Rating: Summary: BY FAR THE BEST BOOK ON REAL ESTATE INVESTING Review: "The Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing" is by far the best book on real estate investing I've ever read! And, I've read them all! I have been actively investing in the stock market for years but always felt intimidated by real estate investments. That is until I found this gem of a book. It not only helps to clarify financial goals, but also provides very specific guidelines for acheiving those goals. Best of all, since applying what I have learned from the book, I have found their 40% return extremely conservative. I expect more than double that this year!
Rating: Summary: Written by a committee - and it shows Review: Although this book was very well organized and clearly written, it lacks depth and detail... almost as if many things were "left out" for one reason or another. I moved on to my next title "Investing in Real Estate" 3rd edition, and I'm only on chapter 3 and have already gotten more out of it than I received from "The Unofficial Guide". If your looking for a great book on the subject, I would suggest you forego this title and go for the "Investing in Real Estate" 3rd edition instead.
Rating: Summary: Very thorough.. Review: and indexed very well and thorough in the table of contents. Very good for reference as it is extremely easy to go to exactly where you need to from the table of contents. Covers tax implications, where to invest, what to invest in, compares and contrasts various R.E. types of properties, purchasing, due diligence and management. One of the more thorough beginners investment books I've come across.
Rating: Summary: Very thorough.. Review: and indexed very well and thorough in the table of contents. Very good for reference as it is extremely easy to go to exactly where you need to from the table of contents. Covers tax implications, where to invest, what to invest in, compares and contrasts various R.E. types of properties, purchasing, due diligence and management. One of the more thorough beginners investment books I've come across.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Book - A must Read Review: As a new investor, I found the book to be an excellent source and guide. I have read at least a dozen books on the subject of Real Estate Investment and this is by far the best I've read thus far. Unlike other books on the subject, The Unofficial Guide, offers practical information on what to do.Buy it and keep it as a handy reference tool.
Rating: Summary: Really Great! Review: As a newcomer to the real estate investment game, I found this book to be exactly what I was looking for. It was easy-to-read, full of useful information, hints and tips, and gives a very detailed analysis of how to make money in real estate. What I found especially helpful was they way they made the real estate investment process into almost a scientific formula for success. The authors really seem to know their stuff. They explained what could be dense material in a way that was very accessible. They also walk you through every step of the process. It seems like even a seasoned real estate investor would get a lot out of this book too. I liked it a lot, and dog-eared many pages.
Rating: Summary: Great thoughts on creatively purchasing real estate Review: At the columns of the book are "tips and bright ideas" that are very good, you could just read this part of the book and come away with some great new thoughts. I liked how he has you think about sources that are already developing numbers and tapping into their resources for much of the current data in your market place. This would include Chamber of Commerce, etc.
Rating: Summary: Very pactical and useful information Review: Before buying this book, I was under the impression that in order to buy a $350,000 property, I'd have to come up with 20% down (A nearly impossible task). So I spoke with my friend's dad who already owns rental properties. To my shock, he said I only needed 3% down with an FHA loan. Skeptical, I decided to do my own research and bought this book. I just finished reading this book last night. I was very impressed by the sound advice given within. It echoed exactly what my friend's dad had told me. I have yet to buy my first four-unit rental building, but this book has given me the necessary practical guide for the rest of my life. This same time, next year, I will own a four-unit apartment with no fear. I'm 29 years old and have always wondered how do people get wealthy. Now, I know how. If you want motivation to get into real estate investing, I would suggest buying Russ Whitney's book first. If you need meat for your motivation, then the Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing is the one for you. It is very comforting to know the authors are from Southern California as well. It gives greater validity that their advice will work for me. I have no doubt that I will be re-reading this book as my wealth grows as planned.
Rating: Summary: Best book for basics, a must have for your desk Review: Being a part time real estate investor for the last 6 years I have "self taught" myself everything. Some lessons from hard knocks and some from books. I must have 10 or more books on real estate investing but, this is the book that constantly sits on my desk. I've underlined, highlighted, dog eared, and copied many many parts of this book. Yes, in some cases it is a very broad overview but then again, it touches on almost everything related to investing. It covers the basics thoroughly and that is what keeps me coming back to this great book again and again.
Rating: Summary: The unofficial guide to real estate investing Review: Don't buy the The Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing. I am a full-time real estate investor, I have a real estate license, an MBA, and for the last 5 years have read almost every new book with "real estate" in the title. In addition, I belong to several real estate clubs, and suscribe to several real estate news letters. If I saw this book in a book store I would have been able to read enough to see it was useless. However, I bought it online. This book is a cookie cutter by a company who writes the "Unofficial Guide..." books on any subject they think will sell--which I have no problem with if they write good books. This book is written like a high school book report where meaningless fluff is added at every possible point. The writer they selected tries to touch on anything related to real estate, but fails to show the reader how money is made in real estate. There are many great books on real estate, even some not so good books will have a few valuable pieces of information. This book would rate in the bottom 3 of the over 100 real estate books I've read. Spend your $ on a different real estate book; this one stinks.
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