Rating: 
Summary: Excellent detail, sound principles
Review: You will find that this book blends details with sound principles about financing, foreclosures, taxes, and profitable improvements as well or better than any of the other popular books in real estate.(I've read them all.) I also thought the chapters on leasing and management gave me some sharp insights that I have not seen elsewhere. You won't be disappointed with this book--as so many others do disappoint because they're filled with near impossible investment techniques or they're too rah rah without guidance for pitfalls.
Rating: 
Summary: good book for beginners
Review: This is a good book for beginners who want learn how to invest in real estate. However, the advices offered in the book are quite general and may not apply the specific situation in your area.
Rating:
Summary: Solid no nonsense ,very well written
Review: This book gives more solid and practical advice about investing in real estate than an entire pile of those recent bestsellers like Real Estate Riches and Unlimited Riches. If you want realistic and helpful ideas and guidance, study this book and toss out the silliness of authors who seem more like hucksters than investors.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book
Review: This book really tells you some great stuff about investing. It does not sugar coat it, and gives you good advice and warnings on all aspects of investing in real estate. It is also very readable and the average person will be able to read it with interest and not get bored.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: Great book. Good information and very little fluff. I highly recommend for anybody who might be considering real estate investmentThe author covers all aspects of real estate investing, from low down payments (without sounding like Carleton Sheets), to flipping properties. Very good detail and very well written.
Rating:
Summary: Great information
Review: I have to agree with many of the other good reviews out there about this book. It really does provide terrific, up-to-date information on the reality of IRE. At a time when everyone is down on the market and looking for good alternative investment vehicles to throw their money in (me included), this book really puts me at ease. However, in an effort to remain diversified, I also rely on the a great investment strategy that I found in a book called the 401k Marketbuster. This strategy will keep you out of the market during bad times and just like real estate keep your money in good shape when the market is down. I strongly recommend both!
Rating:
Summary: Packed with knowledge and techniques
Review: I bought the top 3 r.e. books (Investing in Real Estate, Real Estate Riches, Unofficial Guide). I could have bought just this one. It covers EVERYTHING the other books go over, AND it gives you FAR MORE DETAILS and far better explanations. I urge you to compare the contents--buying foreclosures, buying bargains, creative improvements, financing, paying less taxes, predicting appreciation, valuing properties. You will see what I mean. While Unofficial clearly beats Riches, it still gives you wrong or glossed over info much of the time. Unofficial is especially weak on financing, buying bargains, foreclosures, and valuation, though it's pretty good on management. I can offer this critique because Investing In Real Estate set the standard from which I could make an intelligent comparison. All of those readers who rated UNOFFICIAL with five stars could not have known much about real estate. They surely believed that they learned more than they actually did. Over and over, I read similar topics in IRE and Unofficial, and each time I developed my understanding from IRE and quickly spotted the glibness of Unofficial. Don't take my word for it. Go into a bookstore and compare for yourself. As to Real Estate Riches, DON"T BOTHER--unless you're a rich dad groupie.
Rating:
Summary: Tops on my list
Review: I recently read Flipping Properties and Unofficial Guide to R.E. Investing. By far, Mclean and Eldred give a much more detailed and thorough intro to valuing, choosing, and improving properties. Although all of these books talk about "buying at a bargain price" only M&E go into enough depth to explain how you make sure your property will turn out to be a good buy. Same thing with improving to create value. As to foreclosures, once again M&E explain all the various rules and procedures of REOs, especially as they pertain to investors. (In fact, the Flipping Properties book here is way out of date. Bronchik thinks HUD still gives homes away and finances investors. As M&E point out, neither of these popularly held beliefs is true--and haven't been for 10 years.)
Rating:
Summary: Deserves its bestseller ranking
Review: What do you want to learn about real estate? How to calculate returns? How to buy foreclosures? How to make money with repairs, renovations, and fixer-uppers? How to manage for good profits and low hassle? How to take advantage of the tax laws? Then, this is the book you are looking for. It doesn't just hand out cliche`s and generalities. These authors clearly give you uniquely sensible "how to" information, but at the same time they motivated me to discover and create my own opportunities.
Rating:
Summary: Solid, readable, thoughtful
Review: If you want a good, readable book on investing in real estate, add this one to your collection. It covers more of the details that other books leave out. It also avoids hype, hyperbole, and hucksterism.I liked the fact that it guides you to clearer, strategic thinking about the type of investment that you may find works best in your area. The unique chapter on leases alone is worth the price of the book.
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