Book Description

A step-by-step program for making big plans that create big money in real estate

With a little help from Gary Keller, anyone can achieve financial independence. In The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, Keller shows you how, with the right plan and persistent effort over time, you can amass fabulous wealth in one of the strongest and safest investment vehicles around--real estate. The plan begins by establishing a state of mind that becomes a different way of looking at the world and evolves into an exciting way of life.

Through inspiration and solid instruction, Keller helps you develop a thorough knowledge of the best models for investing, along with a fundamental understanding of money, how it can be made and how it can be lost. Then, he shows you how to design an investment business that lets you get out of the day-to-day work and enjoy the freedom and benefits of what you have created.

Thoroughly researched with interviews and insights from more than 100 millionaire real estate investors who have struck it rich through Keller's concepts and practices, this book shows you how to:

• Think Like a Million: Develop the mind-set and financial strategies of a millionaire investor
• Buy a Million: Amass a real estate portfolio with a market value of a million dollars or more
• Own a Million: Turn investments into an asset-based business with ever-increasing net worth
• Receive a Million: Build an investment empire that provides a million dollars a year in passive income

Book Description

The complete toolkit for pre-foreclosure investing

Finding, researching, inspecting, negotiating, buying, and reselling pre-foreclosure properties is a lot of hard work. But it can be very lucrative for investors who know what they’re doing, are well organized, and have the persistence it takes to succeed. The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor’s Kit is a comprehensive resource full of ready-to-use worksheets, letters, checklists, notices, forms, and agreements. With step-by-step instructions and practical, no-nonsense advice, readers will learn how to find great pre-foreclosure deals, perform due diligence on target properties, accurately estimate the market value of properties, negotiate effectively, and maximize profits.

Thomas J. Lucier (Tampa, FL) has been a real estate investor since 1980. He is a widely published real estate expert whose advice has appeared in such publications as the Wall Street Journal and Commercial Real Estate Investment magazine. ... Read more

Book Description

Real estate financial calculations made easy

Every real estate investor needs to know how to calculate cash flow, long-term gain, net operating income, and a few other basic financial formulas. What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow . . . is a guide to the 34 most essential calculations that answer such crucial questions as "What is this building really worth today?" "What kind of cash flow can I expect?" "Is this property a good investment?" and "How do I calculate my return?" For beginning investors, real estate veterans, commercial brokers, and sellers as well as buyers, this handy reference is a must-have for anyone who wants to make sound decisions based on accurate calculations of:

• Discounted cash flow
• Cash-on-cash return
• Net operating income
• Capitalization rate
• Gross rent multiplier
• Net present value
• Payback period
• Mortgage amortization
• And many more

Reviews (7)

The Investors Bible
Everyone wants to retire on real estate but no one shows you how to, today. Frank G does; he shows you what to look for when evaluating a prospective property and what financial analysis to do to see if it will even produce enough income to carry itself. Franks book is a great start and will give you all the basics to develop a cash flow from real property for your entire life. You need to buy this book to be successful investing in real estate.

Finally a helpful real estate finance book!
This book gives the facts about real estate finance in an easy to read format. Unlike most real estate books, this one does not claim to make you $1,000,000 in 2 weeks with your eyes closed. It gives the common investor the tools and perspective to make wise real estate investment decisions. Good for beginners or seasoned vets who want to brush up on their skills.

Required Reading for Real Estate Investors
Before you invest $1 into income-producing real estate, be sure to pick up a copy of Frank Gallinelli's excellent book, What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow...And 36 Other Key Financial Measures: Guidelines, Formulas, and Rules of Thumb for Making Money in Real Estate. While the title may sound somewhat forbidding, the book is so well-written and accessible that even novice investors who wouldn't know a cap rate from a rate of return can quickly and easily master key concepts such as present value, gross scheduled income and discounted cash flow. Better yet, Gallinelli offers free spreadsheets that you can download from his site that do the numbers-crunching for you. I like to think that I'm a pretty savvy investor, but, thanks to Frank and his amazing formulas, I narrowly avoided overpaying for a five-story office building in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. While there's no guarantee that the seller will accept my lower offer, I feel confident that, if I do get the deal, I will be paying a fair price now that Frank has taught me how to do the math.

Outstanding detail with a straightforward explanation.
This book is the best read for understanding financial analysis. It is not often, if ever achieved, that a subject as complex as financial analysis can be explained so perfectly suited for real estate professionals. The work doesn't lose itself in silly analysis or "paralysis of analysis", Gallinelli's approach is straightforward, sometimes hard hitting as a practical sense guide to investing in real estate. This doesn't mean the work is simplistic by any measure, you can spend plenty of time taking this work into great depth. Gallinelli offers a web page support system with free worksheet downloads, financial software and valuable resource links. Every deal I consider is now held to a new financial standard. This is a must own book for investors, brokers and corporate real estate professionals.

Excellent Investment Companion
This book focuses on analyzing Real Estate Investment from a financial calculation perspective. It is very well written, very easy to understand, and extremely useful. In a very short time, you will quickly learn the 37 calculations that a sophisticated Real Estate Investor uses to evaluate whether a deal makes financial sense. By knowing the numbers better, you'll have an edge in negotiating your next real estate deal. Highly Recommend! ... Read more

Book Description

"This is the best of the how-to-invest-in-real-estate books currently available."
–Robert Bruss, syndicated columnist and real estate author

THE BESTSELLING GUIDE TO REAL ESTATE INVESTING

Now in its fourth edition, Investing in Real Estate is the straightforward guide that helps you start growing your fortune by investing in houses and small apartment buildings. Successful real estate investors Andrew McLean and Gary Eldred show you how you can outperform the stock market by investing in residential real estate–the surest and safest way to build assets.

This new edition offers an expanded discussion of the best methods and techniques for fixing and flipping properties and creating value. You’ ll also find all the information you need to start investing now, as well as up-to-date tips on maintaining cash flow, negotiating deals, spotting market trends, and using the Internet as a research tool to find and buy properties. Let McLean and Eldred show you how to:

• Buy with little or no money down
• Minimize taxes while building your wealth
• Choose neighborhoods and properties that will beat the market with faster rates of appreciation
• Grow value in your properties by investing in improvements
• Pick the best way to finance your purchases

Whether you need money for your child’s college tuition, a more comfortable retirement, or just a higher standard of living, Investing in Real Estate, Fourth Edition is the only guide you need to start building wealth now. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Helpful For Everyone
You're not just buying a book to read here. The amount of information in "Investing In Real Estate" makes it an investment. These are the facts. The way things are. There has been spiked interest in RE recently because of the recent low interest rates which has caused an upsurge home-buying in many parts of the country. With all of the real estate courses, seminars, tapes and books being marketed, how rare is it today to hear the facts and not just the hyperbole? This is the most comprehensive and detailed, to-the-point real estate book available.

If you're a normal home owner and want to increase your home's value with some shrewd fixing-up before you sell it, you can get tons of pointers here. Want to find the best bargain with your first purchase or your new home? Manage your property(ies)?
What criteria do you use to find the best property? How do you check to make sure? Creative financing is also covered.

This is not just for those investing in apartments or a duplex but everyone. Want to rent-out your house? You will learn the basic laws and procedures, and how to write up the most appropriate lease and how to cross your "T's" and dot your "I's." Almost all of us know people who've rented their homes out and had "bad tenants." You'll learn how to screen properly here to avoid them, and how you can use the (local) law.

There are many simple and proven math models on how to calculate the return you'll get from buying a detached house, condo, duplex, tri, fourplex, or multi-unit apartment complex. The Gross Rent Muliplyer (GRM), Income Capitalization "Caps," Net Operating Income (NOI), Return on Investment (ROI), and Before Tax Cash Flow (BTCF) etc. Add these simple equations and formulas to the fact that you likely live in the community (familiar with) you'll be buying/investing in, and you'll have the best chance to earn some positive Cash Flow, and choose the best option available. Ways to evaluate neighborhoods and areas that are up-and-coming, paying less taxes, and using depreciation and deductions properly are also covered. Very important for homebuyers and owners yes, but this is the most comprehensive book written for people who are looking to purchase property to plan ahead.

Good solid book
Among all of the books on real estate investing, this one gives you the best solid introduction. Once you decide the exact strategy you wish to pursue, you will want more specialized detail (like on renovations). I also liked the authors' approach in that they tell you how to really analyze your local market to develop ideas that will likely yield the best profits. I detest books that lay out step by step the author's suppossed "secrets to success"--when in fact that strategy might not work in a different place or time. ( One book I read told me to only buy 3-BR, 2-BTH, brick houses. We don't even have brick houses here!)

Outstanding coverage
Six rental houses, one quad, and one mobile home. I'm still accumulating and I'm still absorbing as much knowledge as I can. In that respect, I heartily recommend this book. Good details, excellent examples on creating value, sound explanation of calculating returns without burying me in a algebraic fog. The chapter on leases opened my mind to many points I hadn't even thought of. Overall thorough and practical approach.

Not Bad, a little too basic and too much cheerleading.
This book was one of the first "bestseller" types of books I have read on real estate investing, and I was fairly disappointed. This book would make a good first book for an aspiring real estate investor to hear about some of the more unconventional means of getting into real estate investing, but over all the book was short on details and potential pitfalls and very big on a "You can do it!" tone that made me wonder if the author was trying to sell me an ego boost as opposed to a fair, balanced, and sober look at investing in real estate. If you already understand the fundamentals of real estate investing and are familiar with foreclosures and other more aggressive sources of finding potential properties, you should pass on this book. If you know nothing, and are just looking for an idea of what this field is all about, I would cautiously recommend this book with the caveat that its not easy, there are some restless nights sometimes, and anything that sounds too good to be true, is.

Deals with important issues and provides insight
I have been investing in real estate for 10 years and read as much as I can on markets and strategies. This book is refreshing. I gained new insights and am eager to get out there and find some new properties. ... Read more

Book Description

Written with humor and insight, 21 Things I Wish My Broker Had Told Me provides hands on advice that will help agents start, or maintain, a sucessful career in real estate.This has real life stories from dozens of sucessful, top producing, real estate professionals will help new agents know what to expect and how to succeed.(186 pages, 2003 copyright) ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Outstanding, and brutally honest
I am a liccensed CA Real Estate Broker. I ordered the book after I had read a positive review about the book from newspaper real estate columnist/investor/attorney, Robert Bruss. Bruss has never steered me wrong, and I highly respect his opinions.
This book is the MOST straightforward, no BS, book I have read yet about any aspect of the business. I tip my hat to the author, who himself is a real estate columnist, for digging up the information... The truths are universal in this business (which is scary/weird), but I feel that anyone who is starting out in this business MUST read this book so you know what to expect, as I cannot think of any other business that chews up and spits out people so quickly. I imagine some will buy it looking for a way to riches, which this book is NOT about. It is about understanding how the business really works and what to expect, thereby giving one an edge against any disappointment and discouragement a "green" agent will surely feel in the first 18 months of this business. The dropout rate is high, and I think the author offers much encouragement. There has been so much stuff written about selling real estate, and all the "pump up" stuff to keep one motivated, but this book is not about that at all. This book would make an excellent gift to anyone who just passed their Real Estate test and is willing to take the plunge into a business where, quite frankly, every day that you wake up, you are seeking work! After reading it, you won't feel so distraught at the bumpy road which lies ahead.
I'm sure even seasoned vets of the business would appreciate it, and may find themselves chuckling to themselves as they are reminded of the many hard lessons that were learned -and there will be many- as the book points out, or perhaps I should say, the book says "Look Out!"
I read it in one evening, as it entertains the reader as well. Well done, Mr. Cook, and thank you for approaching a subject that I think few have touched upon. Your organization of the subject matter seems well thought out.
The one underlying theme which he displays in various interviews with Realtors is one must certainly rely on hard work, rather than luck (we all know the stories about stepping out for a $4.95 sandwich, only to lose a $20,000 commission to the one agent who answered the phone), to make it. Plus, thank you for mentioning that this is a misunderstood profession, in the eyes of the public, and calling upon all agents to act professionally, and putting the client's needs before our own.
Buy it, read it, and good luck to all the new agents out there. Office managers: make this required reading for new agents and you'll save yourself a lot of hand holdiing...

Would recommend this book to a starting out agent
This is a great book. It gives you a bunch of information you would otherwise not find out until after your first year in the business. It gives you a bunch of associations to be aware of that you can join, things you can do to promote your business. I finished it in one sitting, and am planning to read it again. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone in their first year of real estate. Will save you a lot of time on doing things that don't matter. Focus on results.

The only one
This is the first book you should read if considering entering into real estate. Some of the personal stories are scarey yet true, but are important to face before entering a new career.
A lot of other books are "rah, rah, you can do it" hype. This is one book that speaks about the sucesses and failures from a personal perspective. I have now read it twice once for pleasure and once to take notes! This book really does speak of the things your broker will never tell you.

good book
must have book for new agents. I would recommend this book and also "The idiot's guide to Success as a real estate agent" by Marilyn Sullivan which is another super book for new agents.

You have heard it all before!!
This book is attractive due to the title, however, it was a great disappointment. Everything in the book are things that a typical broker would tell you. All of the examples and advice are very general, except for one or two good points. What I found particularly interesting is the author's take on "fair housing" issues. The author, who is obviously not a minority, gives the advice that "one should walk away" if someone made a comment regarding letting a "minority" move into a property you are selling. That is true..However, what if you as the Real Estate Agent (and not the client) happens to be Black (or Hispanic or Jewish)?<-THIS IS HOW IT IS IN THE BOOK
There are more ways to view an issue. Maybe he should have consulted an agent that happens to belong to the Black (or Hispanic or Jewish) population for assistance with this topic. ... Read more

Book Description

An investment alternative that gives fixed returns of 10 to 25 percent.

Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens introduces an investment alternative that is safe, secured by real estate, administered by the government, involves no brokers, is enforced by state law, and gives fixed returns.

Selling tax liens or tax deeds (depending on the state) are the two ways that counties across the country bring delinquent property taxes up-to-date.This investment is one of the least publicized and safest ways of investing in real estate, designed to give the investor either a fixedreturn, as in the case of investing in tax liens, or a property for 10 to 50 cents on the dollar, as in the case of a tax deed sale.In most situations, the property is ultimately transferred free of any liens, such as mortgages.

Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens also debunks the common myth that tax delinquent properties are run-down and shows that liens exist on every type of property.Author Larry Loftis, an attorney and active investor, has purchased liens on properties owned by Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Hector "Macho" Camacho (world champion boxer), Chase Manhattan Bank, LaSalle National Bank, and even a building whose major tenant was the local sheriff's department!

In this authoritative guide, Loftis helps investors avoid the pitfalls while answering all the key questions they need to consider:
* What's the difference between investing in tax liens and tax deeds?
* How does an investor go about bidding at tax sales?And what is the process?
* What are the different requirements in each state?
* Where are the greatest risks in this kind of real estate investing?

For investors eager to get started, Loftis's action plan provides details on the next steps to take, while real-life examples in every chapter bring the concepts down to earth. ... Read more

Book Description

Learn the secrets to wealth from "The Weekend Millionaire"

In their runaway bestseller The Weekend Millionaire's Secrets to Investing in Real Estate, Mike Summey and Roger Dawson gave readers a blueprint for making a killing in real estate in their spare time. Now Summey and Dawson take readers inside the minds and hearts of super successful entrepreneurs, showing them how to think and act like winners and realize their dreams of financial freedom.

In the tradition of Napoleon Hill's hit Think and Grow Rich, The Weekend Millionaire Mindset combines compelling biographical details with powerful, practical lessons. Packed with fascinating anecdotes taken from Summey and Dawson's own lives and the lives of other millionaire entrepreneurs, this book will inspire, energize, and motivate while arming readers with practical advice and guidance on how to:

• Evaluate and redirect their lives with an eye to becoming rich
• Create a lifestyle of success
• Set realistic goals and stick to them
• Make the right decisions when faced with challenging learning experiences
• Spot golden opportunities
• Realize dreams through patience, practice, and persistence

With Mike Summey and Roger Dawson's invaluable advice, readers can overcome their obstacles and find a personal path to wealth for a lifetime.

Reviews (3)

Don't let the title turn you off! Life changer book
Okay, I must admit when I saw the BRIGHT yellow book cover and the word "millionaire" in the title title the first time, I rolled my eyes when a friend handed me the book and said read this. My first thought was oh god, not another book telling me how to be a millionaire overnight (or over the weekend) and it is by a real estate investor no less. When my eyes stopped rolling I began reading.That little negative voice in my head was quickly silenced as soon as I read chapter one and realized that this was more than theory. It was Mike's story. By the end of chapter two I was inspired enough by his story and the clarity of my own story to create a budget and believe that I too could go beyond this ordinary financial existence. Why do so few of us build wealth settling instead for an ordinary American financial existence? I am a believer now and I will be a millionaire by the time I am 60 (or sooner since I am starting at 40) as well. This book is NOT a real estate book. It IS a book that WILL change your mindset and your future...and it CAN change your mindset in a WEEKEND if you allow it to do so. Give this to every high school graduate. Give this book to every teenager before they finance their first car. As Mike says, if you aren't doing well in this country, you are doing something wrong.

Thanks Mr. Summey for sharing your story and for helping me understand what I was doing wrong.
signed, future millionaire in NYC

YOU'LL BE MOTIVATED TO TRANSLATE THOUGHTS INTO ACTIONS!
You can feel the sincerity of the authors, encouraging through words, to create desire, teach you how to set goals and reach those goals.

The real life stories and adventures in the book are fun to read as well as informative. I really enjoyed the "story telling" layout with the bullets of information at the end of each chapter. Almost parable like at times.

Most people will read it and say great book, excellent book, put it down and do nothing afterwards. But for those people not so "most people", this book can give the means to TRANSLATE THOUGHT INTO ACTION and accept personal responsibility for one's own success.

I really appreciated the message in this book. If you're yearning for change and are not sure where to start, then why not start with this one?

The Truth About Millionaires
Mike Summey is a very successful man who, like many others, started out with no advantages in life over his peers; but trained himself to overcome disadvantages by conditioning his thinking. It is your reaction to what happens to you that determines the long-term effect more than what actually happened.

Having studied the lives of many self-made millionaires over the years, I can say that Mike's experience resembles that of many great men. It is not outstanding natural ability that makes one a success or failure, but the strength of his determination and desire and the willingness never to give up.

Mike's celebrated fame is as a real estate investor, but the mindset he has developed, and teaches you to develop in yourself, will lead to success in any other worthwhile pursuit--it transcends mere real estate investing. It is the secret to successful living, period.

As a real estate investor myself, I certainly appreciate Mike's accomplishments in that arena, but there is more to life than financial wealth and this book shows you why Mike has achieved so much in every area.

Roger is also an accomplished man who started from humble beginnings and he adds confirmation to the lessons Mike teaches.

My only challenge is to the subtitle of the book. I beleive that once you have read this book and taken its lessons to heart, you no longer can be considered "ordinary".

I wish my friends Mike and Roger the best of success with this very fine book.

Al Lee ... Read more

Book Description

An easy-to-read, comprehensive guide to the best investment money can buy

Safe from the arbitrary ups and downs of the stock market, real estate has rapidly become one of America’s favorite investments. Offering stability, reliability, and excellent long-term returns, it’s no wonder that so many Americans are now looking at real estate as their primary investment vehicle.

Real Estate Investing For Dummies covers all the basics of real estate investing for beginners–as well as more complicated investment strategies for anyone serious about building long-term wealth. It features commonsense coverage of every sort of investment, including commercial real estate, rental properties, vacation homes, distressed properties, land, and real estate mutual funds and investment trusts (REITs). It helps readers maximize their real estate investments by explaining the keys to successful investment and describing both common and uncommon investment strategies, including fixing and flipping, foreclosures, no-money-down deals, auctions, tax sales, triple-net, and more.

Bestselling personal finance and real estate authors Eric Tyson and Robert Griswold combine their extensive experience to produce a handy guide that covers every aspect of both investing in and financing properties. For unbeatable advice suitable for first-timers and experienced investors alike, Real Estate For Dummies offers a holistic look at real estate investing that is both accessible and practical.

Eric Tyson is a nationally recognized personal finance counselor, as well as the author of Personal Finance For Dummies (0-7645-2590-5), Investing For Dummies (0-7645-2431-3), and Mutual Funds For Dummies (0-7645-5329-1). Robert Griswold, MBA (San Diego, CA), is the author of Property Management For Dummies (0-7645-5330-5). He has more than 25 years of practical real estate experience, having managed more than 600 properties. ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition of America's # 1 best-selling real estate book takes the pain out of choosing, negotiating for, and buying a home. Helping home buyers save time and money, personal finance guru Eric Tyson and real estate maven Ray Brown deliver the up-to-date information people need, showing them how to:

• Research neighborhoods and home values
• Select the best mortgage-including the latest developments
• Understand the pros and cons of buying different types of housing
• Assemble the right team for putting the deal together
• Negotiate the best price and terms

Reviews (56)

Great book for anyone interested in the home buying process
Eric Tyson is a savvy writer with a wealth of knowledge that is shared in this fantastic book. I am a first time home buyer and purchased numerous books about the process; this one is by far the best. It served as my "jungle guide", and I found myself referring to this book on a daily basis for information. His chapters on gathering a solid real estate team, comparable market analysis, and escrow were particularly enlightening. Tyson's wit and the easy-to-read Dummies style proved a quick read and served to give me the confidence to discern what I wanted and ask the tough questions about one of life's bigger decisions. If there is ONE book to buy regarding home buying, buy this book.

Good but there's a better one
Having read both this volume and the Complete Idiot's Guide to Buying and Selling a Home, I recommend the idiot's guide over this one. The main reason is because the latter is better written and easier to understand. Home Buying for Dummies is very comprehensive but reminds me of my own Ph.D. dissertation: heavy on theory but little on practicalities. The idiot's guide presents information in a way that make it easier to digest and follow.

In short, this is a good advice primer for first-time home buyers, but I think you get a better book and also a better value if you buy the complete idiot's guide version.

(I'm not affiliated with any authors or publishers, nor do I even know or have met them in any manner.)

Only buy this book if you really are a dummy
This is the first "for dummies" book I've ever bought. It's also going to be the last. They're not kidding with the title. Instead of stating their point simply and clearly, the authors patronize the readers with silly stories. For example, instead of saying something like "do not buy a house that's too far from your work," the authors spend a paragraph telling a story of some poor dummy who did buy a house too far from his work and ended up hating everything. Oh, and BTW, if you need a book to tell you that you shouldn't buy a house that's far from your work, then this book is for you. The information presented is oversimplified, incomplete, and sometimes just incorrect. Moreover, this book will not help you at all if you're dealing with an unusual market, such as SF Bay Area, NYC, LA, etc.

I'm not in the real estate business, nor do I have any vested interest in anybody buying or not buying this book.

This book will save you a lot more $$$ than its sell price
This is a great book and gets you thinking about topics and asking questions that your realtor or mortgage lender / broker probably wouldn't otherwise bring up for you. While it does not go into real depth on any single subject, it highlights enough to really help you become an educated buyer. It addresses everything from getting financially positioned to buy a house in the first place (e.g. pay off your bills, save some cash), to finding a good mortgage that works for you (e.g. fixed-rates versus ARMs), understanding where and what are good buys (e.g. principles of progression and regression), forming a team (e.g. realtor, mortgage lender, etc), and the offer / counter/ and escrow processes. With all the info you'll learn, you will easily save yourself the cost of this book (probably many times over). The only drawback is that this book provides general information for all of America as a whole - it does not address specific real estate hot-spots such as Southern California.

Good information
This book had some very good information when I wanted to buy a house. Had good tips and was written in an easy to understand language.

However, I didn't have good enough credit to get a big loan, so I found did a rent to own instead. Good site: www.nkinvestments.com

Nick ... Read more

Book Description

"Dolf makes real estate investing simple and accessible to anyone who has the will to succeed. He is an All Star in his field!"
—from the Foreword by Alex Rodriguez, 2003 AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP

An all-time bestseller, Dolf de Roos's classic Real Estate Riches shows readers from all walks of life how to find great deals and make great profits in the real estate market. This compelling book reveals why real estate is such a reliable moneymaker, and how novice investors, and old pros alike, can achieve the biggest return on their investment.

Full of time-honored wisdom, proven tactics, and quick-and-easy tips, Real Estate Riches will show you how to find the best properties, analyze deals, negotiate and submit offers, effectively manage properties, and dramatically increase the value of your real estate without spending much money. Dolf de Roos shows you:

• Why real estate is the best investment in the world
  
• How you can consistently find great deals
  
• The eight golden rules of real estate investing
  
• How to use tax laws to subsidize your investments
  
• How to create income using OPM (other people's money)
  
• The pros and cons of residential versus commercial investing
  

Author Dolf de Roos is proud to say he's never had a real job in his life—because real estate pays him better. Following his powerful and proven strategies, you too can leave the nine-to-five life behind. ... Read more

Book Description

In clear, simple language, The Real Estate Investor's Guide helps real estate professionals and property owners understand the complicated area of real estateinvestment tax law.Containing practical tax planning strategies, sample forms, and warnings about costly planning errors, this is a must-have reference formaking sound investment statagies.This guide also discusses taxation at the time of sale, like-kind exchange rules, real estate investment during troubled times, and applying the passive loss regulations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Required Reading for every real estate investor
This Third Edition is a great book for all real estate investors, whether yoa are an agent or not. In fact I think that is more valuable for the knowledgeable investor. The author is a CPA and real estate broker, who has written a marvelous book relating the Federal Tax code to real estate applications. There are chapters on Personal Residence Exclusion of $250,000/$500,000, Capital Gains, and Installment Sales. you will find detail in this book that is not present in any other tax book for real estate investors.

There are 4 chapters on the Section 1031 Like Kind exchange alone. There are also 4 chapters on the Passive Loss Rules. In addition there are other chapters on Home Mortgage Deduction, Depreciation, and the Home Office. The text is easy to read and very informative. There are lots of Tips throughout all the chapters advising the reader of good things to do as well as inadvisable tactics. Dealer Status is covered all too briefly in my opinion, as I would have liked to seen more on that subject. I would also have liked to seen more on corporations and there is no mention of Limited Liability Companies. But despite these shortcomings the book is excellent and covers the topics in good detail. This is obviously a dry subject and reading the manuals and guidelines can sometimes give one a headache. But with this book no aspirin is needed. This book is a must for any serious real estate investor, whether you do your taxes yourself or hire a professional. This book should be required reading before you get your real estate investor secret decoder ring.

Excellent details
This book is not meant to be read cover-to-cover. It would take a very patient and determined reader to go through every example and exception and tax detail. However, it is in these details that this book stands out. The language used is straightforward, the examples are well thought-out and realistic. Use the book more like a reference - go directly to the chapter related to your intended transaction; the chapters are quite self-contained.

I believe this book is a necessary addition to any real-estate investor's library. Spending 30 minutes reviewing the chapter related to your contemplated real-estate transaction will fill you with ideas for suitable tax strategies.

Practical and Understandable Tax Advice About Real Estate
This 3rd edition of Vern Hoven's book is an excellent reference for real estate brokers and agents. I have given it as a Christmas present to all my agents. I have also alerted a client to a potential tax problem his CPA overlooked, but I recognized as a result of reading this book.

I have used this tax guide as the main reference in writing a continuing education course on the subject of IRS section 1031 tax deferred exchanges. Vern does the most thorough job of covering this subject that I have read.

Vern covers the timing and consequence of most real estate transactions. He also covers personal tax consequences, such as "office-in-home" rules, which apply to real estate agents.

I recomemnd this book highly in all the real estate courses I teach and sometimes use it as a prize in classroom games. Whether you are a real estate investor or agent you should read this book and keep it near your desk. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wow! Lots of forms and info...
This is a book for seasoned investors, brokers, and syndicators. It contains several hundred forms and checklists that will make sure you never forget an important element of the buying and selling process. However, it is not a "stand alone" book on real estate investing, but a book designed to accompany other texts on the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

Develop an insider's knowledge of real estate financing (traditional and creative) while remaining legal and ethical.

A brief but thorough overview of the mortgage loan market, from the concept of inflation to the different categories of lenders and loans.This book builds a solid framework for understanding how to make money in real estate by choosing the right financing.

Knowing the workings of the mortgage loan market as well as all the options available for financing are the keys to success for real estate investors and homebuyers.Financing Secrets of a Millionaire Real Estate Investor offers a comprehensive overview of the basics, followed by clear, concise explanations of the many financing options investors should consider when looking to maximize profits.Demystifying such intriguing concepts as lease/options, sale/leasebacks, double closings, and more, this practical guide gives buyers the knowledge they need to make the best possible purchasing decisions. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

There are so many ways to make money in real estate!
There are so many ways to make money in real estate! Since my first flipper property, which I made $8000.00 after reading "Flipping Properties" I have pocketed 7 figures and acquired 7 units - with no prior real estate experience! Bill Bronchick illustrates and delivers, step-by-step techniques, in an user friendly manner! "Financing Secrets" will forever change the way you buy and sell real estate.

Bronchick makes a complex subject easy to understand
Well, Bill Bronchick has done it again. Following his excellent resource Flipping Properties, he's taken the complex subject of creative real estate financing and broken it down into it's component parts and explained each one clearly and concisely in simple language anyone can understand. In the section What to Expect from this Book he says, "This book will show you how to finance properties with as little cash as possible, while maintaining minimum risk and maximum profit." And he does.

Covering such subjects as loans, mortgages, foreclosure, and working with lenders, he gives you the background you need for the later subjects of creative financing, hard and private money, getting involved in partnerships and equity sharing and the more creative subjects of lease options and owner financing.

While the book is geared primarily toward real estate investors, it is an excellent guide for any person considering buying a new home or considering doing some kind of creative financing with an investor or other buyer on a house they already own.
After reading it cover to cover (an easy task) every real estate investor should then add it to their library as a useful reference for many financing situations that may come up in this business.

Great stuff
I recommend this book. If you are just getting started or have a lot of experience... this book will help you. Full of great ideas and solid information to help the creative real estate investor.

Byron Walker
Full Time Investor

Two thumbs way up!
This book had so many good finaning ideas, I read it three times! Whether you are buying as an investor or a homeowner, this book will show you real-life formulas for buying with little or no money. This is the first book that explains real estate financing in a way for the lay person to understand. The author, an attorney, has a real knack for making "legal jargon" understandable.

I would recommend this book to ANYONE who is either buying a home or investment property. ... Read more

Book Description

Strategies for creating real estate wealth by star ting small--and always making the right moves

Nationally known real estate expert John Schaub learned his craft in the best way possible--on the job, and through every kind of market. Over three decades, he learned to bank consistent profits as he built an impressive real estate mini-empire. Building Wealth One House at a Time reveals how virtually anyone can accumulate one million dollars worth of houses debtfree and earn a steady cash flow for life.

Unique in that it focuses on buying houses in good-quality neighborhoods, Schaub's nine-step program includes:

• Renting to long-term tenants, with financial incentives to pay on time
• Avoiding the temptation of bigger deals, which invariably include bigger problems
• A 10-year plan to pay off debt and own houses free and clear

Reviews (7)

A practical guide by real estate expert John Schaub
The key to investing wisely in real estate is buying good houses in good neighborhoods - but there's more to it than that: buy at wholesale prices, properly fund an investment, and learn how to gain tenants who will increase a property's investment value in Building Wealth One House At A Time, a practical guide by real estate expert John Schaub, an investing expert whose program is taught through seminars and home-study courses. Plenty of similar-sounding investment guides promise wealth; this is one of the few to provide the step-by-step program on just how.

Its ok
I have high expectations for everything, and this book was just "OK".This is the first Real Estate book I bought and found that about 50% of the material I already knew.This is a good first book though for anyone who is wanting to start learning up on Real Estate Investment.

Definitely a keeper
I like this book.The author offers advice and strategies that I believe I can make work for me in the real world.There was nothing that I read in the book that I would feel strange or wrong about doing.In fact, I'm looking into making an offer using his methods.

The only conflict for me was that John recommends investing in your own area.He doesn't seem fond of investing out of town.I live in Southern California, and unless you are make large cash down payments, it's nearly impossible to be cash flow positive for a very long time.I'm going to adapt the information in the book and continue to invest out of town.

I'm definitely adding this to my investment book library.It's a keeper.

Covers the basic rules.
John Schaub has been a house investor, author, and speaker for over thirty years. He presents a senario of buying a house, renting it out for enough to cover its cost and maintenance, paying it off over a ten year or so period, building an investment portfolio of properties that will then provide for a good retirement income.

As with a lot of things, the devil is in the details. And most of the book covers things like finding the right house, negeotiating the price, a quick look at accounting, borrowing and everything else connected with the real estate marketplace.

The book is dead on. There are an awful lot of people who have made a lot of money this way. There are two or three he doesn't mention. One is buying houses at auction when they have been foreclosed, something you should investigate in your community, particularily if you live in a one commodity area that is subject to boom and bust. Another point is that most of the people I know who have build themselves this kind of business do a lot of their own maintenance. You can pay for things like cleaning and painting, but it's expensive.

Investing in rental houses is a business. Like any business it's subject to working hard, making the right decisions, and having just a bit of luck. If the earthquake finds your house ....

Good Advice
This is a fascinating book, with plenty of good advice for investing in rental properties and learning to live off the income produced by your investments. Schaub talks about finding deals, negotiating for better terms, using agents, managing your properties, and protecting your key assets. The paragraphs below briefly discuss three of his key points.

Schaub's chapter on learning how to work yourself out of your day job hit home with me. Isn't this a goal we all share? Schaub's plan is easy to understand, but not necessarily easy to follow. In my action plans, I first wanted to be able to pay my electric bill with income that had spun off my investments. After reaching that goal, I wanted to pay my phone bill, car insurance, etc. I kept working to build investment income sufficient to pay my bills. Eventually, I reached a point where my investment income has almost equaled my work income. I'm using the bulk of my work income to make investments. Schaub suggests using your investment income to replace your need to work. I suggest you keep working, and use you work income to make bigger investments.

Schaub's entire thesis rests on the concept of buying quality properties that you manage and control, and striving to pay them off within a ten-year period. When you approach retirement, theoretically you will have the income of these properties flowing into your bank account. This is a great idea, and certainly doable; however, maintenance, tax, and insurance expenses will never go away. So don't forget that maintenance alone may eat up to 40% of your gross income. Insurance and taxes will eat another 10-20%.

Schaub talks about owning property out of town, and this is important info for all investors. Your main concern is control. I learned my lesson the hard way here. I owned a home free and clear in a different state. However, my property manager seen to it that every month I had a significant maintenance costs, such as $325 for removal of used stove. $459 for removal of tree roots from pipes under house. Month after month I put up with these outrageous costs, that I would have handled for pennies if the home was within a hour's drive of my home.

Schaub suggests you Focus on making small deals that you can understand and control. For example, a small investor can earn sufficient returns from several single-family homes in good neighborhoods, without having to negotiate for malls and apartment complexes, or get over your head in partnerships and complex land development deals.
... Read more

Book Description

Spend like a miser, profit like a mogul

Who says you have to spend money to make money?Savvy real estate investors follow the examples of Donald Trump and Walt Disney, turning substantial profits on properties without incurring the debt, risk, and maintenance costs of ownership—and now, so can you!

In How to Make Money with Real Estate Options, real estate expert Thomas Lucier introduces you to the low-risk, high-yield investment vehicle that can earn big bucks even for small investors. Lucier explains what real estate options are, how they work, and why they are the tools of choice for thousands of successful investors. Step by step, he shows you how to:

• Locate potential option properties using the Internet, want ads, and "bird-dogs"
• Contact and negotiate with property owners
• Perform due diligence and avoid options pitfalls
• Prepare an option agreement that protects you
• Insure real estate options with title insurance
• Package and sell optioned properties for optimum profits

Packed with no-nonsense advice on how to identify the most profitable properties and manage every step of the option process, How to Make Money with Real Estate Options is a practical guide to one of the secret weapons of savvy investors. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Knowledge Abound
This book is very detailed and informative on the Options process.I have read many books on the subject and this is one of the best out there.It was very thought productive and can help take your real estate investing career to the next level.

One of the best books prepared on options
Hands down a very informative book on real estate options and creative ways to make heavy dollars with little to zero risk!

Two Thumbs Way Up!!!
Two Thumbs Up!!!A must read!!! The most comprehensive, inclusive, and insightful read that is long overdue!If you want the real-world-scoop on how to do it and do it right, this no hassle guide goes to the point with invaluable tips and personal experiences to keep you savvy and up-to-date with all the right stuff, i.e., contact information, referral sources at your finger-tips. To have someone like Mr. Lucier share all his technology secrets and expertise is a rarity!If you have any questions, the author is available and as close to you as your cell-phone.Thanks Mr. Lucier for being my mentor and helping me become financially independent and independently prosperous!!

R.R.Ford. California

Step by Step Learning & to the Point with REAL Information
The author gives you excellent detailed information along with lots of resource links, not to mention his email & phone info.He actually does answer email questions quick. His book is an excellent value because it's all about "how to" without any fluff, missing details, long winded stories or get rich quick schemes.I've read many real estate books & this is probably one if not the best & most informative on a new strategy that the average person can use.

This was an exciting read
I read this book in one night. I was so excited.It is concise and to the point.This is a powerpacked resource good for any level of investor.This will become a classic

mike ... Read more

Book Description

Real estate experts Peter Conti and David Finkel's new book Making Big Money Investing in Foreclosures without Cash or Credit is a comprehensive money making guide that helps readers discover the road to financial freedom.

Making Big Money Investing in Foreclosures without Cash or Credit is an easy to follow manual designed to help real estate investors launch a successful career in the foreclosure investing business. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

THE BEST.....
I am not to good at this and this is my first time but this book was soooo GREAT ...About 2 years ago I bought a course on TV went though it and at the end of it just could not understand it,So I gave up..Last July I was in a bookstore and came across Making Big Money In Real Estate from these two gentlemen there 2nd book and I was able to understand the concept,.Picked up this book when it came out and let me tell you those guys know how to get there point across and say it so anyone can understand it,I knew nothing about Foreclosures or what was involved or what a short sale was.
I am almost done reading this book and I now have there 1st book
How to Create Multiple Streams of Income,Just waiting to be read next.Keep up the good work guy's and Thank you..

So easy & so simple, it's a must to start today!
This book is written for everyone, easy to read and understand with all the information needed for anyone to get started. Peter Conti and David Finkel teach not only how to build wealth buying foreclosures but more importantly how to do it with integrity. Solving problems for those that have financial issues, while making sure not to ever "take advantage" of them is a point made clear throughout all of Peter and David's books. Making Big Money Buying Foreclosures..... is more than a book about Real Estate investing, as you read each page you get a real feel for the authors, the genuine spirit of fair play and sincerity both Peter & David posess reach out from each page letting you know this is not just about building wealth; but helping people.
I had the opportunity to spend this last weekend in Devner, CO with the Mentor Financial Group (owned by Peter Conti & David Finkel) and I am sold on the fact these two gentleman walk their talk. Buying foreclosures is a time spent working with sellers in an emotional state; this book teaches you as an investor how to work with these sellers in a way that is not demeaning but even uplifting. If you are an investor, big or small or maybe someone simply considering the purchase of a few properties to hang onto for future income or a more quality retirement, buy this book. Making Big Money Investing In Foreclosures......was not written and published to be put on your shelf, I have read dozens of books regarding Real Estate investment and for me, it's always been about the people I am working with and the wealth & freedom building, in that order. Even if you know nothing about Real Estate investing or are a licensed Real Estate Agent - (...) - READ IT - FOLLOW WHAT IT SAYS, EXACTLY HOW IT SAYS TO DO IT.......IT'S THAT SIMPLE! It has something for everyone and you will be glad you did.

Advert for their seminars/courses
This book is heavy on excitment and 'systems' but very light on details. Not something to buy if you want to actually go out and DO something now. This book is mostly intended to get you involved in their very expensive mentoring, coaching, or course programs.

Absolute Newbie
This category of books (Investing in Real Estate) has the formula down cold. General topics are covered as well as the gist of possible scenarios, but NO details are given regarding the process. As the saying, goes the "devil's in the details" - in this case so is the money and you won't make ANY if this is the only book you read. If you don't have ANY book on foreclosures this would be an OK place to start, but my suggestion is to keep looking or find a good foreclosure attorney (no I'm NOT an attorney) willing to tutor you in the ins and outs of the process and explain the pros and cons for the homeowner and mortgage company and where an investor/buyer may fit in.

Decent information and approaches
This book provides a relatively poor overview of the foreclosure process (understandable since it changes somewhat by locality) and spends way too much time on salesy sounding scripts to use when talking to people. However, there are enough useful tidbits to make the book worth reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Commercial Real Estate Analysis and Investments presents the essential concepts, principles, and tools for the analysis of commercial real estate (income producing) from an investment perspective. The book integrates relevant aspects of urban and financial economics to provide learners with a fundamental analytical understanding of real estate investments. In addition, it bridges the gap between mainstream finance and the cutting edge of professional real estate practice, in order to address the implications of their key difference. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great text - solid presentation - just undertand its focus
I think this is a wonderful text. However, let me state up front this is NOT a general book about real estate as an investment vehicle in the broad sense. It is a text that provides the knowledge and techniques to ANALYZE commercial real estate as a financial investment. So, yes, the book is heavy on financial analysis and the many way markets and techniques that exist for investing in commercial real estate.

You won't learn a thing about how to pick or manage properties. Those are topics for other books and courses. This great book does have a rather specific focus, but it needs that because the topic it does cover is so large and there is a great deal to learn.

I find the book to be clearly written with the bare minimum of mathematics to make the content extremely valuable. Because the authors have a practical focus the reader is not overwhelmed or bogged down in abstruse topics or arcane formulae.

The book has thirty chapters grouped into eight parts. The eight parts are 1) Into to real estate economics, 2) Urban economics and real estate analysis, 3) Basic financial economic concepts and tools, 4) Real estate valuation and investment analysis at the microlevel, 5) Completing the basic investment analysis picture, 6) Mortgages from an investment perspective, 7) Macrolevel real estate investment, 8) Real estate development and other selected topics.

From this list of topics you can understand the nature of this book. If these are issues you are interested in I think you will find this book really delivers the goods and I am glad to have on my shelf of valued business texts.

The Best Real Estate Text I've Ever Read
This book is not for the faint-hearted or for readers who want to skim a few paragraphs and then think they'll get rich quick.

If you read this book, chapter by chapter, and do the exercises at the end of each one, you'll probably know more about Real Estate Finance than many people in Real Estate boardrooms. This will take a few weeks as a minimum, but it will have immense value.

The writers Geltner and Miller really choose to go "in-depth" with each topic, almost to the point of annoyance when you're reading it, but afterwards you realize why, and importantly, realize what you've learned by doing it.

This book is immensely valuable, and requires some work to achieve that value. It's value will be with you permanently however, because you will have absorbed the true principals of what's going on it real estate and the associated financial markets, and not just have memorized some glib cookbook answers which many people may instead be hoping for.

This is a book for thinkers and practicioners who want carry lasting value with them.

Very good text
This is a very good book. It covers urban economics and market analysis very well. The chapter on real estate and portfolio theory is more than worth the readers time. Text also covers commercial mortgages very well. This is not a get rich quick book but if you want to learn about commercial real estate, then this book is what you are looking for.

Great!
This is an excellent book for developing an analytical view on commercial real estate markets. It is not suited as a "commercial real estate analysis" step-by-step guideline for the average real estate professional, but it is great as a textbook in a university master course. Complex concepts and principles are described in an easy-to-understand way. The book has a broad scope, with chapters written from a finance, investments or urban economics perspective. One of the best books for an academic real estate course.

Worthless!
My rating is based on two criteria: (1) The authors can't write readable prose. They do not even know how to constuct a coherent paragraph, let alone build a coherent full-bodied narrative. Mostly academic jargon. (2) The authors say that you can view commercial real estate from many perspectives, but they emphasize financial economics. Unfortunately, anyone who restricts their view to fin econ cannot make sensible decisions.This perspective renders the book useless. It's clear the authors have no practical knowledge of commercial real estate -- or if they do they're keeping it a secret. Written primarily to impress their buddies in university econ and finance departments. ... Read more