Rating: 
Summary: Great Start to learn real estate!
Review: I will admit that this is the first book I have read about investing in real estate so I don't have much to compare it to. However, I found it extremely helpful and was able to get a wide range of information from many different areas in real estate. I found the following areas most interesting and helpful; appraisals, boosting value through creative improvements, and information on HUD homes. I did have a problem with how the author down plays the stock market with things like "you mine as well buy lottery tickets." He claims he was once naive when investing in real estate, I believe his naive nature still exists when making such general comments about the stock market. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book, just skip the first chapter and maybe the last two also (pay less tax, income for life).
Rating: 
Summary: A must for Real Estate Investors (Novice or Expert)
Review: This book is a very long read, so be prepared for it. It is jam packed with information and is probably the best real estate investment book I've read so far. The difference between other books and this one is that there is no hype or BS. I can't stand Carlton Sheets and just love the slamming of the "investor wannabe who just graduated a nothing down course." This book puts all hype to rest and reads facts. If there was a college textbook for Real Estate Investing this would be the one. I would have to say the only downside is the lack of detail when dealing with Probate and Sheriff's Sales. I think they were so brief is due to the localized nature of them and differing laws from state to state. Other than that is excellent. But like I said, it's a long read, but well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing better
Review: Plain & simple....this is one of the best real estate investing books I have ever read. I recommend it to anyone interested in residential real estate investing.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book, Great Author
Review: This book offers a down-to-earth, practical approach to building wealth in real estate. It is NOT a get-rich-quick book. It is for the conservative investors who are willing to take the time to build their wealth slowly but with minimum risk. I have read numberous books on investing in real estate, this one simply tops them all.Also, the author, Gary Eldred, is very genuine in helping people get started. After reading this book, I had some questions and decided to call Gary. He patiently answered my questions and gave me a lot of good advice. Gary, I would like to take this chance to openly thank you for your help. And congratulations on writing a great book!
Rating:
Summary: Deals with important issues and provides insight
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: On target for today's market
Review: This is the 5th r.e. book on investing I've read. But it was the first one to recognize that we're no longer living in the 1980s or even the early 90s. Sorry folks you can't buy foreclosures at pennies on the dollar. You can't find "motivated" sellers who will let you steal their properties for 60 cents on the dollar. Non-qual assumptions? Good luck trying to find one that's workable. Cash back at closing--dream on! Yes the gurus will lead you to believe that anyone can use these and many other outdated and super risky "creative" techniques. I know from experience because I wasted much money, time and effort chasing after their promised rainbows. Luckily, this book offered welcome relief. Factual, up-to-date, and very specific about the real opportunities (and pitfalls) in foreclosures, high leverage, property improvements, and tenant management. Do yourself a favor. Before you run amok with illusive hopes, read this "state-of-the art" guide. Some years ago I read a great book (Million Dollar Habits) by Robert Ringer. The first chapter was called "The Reality Principle." Well, Investing In Real Estate stands as one good dose of reality. This is the most real-world introduction I've found.
Rating:
Summary: Of the many real estate investing books I've read...
Review: ...this book is at the top of the list for clarity, description of quantitative methods, and sound business sense. The opening chapter, though quite accurate, spent too much time touting real estate investing as superior to paper securities, but this is the only problem I had with the book. The theoretical concepts are outlined and well-illustrated. The practical concepts are surprisingly well-developed for a relatively short treatment of this complex subject matter. While I don't recommend executing a real estate investment strategy using this book alone, it will definitely encourage you to seek further education and experience. I especially appreciated the realistic take on 'creative' financing, the appraisal primer, and the quantitative examples.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding coverage
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Bad, a little too basic and too much cheerleading.
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Almost everything....
Review: I liked this book a lot because it covers almost everything an investor needs to know to invest successfully and steer clear of risky gambits. Full-bodied discussion of multiple financing techniques including many types of seller financing (which is how one author bought his first dozen or so properties). Lots of personal examples.
The appraisal chapter digs into the art of valuing properties and exposes myths and misunderstandings about appraisal reports and listing prices. Want to boost the value of your properties beyond mere fix-up? The chapter on creating value gives a more profitable way of thinking about improvements.
The money's in management--not just buying at a bargain price. Here, this book goes into how to develop a market strategy, unlike any other basic investment book I've seen. As to leasing, after reading this chapter, you will never again rely on a preprinted leases without closely considering what you're really agreeing to. It also shows how to craft the terms of your lease to complement a profit-maximizing market strategy.
In sum, read this book! Unless you're a close- minded know-it-all, you'll gain a wealth of insights and money-making ideas.
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