with materials generated by only one education company, professor, live lecture of video series, etc... and they forget that the California realtors examination covers a multitude of topics from many different angles.

I highly recommend that you buy and use this book as a direct and positive supplement to the core materials and/or educational sources that you've already been using while prepping for your California real estate exam.

Of particular value, if nothing else, in this book, is the Hot Tips/Hot Topics section of the book in which the authors have pleasantly reduced hundreds of nitbits regarding California law into exhaustive and easy to understand one-sentence blurbs. I found that cramming and/or memorizing these hot-tips on the last few nights before my actual exams were critical to my securing a passing grade.

Like other guidebooks, it comes with reams of practice questions, many that you've likely seen before--but as we all know, the secret to passing the California exam is practice, practice, practice. Buy this book. You wont regret it. ... Read more

Book Description

DID YOU KNOW THAT . . .

. . . Real estate is a better long-term investment than the stock market?

. . . You don’t need a lot of money to begin? Since time immemorial, real estate has been an excellent investment. The long-term returns have actually exceeded the stock market and other investments. If you’re looking for financial security, real estate can provide you with welcome supplemental income, year after year. And if you thought investing in real estate was out of your reach, this book will change your mind . . . and your future! Experienced real estate broker and investor Nicholas Masters demystifies the entire process of buying real estate for you and shows you how to get started. Illustrating his explanations with examples from his own experiences in thirty years of real estate investing, Masters takes you step-by-step through the process of understanding the benefits of owning real estate, finding and evaluating properties, getting financing, closing the deal, and managing your property.

You’ll find out . . .

• Why your first real estate investment should be your own home
• Why there’s safety in numbers—the advantages of real estate investment "clubs"
• The pros and cons of individual ownership, partnerships, and corporations
• How to find properties—brokers, foreclosures, government surplus, sales leasebacks, and other methods of matching up with the right purchase
• The ins-and-outs of financing and mortgages—balloon mortgages versus fixed rate; liens and bankruptcies; and other financing options
• How to deal with repairs, tenant relations, insurance, and other aspects of managing property . . . and why hiring a professional management firm could be a good idea for you You don’t need a million dollars to start making money in real estate. All you need is the clear information and sensible, reality-based guidance you’ll find in How to Make Money in Commercial Real Estate for the Small Investor.

Reviews (5)

Buy this book first
When I decided I wanted to learn more about commercial real estate investment, I bought a pile of books that claimed to be relevant and started working my way through them. This one was the ONLY one that I feel was really worth the read. It starts out by ascertaining whether the reader is truly ready to buy commercial real estate, taking a very prudent view of personal finances. It lays out everything worthwhile that any of the books on this subject lay out, and does so in a very readable manner. At the same time, it does not talk down to the reader or try to "dumb down" any of the material. I would suggest starting with only this book, and then buying other books (or talking to experts) in a more focussed manner, based upon what you find here. Incidentally, I haven't bought any commercial real estate yet, but I still intend to and I am trying to follow the advice of this book in preparing to do so.

Sound information. Good for experienced or beginners.
This is a good book with lots of good information. The book is great for persons without any knowledge of commercial real estate and is a good reference book for persons with experience in commercial real estate.

It is worth noting, however, that the much of the author's experience with investment real estate seemed to be during the 1970's decade. During that period of time there was hyper inflation in the real estate market. Often values and prices paid for real estate did not make much sense.

Some of the examples in the book refer to properties indicated to be worth several million dollars - and not exactly what you would call a small investment property.

However, the financial scenarios in this book are based on reasonably sound financial and economic theory. And the reasoning for the mathematical financial calculations seem to be fairly sound.

The book is a good buy for the price.<...

Great way to get started
This book was very simple to read, but jam packed with information. I not only enhanced my knowledge of real estate investing, but also got a refresher in economics. Masters discusses many tools and tips on the best way to get started and shares his experiences both good and bad. While he answered many questions that I had, he opened the doors to other questions I never thought of. I thought I was ready, but now I realize I still have some work to do.

If you are serious about Real Estate, you must read this one
This book and "The Complete Idiots Guide to Real Estate" are my two all time favorite real estate books. This is about true real estate investing. If you are sick of the no-money down,flipping, foreclosure, single family bottom end type books then this is for you.

Very Inspiring
From the front cover to the last page, I found this to be one of the most informative books on investing in commercial real estate for the small investor that I have ever read. I would recomend that anyone considering investing in commercial real estate read this book. It contains information not readily known to the general public. Mr. Masters obviously knows the in's and out's of investing in commercial real estate, and he has graciously shared that information in this well written and delightful book. ... Read more

Book Description

Through savvy investing and the basic principles of entrepreneurship, experienced and novice investors alike can find financial freedom in real estate investments.Global real estate expert Russ Whitney provides an easy to read, comprehensive look at both traditional and creative methods of real estate investment.

In Millionaire Real Estate Mentor: The Secrets to Financial Freedom through Real Estate, Whitney discusses when to purchase property, describes details to research, and introduces the pros and cons of various types of real estate, investing, and financing.He encourages his readers not to be intimidated by real estate investments but to educate themselves, set goals and stick to them.The publication is the ultimate reference guide for all real estate investors, experienced and novice, to financial freedom. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

GO FOR THE RICHES with Millionaire Real Estate Mentor
I have been a real estate broker and real estate investor for over 30 years. I have read a tremendous number of "HOW TO' books on real estate investing. Russ Whitney's Millionaire Real Estate Mentor is a masterpiece for beginners as well as experienced real estate investors. It covers it all, from Creating a Power Team, Wholesale Buying, Purchase Options, Preforeclosures and Foreclosures, Mobile Homes, Rehabbing, Commercial Real Estate and a whole lot more, including Powerful Wealth Building tips.Written in a style easy to read and understand. Go for the Riches with this book!!

Everything You need to know tomake $$ in real estate
This book is the most comprehensive book on real estate I've ever read. I've been to many courses, and have read other books, but this one offers advice on everything you could imagine when it comes to buying, investing in,maintaining, and selling real estate. It's not a "get rich quick" book. And that's a good thing. Russ explains that you need to surround yourself with a wealth team to advise you and guide you (especially if you're new at this) so you make the best decisions. If you're serious about making money in Real Estate, I'd advise buying this book!

Why does Amazon keep deleting the one star reviews?
You should always take any Amazon "rating" and subtract about 2 stars since they delete the unfavorable reviews and let the authors write many 5 star reviews under different names and post them.

This is the third or fourth reveiw I've written for this book. It is esentially a collection of late night TV commercials so save your money. You might also do an internet search on the author's name before buying.

Not for beginners
If you enjoy watching get-rich-quick late night TV, by all means, buy this book. For the rest of the real investers, go do a Google search on the author's name. Spend a few minute researching before spending your money. I did the research and brought the book anyway, because I want to see what Whitney has to say. It turns out a lot better than I had expected. I think he copied a little here and there from other books.

I would not recommand this book to beginners, because they don't know enough to know what they don't know, and this book only teaches and motivates readers enough to get them into trouble.

The Only Real Estate Book I Have Seen That Is Not Crud
I have always been a real estate sceptic (at least a sceptic) but I have to admit I like this book. The testimonials are a nice touch and some make sense for me. I am primarily a stock market investor. That is what I know and understand best-it is my specialty. I have alway had an interest in real estate but I really did not understand how to go about it. This book provides some very usable techniques for the newcomer. Also techniques for avoiding losing money are presented throughout the book. I only have two complaints but they are not really about just this book. First, there is no section that deals with the risks of real estate investing in an explicit way. This is a peeve of mine with both stock investing and real estate investing. The tone shall we say is upbeat and devil take the hindmost. There is no crime in explicitly discussing risk and I do not understand why people do not do this when they write books about real estate and stocks. Nevertheless this book contains much more information on how not to lose money than virtually any other book on real estate I have seen. Second, I wonder about the level of research and exposure in the real estate arena. In stocks the vast majority of profit is made at the market level with the complete curve being gaussian. I wonder if the same is true in real estate or if there are real opportunities to "beat the market" in real estate. But these are advanced questions that reading this book got me thinking about and that is good. This is the first real estate book I have read which could convince me to participate. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (13)

Does a bubble really exist?
The main problem with this book is that the author believes the housing market will crash and so therefore it is not an objective look at the residential real estate market. As a result, I did not find it helpful. I live in Southern California. The housing market crashed in the early 1990s not because of interest rates or overbuilding but because of a severe recession. The California economy was still in recession while the rest of the country improved. This drove many people out of the state, which of course led to more supply of housing than demand. Housing dropped approximately 40%. However, anyone who held onto their home made that 40% and more back in less than a decade. A previous reviewer claimed that San Diego's population and housing have increased at the same rate, yet there has been a 110% increase in prices. This simply is not possible. Housing is based on supply and demand. Housing simply won't go up in value if there is little or no demand.

It is estimated that only 80% of the necessary housing is being built to accommodate the large numbers of people moving into Southern California. For every 3 jobs created in Orange County, California only one housing unit is built. This has driven many OC workers into homes in surrounding areas like Long Beach and Riverside, which has driven prices up in these areas. Many building companies are wary of overbuilding so they are constraining supply. Local governments make more money from commercial real estate, so they have had strong incentives to provide more permits for commercial rather than residential real estate, which has contributed to current housing shortages. An increase in interest rates may temporarily dampen the housing market but as more people enter the rental markets already sky-high rents will go higher driving even more people back into the housing market. I don't see any decline in Southern California housing for a long time. As a result, I don't believe that there will be a housing bust anytime soon to benefit from.

Real estate is local, so you can't judge what may happen in Illinois based on what is happening in Arkansas, which is why I am only discussing my local market. The rule of thumb is that housing increases an average of 6% a year. Some housing markets can go into decline and remain in decline for years. However, these are generally areas that are/were dependent on one industry or one company as an employer. This book is interesting in many respects but I don't feel that his premise applies where I live.

Perfect Timing
The whole "How to Profit" thing is a little overdone
these days, but this book's timing is good enough to
make up for the unoriginal title. Here in California,
real estate is clearly a bubble, and Rubino does a
good job of laying out the causes and consequences.
Then he fits the housing bubble into the big picture
which, if he's right, is absolutely terrifying. In a
nutshell, we've been borrowing like crazy for the past
twenty years, and now we're eating our home equity.
Pretty soon we'll run out of wiggle room and the whole
system will crumble. People who borrowed to the max on
overvalued houses will go bankrupt and the companies
that are inflating the housing bubble will crash. And
the east and west coasts, where home prices are
highest, will have the hardest time. All things
considered, it's a tightly-reasoned, well-written,
very scary argument.

One tip for readers: You can skip the "Housing
history" section (it's interesting but not necessary
to understanding today's housing bubble) and go
straight to the second section, where Rubino explains
how the housing bubble happened and why it's going to
pop.

Not a great treatment, but there isn't much alternative
SUMMARY:

If you are just looking at this thread for the first time, and are the general "layperson" most of us are, I suggest you might want to read the first half (125 pages) to get a relatively complete and coherent high level discussion of the possibility a bubble exists. After you do that there are lots of web resources that have more detailed & up to date facts & arguements. It's a pretty easy read -- too easy, if anything, it does not go nearly far enough in depth for my tastes (but then again I am a systems analyst by profession). I personally think this book is mostly worthless, indeed possibly even dangerous in its advice, for the purposes the title claims (how to make money on the bubble popping), but the description of the arguments to for trying to do so are a bit better.

DETAILS:

The first half of the book (which another reviewer suggests you could skip -- !!!) is actually the most useful IMO. It gives a general summary of the reasons that sugggest current housing prices are unsustainable. The arguments are not very complexly constructed, but I don't fault the book for it, I think it has a target audience, and that is the general public, not the subset who have a firm grasp of macroeconomics & math. My biggest gripe with this part of the book is that he expresses some facts in a misleading way, to my mathematically semi-sophisticated eye. For example, on p. 62 he has a graph of total US debt and GDP vs. a 45 year time axis. To the "untrained eye" (and he supports this impression in his text), it looks like debt is growing much faster than gdp. This impression is created by the fact that both are under $5trillion in 1957, and by 2002 gdp is $10t and debt around $34t. However, I suspect if you graphed the RATIO of debt to GDP (which is really the issue, what multiple of gdp is debt, i.e. very roughly, how many years of earnings collectively would it take to pay off collctive debt), you will see the ratio MUCH higher at the start of the period than now, you'd probably see a decline in the graph slope for many years, then maybe an increase starting around 1985, based upon an eyeball evaluation of the two curves. That would have been a MUCH more meaningful graph, a more useful historical perspective. Maybe he thought that too abstract for his intended audience, being a derivative of the data (change over time in the rate of change of the ratio), but in this particular case I believe he has made more out of those historical numbers than is really warranted. The problem for me is, when you see that once, you start to trust less all the rest of the arguments he makes, you instead find yourself wondering "what did he leave out or misrepresent this time?" But with that caveat, I repeat that this is still the best overall attemtpt to make a case for a housing bubble, with the possible exception of a "Special Survey" done by the magazine Economist on 5/29/2003, which looks at the issue from an international perspective.

The last 1/2 of the book (the ostensible purpose, "how to make (or save) your money when the bubble bursts") seems even less well thought out. I'm not a professional investor, but I have been doing it a couple decades now & I came out of reading this book with very few viable (IMO) ideas on how to achieve what the title promises. For example, buying cash rich companies -- he lists msft, csco, intl, dell, nok. This advice is totally bereft of the context of stock price or p/e, and I'm sorry, a dollar is worth a dollar, and you can't say a company with cash is a good buy without even referencing how much cash you will pay for that cash!!! the suggestion of convertible bonds is also curious, I admit I have not looked at them much in my years, but my intuitive reaction is, won't these only do better than normal bonds as the stock price INCREASES (i.e. as it approaches the conversion price?) these bonds pay a lower rate & make up for that with the option to convert to shares at a fixed stock price. The value of that conversion option drops with the stock price (indeed for convertibles close to strike price, stock price changes are MAGNIFIED in the convertible pricing). And regarding gold pricing -- I actually have one raw gold producer that he mentions on my watch list right now, they are a major player in many other metals markets as well (copper, silver, etc). Having that POV, I can tell you that he has totally ignored the whole question of decreased industrial demand that would come with the kind of financial catastrophe he envisions, very relevant given the exposure this particular stock has to these other metal productions. Heck that is the reason that I am still on the sidelines, reduction of demand in china (which is creeping up in the news more in recent weeks as they attempt to engineer a "soft landing" to a badly overheated economy) could totally take the floor out from underneath a lot of these companies.

Finally, while by no means suggesting this is a fair way to evaluate his advice in this second half of the book -- since the whole argument is predicated on the collapse of the housing market, which has not (yet) happened -- it should be noted that a quick review of many of his suggested strategies shows that anyone following his advice in the one year approx since he finished writing it (he mentions this being the beginning of June 2003) would have vastly underperformed the market, or even lost money, in the interim.

So, in short, I find the first half the book (is there a bubble, why) a pretty good introduction to the argument for it, not perfect, but perhaps the best one out there. I find the other half (what will happen to the economy when it bursts, how to profit/protect yourself from it) very much unsatisfying, and I am stuck where I started, thinking "I think there is a serious risk here" but still unable to figur out how to translate this concern into concrete action for my own personal finances.

Worth a read
If the names Stephen Roach, Marc Faber, Bill Bonner, Bob Prechter, or Jim Puplava are familiar to the reader, then John Rubino's well written, easily digestible, and quite convincing summary of the bear case (not just in real estate, but also in the US equity market) should be old news. However, if these names are unfamiliar, the reader would do well to plunk down the money to buy this book, consider his argument, and give some thought to preparing for possible bad times should they occur.

Rubino spends the first part of the book laying out a case for why a bubble exists in the real estate markets, and then uses the second part of the book to explain possible strategies to protect assets and even profit. The hedging strategies are well organized, but I doubt most people would consider shorting housing/fannie/freddie stock or buying gold/silver bullion. It would also be unrealistic to expect people to abruptly move from their overpriced houses in California/Boston, leaving friends, families and schools behind. The asset protection strategies could have been more detailed (in the same vein as the books by Martin Weiss). Rubino could have made his real estate bubble case stronger by using more local market information, statistics, and graphs (a la John Talbott in his highly recommended book The Coming Crash in the Housing Market).

Overall, this book would prove valuable for people unfamiliar with the risks in the economy and the possible outcomes if this risk ever manifests itself in the economy and the markets.

This reviewer cannot help but add as an aside that given the current conditions (early 2004) in the United States of unhealthy financial asset and real estate valuations, burgeoning debt and its financing by foreign nations with their own unpredictable agendas, high budget and trade deficits, and wage pressure brought on by globalization, it might not be a bad idea for the reader to recognize that the potential downside risk may be much greater than any potential upside, and act accordingly when planning for their financial future.

Outstanding!
I never thought I'd say this about a finance book, but I couldn't put this one down. It is fascinating, logical, concise, well-written, and occasionally quite funny. Despite the catchy title, it is about more than just the regional housing bubbles we are experiencing right now: it is a primer on the entire lending industry and how badly it's gotten out of hand.

Just to be clear about it, this is not a "doom and gloom" or "the sky is falling"-type book. There are no histrionics to be found here, only well-researched facts and common sense presented in a very reasoned manner. Whether you own real estate or are thinking of eventually buying, and whether or not you are convinced that some housing markets are overpriced, this book will give you the background and advice you need to protect your assets and possibly even to profit enormously.

I have to comment on one of the other reviews here, by "A reader from San Diego, Ca," which implies that Rubino ignores the laws of supply and demand. This is an unfair accusation because it cites bad data: as a matter of fact, San Diego's home supply has increased at exactly the same rate as its population growth. They have both increased by 7% in the past 5 years. In the same time period, San Diego home prices have increased by 110%. The person who posted that review is clearly more interested in rhetoric than in facts but I wanted to set the record straight. ... Read more

Book Description

From abandonment to zoning, and over 2,800 terms in between, The Language of Real Estate has every term that real estate professionals need.this industry best seller is a must have for all students, practitioners, and educators.Highlights include:
* Appendix boasts over 350 commonly used abbreviations.
* Subject classification index lists terms by topic.
* Spanish key terms help both ESL students and those who will be working with ESL customers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent book- but I did not like the "bi-lingual" edition
I have this book - as well as the previous edition (4th edition).
This one came with my real estate class.

It is an excellent and very informative book.

However- many terms in the book have the Spanish word next to it.

Examples:
appraiser (valuador, tasador)
counteroffer (contraoferta)
deed (escritura)
fee simple (pleno dominio)
joint venture (asociacion, en participacion, contrato de asociacion, en participacion)
mortgagor (deudor hipotecario)
.......Etc.........

In the back of the book in Appendix D is a Spanish-English dictionary.

I did not want a bilingual real estate book.

The previous version of this book (4th edition- 1993) did not include this.

I don't know why the author- John W. Reilly- or Dearborn Real Estate- felt it necessary to include Spanish words next to many of the real estate terms.

I want to learn real estate- in English- not in Spanish.
And I felt that to be a huge distraction.

I want to learn real estate terms in ENGLISH- not in Spanish.
I was very disappointed when I saw that.

Maybe the author should publish an English version- and a Spanish version.

I took Spanish in college- and I want to learn REAL ESTATE- not a foreign language.

It is an excellent book - and in my opinion that is it's only flaw.

Excellent Reference Book
Whether teaching or working in the real estate field, this a a wonderful reference book for all. This could be helpful for beginners in the field and also for someone that has spent a lifetime in the field.

The #1 necessary book for agent or consumer
As a real estate instructor, this is the book I bring to every classroom, regardless of the topic. It is the ideal suppliment to any real estate instruction. It's clear, concise and to the point. My students are accustomed to hearing, "Let's see what THE BOOK says." As a writer and course developer, it's always there as my reference book of choice. As a consultant, I recommend it to buyers and sellers as their first step in learning the language. This is the all around perfect book for anyone dealing with real estate in any way --- which is just about everybody!

It is reallya must for any home buyer to read rather study
This gives a complete in sight of Realtor's work & psychology and thus helps a home buyer to make a gainful decision of his life to have a roof , without being taken for a ride. ... Read more

Book Description

Sell It By Owner and Save is an absolute gold mine filled with practical tips, tools, and techniques that will help the owner prepare for and sell their property, without a real estate agent, saving thousands of dollars in commission fees (this book has proven itself). This book clearly explains how to price and market a home anywhere, deal with aggressive agents, work with prospects, handle the paperwork and good faith deposit plus much more. You’ll find true-to-life examples that make the entire selling process easy to understand. SELL IT BY OWNER and SAVE will give homeowners the confidence they deserve, the know-how to succeed and the courage to see the sale through to completion. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Outstanding resource for anyone considering selling by owner
This book was an extremely valuable resource and answered all of our FSBO questions. This was our first home sale, so we were a bit apprehensive about how the entire process would work. As it turned out, it was much easier than we could have imagined.

We live in a relatively active area, so we decided not to spend any money on advertising and instead feed off of the other listed properties within our neighborhood. We did put a nicer-than-usual FSBO sign in the yard with an attractive flyer box crafted from a small apartment-style mailbox. We received two strong offers the second week and had a signed contract for 98% of our sale price 19 days after we put the sign out. Since we negotiated a 2.5% commission with the buyer's agent, we saved almost exactly $10,000 over the 7% requested by each full-service agent we interviewed.

Speaking of agents, one of the best parts of this book is the section detailing the tactics that agents will use to try to encourage you to list your home with them. The first four calls/visits we received after putting our home on the market were from agents, and Michael's book did a great job of preparing me in advance to handle those conversations.

Michael's point that 'presentation is everything' will be key to your success. We had our house recarpeted and repainted prior to showing the home. We even rented a storage unit to move some of the 'clutter' out of the house prior to showing. It paid off for us, and if you follow the author's guidance, it will pay off for you too!

PS - Two other homes in our neighborhood are the exact same floor plan as ours, and both were listed by agents with 7 days of our own home going on the market. Our home has been under contract for 30 days, both of those homes are still on the market. Don't let agents discourage you - FSBO really works!

A bargain at any price!
As I began reading SELL IT BY OWNER and SAVE, I realized this was no ordinary How-To text. It is obvious that the author "knows his stuff," and that he is able to explain real estate buying/selling in a conversational style that is both understandable and entertaining. Clearly, his goal was to provide an abundance of useful information to help homeowners achieve success. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent reference book!
I was clueless about how to proceed in selling my home myself, but this book has provided me with all of the information I need. It is an honest assessment of how to sell your own home and is easy to read in and organized format, which will make it easy for future reference.

For anyone who is considering selling their home
Sell It By Owner & Save is a practical, straightforward guide to selling a home without a broker. Accessibly written by a professional broker in down-to-earth, layman's language, Sell It By Owner & Save covers each step of the sale in clear detail. Sell It By Owner & Save is a superbly presented "how to" primer for anyone who is considering selling their home, whether they want to enlist the aid of a broker or not!

Top Marks for an Excellent, well Researched book.
Seldom does one find in self-help books the kind of frank, insightful advice that one does in Michael Kloian's book.

Not only did I find the information accurate and reliable but also totally consistent with my experiences in real estate for over 20 years. But it is also an entertaining book, one written with a sense of humor and compassion by someone who has a genuine concern for the average homeowner with little experience.

It is written without pretense and in a style that is eminently readable. I found particularly insightful and revealing many of the inside tips that only someone with the author's long experience in working with both buyers and sellers could possibly know, and yet be willing to share.

A cursory glance at the table of contents alone will illustrate to anyone the depth and breath of the author's sweep of all the salient issues attendant to the task of selling or in fact even buying a home.

I found nothing overlooked and must even say that the frank discussion of unforeseen problems was both important and necessary for the unwary homeowner to read.

His advice on when and how to engage professionals in the process will save homeowners a great deal of money while at the same time provide them with the requisite tools to act responsibly and professionally in all their transactions.

It is a pungent and strikingly honest book and one that deserves high praise.

I heartily recommend the book to anyone interested in either buying or selling their own home. It was a pleasure to read and confirmed all that I myself have learned in my many years in the business.

- A reader in San Francisco. ... Read more

Book Description

Modern Real Estate Practice in New York, 8th Edition is the latest update of the book that educates more New York real estate students than all of its competition combined.The book contains the material necessary for both salesperson and broker students.Some distinguishing features/benefits:
* Margin notes to help students find key topics andcrucial material.
* An expanded math section to give students a betteropportunity to ensure that their skills are ready for the real world.
* More than 625 review questions.
* Both salesperson and supplemental broker level chapters And more! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is the Standard Class Reference for NY DOS Class
I am in the middle of New York's prerequisite course for the Dept. of State exam. In searching for an acceptable school I became aware that hands down all the schools I engaged used Edith Lank's Mod R E Practices in NY (8th ed.) as the classroom text.

As far as it's readability, it is indeed a textbook, and reads that way. Pertinent areas are of the text are in a light blue to punctuate their importance ( I think I would have used red myself). These areas have mostly coincided with what the teacher asks you to highlight as important Exam points. Also, there are questions at the end of each chapter to reinforce the points of the chapter. A reasonable amount of time is spent on basic math concepts (algebra and geometry) if you paid attention in High School you can glean this chapter. The general topics include:

Deeds
Mortgages
Basic Finance
Liens
Easements
Laws of Agency
Contracts
Closings
Estates and Interests

Some of the students in the class complained that it uses too much legalese and reads like a Law book. Although this is not a law book per se, it deals with laws and statutes, regulations, interpretations of law, etc. So it should be a little more legalese than other types of reading.

There were a few typos in the main text as well as the Q/A sections. The book reads well enough to prompt me to purchase Lank's Test Prep guide as well, although I do not have it yet After taking the exam I will leave feedback as to the helpfulness of the exam Prep.

In general, I would recommend this book not only to those studying to be an agent, but for first time home buyers as well. The downstate region of NY (from Westchester down through Long Island) is different from the rest of the entire Unites States when it comes to Real Estate law and practices/customs. The information contained therein will help in knowing what your options are and who is working for/against you in the transaction. Or if you are just an information junkie, this is a great way to learn about the trade.

Everything You Need To Know
This is a great book although if you havent taken your Real Estate course yet you may want to wait because this book was provided for us when we took the class. This book teaches you about the laws, math, whos who, and who does what. At the end of each chapter there is a summary and questions and in the back of the book there is a test that will get you ready for the state test. The only thing this book does not do is that it doesnt really go over any skills or tips on selling real estate. Overall, its a must have book. ... Read more

Book Description

The fun and easy way to become a licensed real estate broker

There are currently more than 430,000 real estate brokers and agents in the U.S., and all of them had to pass a state licensing exam. Written by a certified real estate instructor, this plain-English guide gives would-be brokers the information and test-taking know-how they need to pass the licensing exam–and enter into a lucrative new career. It provides reviews of all subjects typically covered in state licensing exams–from property and agency law to contracts, mortgages, and real estate math–and offers study techniques, practice problems, test-taking strategies, and sample exams to help people prepare.

John A. Yoegel, PhD (New Fairfield, CT), is the President of a New York brokerage firm, Real Estate Reference Network, as well as a Certified New York Real Estate Instructor who teaches pre-licensing courses. ... Read more

Book Description

"Everything you need to know to make millions by investing in real estate. Be smart -- take advantage of their invaluable experience to help you reach your financial goals."--Jack Canfield, Co-author, The Power of Focus, Dare to Win, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul(R) series.

A proven formula for making a killing in small real estate investments in all market conditions

Millionaire real estate investor Mike Summey and nationally recognized negotiation expert Roger Dawson team up to offer a complete program for becoming a real estate magnate in your spare time. Unlike all the get-rich-quick real estate investment guides on the shelves, The Weekend Millionaire shows readers how to look beyond price to the fundamentals of what makes a property valuable and to leverage that value in order to build wealth, consistently, over years. It also teaches them an original, win-win negotiating strategy in which the buyer determines the terms of the purchase and lets the seller determine the price.

Readers get clear, step-by-step guidance on how to:

• Find great investment properties
• Approach sellers
• Structure a win-win proposal
• Get a proposal accepted--even with no money down and bad credit
• Negotiate a transaction
• Manage and maintain properties for increasing returns

Reviews (27)

Why did it take so long?
I've read dozens of books on real estate investing and to be honest, I've found most of them either over my head or just plain unbelievable. When I heard Mike Summey talking about the book on the Real Estate and You show on WYCA-FM, I had to check it out. Finally, I've found a book that explains real estate investing in simple language and breaks it down into such doable tasks that I can't wait to get started. I loved the stories that illustrate how to apply the techniques the authors teach. Not only do they tell you what to do and how to do it, but they go the extra mile and use real life stories to show you how to achieve successful win/win negotiations that benefit everyone. If you don't buy another real estate book, buy this one. It's a keeper! You may also want to check out the website listed in the book. It's www.weekendmillionaire.com and it's a great resource for real estate investors.

Fantastic read
As a beginner to real estate investing, I have been trying to absorb as much information as possible. This is the 4th book I have read on investing, and it is by far the best. The book does not promise overnight succes, but it does show you how to slowly build assests, and create a stream of income that you can live off of over a period of time. They give stories that they describe as not being typical, but they do help you stay motivated. They also provide easy to follow examples, and charts. I have noticed alot of people who have rated this book poorly seem to have too large of an ego to admit they learned something from someone else. Dont let the negative reviews sway you. If you only have limited time, and only want to read one book, make it this one. The title couldnt be more accurate.

Simply the Best.
This book truly covers all aspects of real estate in a very useful, educational manner. The concepts are as timeless as they are valuable. I've read it three times, and I'm constantly referencing it fir information... a MUST READ!

Weekend Millionaire's Secrets to Investing in Real Estate
It is the best book on real estate investing that I have read in the nine years I've been in business as a real estate investor. I enjoyed the down to earth format that both Mike and Roger used to get their points across. The five chapters on "negotiations" by Roger is an expert negotiator and Mike has a sense of humor as a southern gentleman and a no nonsense approach to investing in real estate as "buy and hold" strategy. I highly endorsed the book to all of my students whom I am mentoring presently. You can't go wrong by reading the book and asking questions on the chat room at www.weekendmillionaire.com to both Mike and Roger. Looking forward to their new book when it comes out!!!

Very good real estate book-priceless information
I have to laugh at reviews where on reviewer wrote "Mike did this and Mike did that. Wouldn't you want to be like Mike?" Since the title of the book is The Weekend Millionaire's Secret's to Investing in Real Estate co authored by Mike Summey, I would think that anyone who bought the book would indeed like to be just like Mike. After all, he is a millionaire and achieved his success in real estate. Why not be like Mike. Sure beats being like that one star reviewer who even came back and voted 47 times for his own review. Now that is somebody with a head trip! ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Put a little TLC (Tax Lien Certificates) in your portfolio.
Tax liens are the safest, highest yielding investment available today. In North Carolina, where I live, tax liens pay 12%. Better than CDs and better than losing money in the stock market. In Iowa, tax liens pay 24%. In Texas and Michigan, 50%.... First, tax liens are available in N.C. AND THEY ARE AVAILABLE IN MOST STATES, NOT JUST 25. Perhaps he is confusing deed states with mortgage states. Tax liens are among the safest of investments. The only real risk is if the debtor pays off the lien prematurely---you lose profits. Or if you buy a lien on a really bad piece of property. If the debtor doesn' pay off the lien, you get the home and foreclosing is not all difficult.... I highly recommend the 16% Solution and of course investing in tax liens. Obviously. Great money maker along with real estate and discounted mortgages.

Ignore the negative and uninformed bashers of tax liens
The 16% Solution is an excellent book to help you get started investing in a very powerful and safe investment.

True it was written back in the 90's, but things really haven't changed all that much. And yes it is true that institutions are in on tax liens, but the real truth is that these were and are and always have been the primary players. I suspect the negative reviews are from banks and other institutions who do not want you to know about these outstanding investments.

The rate of return is not cut in stone. While you are not guaranteed 16%, in some states and in many cases you can earn 50%...even today.

I invest in tax liens and especially over the last three years, have far outperformed the stock market and other forms of investment. I have also picked up houses for pennies on the dollar via tax liens. Remember, a tax lien is superior to all other liens, even IRS liens.

As I said, I invest in tax liens and the USA is a huge market place. I don't feel that letting you know what a great investment tax liens are is going to hurt my business. And no, I do not have any courses or books to sell. Nor am I in any way associated with this author or any other author or seminar promoter. I just believe in these investments based on my own experience and hate to see potential investors scared away from a very powerful and lucrative investment because of one malcontent who is only trying to push a dead website which does have books and seminars to sell.

I guess I am old fashioned that way.

The 16% Solution is an outstanding book and I highly recommend it.

Have to agree with the five star reviewers,
There are some pretty bored and misinformed people posting on this board. Obviously, despite their raging, bashing and claimsof being tax lien investors, their reviews spew out totally unsubstantiated comments, and these people don't know beans about tax liens.

Tax liens are among the safest and most profitable ways to make money. SAFER & MORE profitable than playing the stock market. You can make up to 50% rates of return in some states. One caveat; beware of land in certain areas and research the liens that you are going to buy.

Tax liens are profitable, safe and fun. Disregard the 1 star reviewers on this great investment and this great book. Sure it was written back in the early 90's, but not that much has changed. This isn't like personal finance or tax strategies which change almost constantly.

The 16% Solution is a great way to learn how to invest in tax liens and I recommend it.

Powerful rates of return
I first heard about tax liens from reading Charles Givens excellent book Wealth Without Risk (now More Wealth Without Risk)

Tax liens are a very powerful and safe investment tool. Imagine government guaranteed returns of 18%-50%!

WARNING: Many investors hope you never find out about tax liens. I attended a tax lien auction in Miami county, Fl and also one in Pennsylvania. The attitude is somewhat like a library with a hush and everyone looks on you like a outsider.

I recommend you attend a auction in your area to fully appreciate the value of tax liens. First, read this book and I also recommend More Wealth Without Risk for tax liens and other financial information.

Tax leins are a fantastic way to achieve Wealth Without Risk.

Good base information, but...
I think it could go just a bit deeper in depth on how to get started as a rank beginner. Some of us are very new to investing on our own. It seems a bit intimidating at times. Maybe a little more "hand-holding" and explain in VERY simple to understand terms. Overall, I really enjoyed the read. I've loaned it to my brother and we hope to start investing together soon. I highly recommend the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Fix and flip single-family houses for quick profit––and long-term prosperity

The Complete Guide to Flipping Properties offers proven, straightforward guidance for anyone interested in flipping properties for quick profits. This comprehensive guide to flipping will help any real estate investor design a detailed plan for achieving their financial goals as quickly as possible. Steve Berges, creator of the value play strategy, shows you step by step how to flip properties and lock in profits. With in-depth explanations of every aspect of the art of flipping––from finding properties and closing the deal, to repairing houses and reselling at the best price––this book is the ultimate resource for novice investors and real estate pros alike.

The Complete Guide to Flipping Properties includes:

• Time-tested strategies for flipping
• Ten proven methods for locating great properties
• Property valuation methods––and which one is right for you
• Financial analysis and modeling techniques
• How to create value and maximize your profits
• Seven steps of successful negotiation
• How to close the deal
• Foolproof exit strategies for getting rid of properties
• How to assemble a winning team of professionals
• Three keys to maximizing your potential as a real estate investor

With tips on writing business plans, investing on credit or with OPM (other people’s money), and creative financing methods, The Complete Guide to Flipping Properties gives any investor the tools they need to build wealth safely and reliably. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent Financial Analysis!
I've read a half dozen or more books on flipping/rehabbing and none of the others come close to this one when it comes to financial analysis. Most authors focus on the "how to's" of flipping, which Berges does also, but he outshines all of them when it comes to analyzing real estate.

Berges walks the reader through using several examples in a financial model to help properly analyze an investment property . At the end of the analysis, if the returns are acceptable, you buy the property and if they are not, you pass on it and go on to the next one. No emotional attachments here. Buying and selling is done strictly on an analytical basis.

A lot of authors tend to focus on getting in to a deal for "nothing down" but say very little, if anything, about value. Just because you can buy a house for nothing down doesn't mean it's a good deal or that you should buy it. Out of all the real estate books I've read over the years, Berges is the only one to really emphasize value.

My guess is that Berges will lead the way among future writers by emphasizing value and financial analysis just like Robert Allen led the way with the nothing down techniques in the 80s and 90s.

Two thumbs up!

Not nearly as good as his first book
His book on flipping properties is not nearly as good as his "The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apartment Buildings."

I really liked his first book, and when I saw this one on the bookshelf, I picked it up without hesitation. To my dismay, this book doesn't do its job getting a REI newbie off the starting blocks, and it definitely doesn't give any additional information to the flippers who have been in the business for a while.

My advice is to skim through this one while you are at the bookstore, and then put it back on the shelf.

Excellent Guide to Flipping
I've read most all of the books on flipping and rehabbing. This book is by far the best! The author uses many examples and provides step-by-step instructions that are easy for readers to follow. He also includes an entire chapter on how to actually find these properties which was really helpful to me. I was able to use this information to locate four houses over the last month and currently have one of them under contract.

I highly recommend this book to both beginning investors and to those who are more experienced as the author seems to have a knack for writing to a wide range of audiences. Great book!

Another Great Book by Berges!
I read Berges' book The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apartments about a year ago or so and liked it so well I couldn't wait for him to come out with another book. His book on Flipping is every bit as good as the book on apartments. Berges provides a comprehensive and complete approach to anyone interested in buying and selling houses. He wrote about a similar topic, which he referred to as "the value play" in his apartment book. In the flipping properties book, Berges applies the value play strategy, which is to buy, add value, and sell, all in a very short period of time. The idea is to get in, get out, and make money!

Although Berges covers one of the same topics Bronchick does, he does it in a different way which gives the reader another perspective. Authors write about similar topics all the time. There's nothing wrong with this. Berges also covered several topics that Bronchick did not. No harm there either. It's pretty clear to me that judging by their writing styles and backgrounds, Berges likes the finance end of real estate while Bronchick prefers the legal end. Maybe the two should consider teaming up!

Flipping is a State of Mind not a State of Being
Go through my catalog of book reviews and this will seem wildly out of place. However, my wife really really wants to buy a house. So I've picked up a good pile of books on purchasing a home, renovating a home and ... yes ... flipping a home.

My father was in the development business when I was growing up, so I've had the opportunity to be with houses from breaking ground to opening. I think I have a good eye for potential and love the creativity of improving a space.

So, my wife really wants a show house. It's a long story, but she really does. Given that we both own our own businesses and that those businesses are pretty young, I didn't feel comfortable adding a lot to our debt load.

So I convinced her to look at some less "show housey" houses. Let's just say that it didn't go over really well.

But I come from two families of creative thinkers and I thought, "What if we treated the first house or two like investments, rather than like homes?"

One puts a lot of emotional stock in their home ... but they can be more pragmatic about an investment. The concept took a while to get through to my wife, but now she is fully on-board.
Then I started reading ... I'm reading about six books at the same time. This is the first to be finished.

Steve Berges has written a concise entry-level book on flipping properties. He gets into some of the valuation of flipping. His methodologies are simplistic and geared towards the numbers only. I don't think he fully appreciates that artistic eye that it takes to see a house that has potential versus one that merely can be fixed up.

There's a bit of rah-rah in this, which I'm finding in a lot of these real-estate books. The end chapter is mostly rah-rah in fact. But this book is very helpful in getting the interested reader focused on the subject at hand.

Indeed, none of the books I've seen thus far will give you all the answers you want. But they will help you focus. ... Read more

Book Description

Everything the first-time buyer needs to know to avoid the 106 most common mistakes in purchasing a home or condo…

Written especially for first-timers, this eye-opening guide turns you into an educated consum