Rating: 
Summary: Wealth of knowledge for the amateur
Review: I am new to real estate investing and I have minor experience as a loan officer. This book provides in depth detail and easy to understand knowledge on the most effective ways to obtain the correct mortgage financing for an individual based on their situation or need. The books also gives you a great amount of resources to obtain more help and knowledge on the subject of mortgages. I would highly recommend this book, and I might also add it is very easy to read and comprehend the concepts discussed in the book.
Rating: 
Summary: I think I've seen this guy in info-mercials
Review: I found that I could not get through this book. I may give it another try but I can't get too far without getting irritated again. The author seems to have no shortage of criticisms for those that work in home financing. He provides a laundry list of what he believes to be myths that those folks perpetuate. I'm no expert in financing (that's why I'm reading the book) and these criticisms may be totally valid, but for reasons I'll describe I don't trust what he says. He writes with the kind of condescension that can only be achieved by someone who doesn't even consider that he could perpetuating some myths of his own.This book's title is somewhat misleading. One would think it would focus heavily on financing. However, while he does touch on it, talk of financing is used to segue into how you (yes, YOU!) can get rich by investing in real estate. He is, or is a disciple of, one of those guys in the infomercials that say how easy it is to leverage your McDonald's wages into purchases of multi-unit complexes. Yes, real estate can be an effective wealth-building tool. However, this guy is fanatical to the point that he can no longer be objective. The prime, and most irritating, example that keeps emerging in the book (as far as I made it) is his apparent belief that real estate investment is free of risk. He suggests that you should use renters to allow you to buy multi-unit properties on a small income. I live in Seattle, and when the bubble burst there was suddenly a GLUT of rental housing in the area - having vacancies makes it pretty damn hard to make those payments. He also recommends paying your mortgage off quicker instead of using the extra money on other investments. Why? Because those other investments are risky he says. Hey, Mr. PhD - real estate prices can drop just like any investment (just ask residents of San Francisco). If your house is suddenly worth less than when you bought it - all of that extra capital being used to pay off the mortgage in 15 years instead of 30 is going in the toilet. The author proposes some interesting hypotheses worthy of exploring. Unfortunately, it is hard for me to trust any of his conclusions because I question his ability to think critically.
Rating:
Summary: Thorough and objective guide
Review: I just closed a loan on my first home and I found this book to be a helpful guide. It's not as sensationalistic as the title might imply, but it prepared me to know what questions to ask and how to get my credit,income, and bills in shape before I put in my loan application. Although I took out a new loan, this book goes into assumptions, seller financing, and other financing choices that I didn't know much about. I think a lot of people looking to buy might find these alternatives worthwhile. Overall, a profitable read.
P.S. This book is not an "infomercial" or "get rich quick" hype. It also strongly warns against misleading a lender--none of the advice is "fraudulent." I find it interesting to read other reviews and sometimes wonder if they actually read the book they are reviewing. Not just here, but with many other popular authors. Oh well, such is life.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read
Review: I know that it's a cliche to review any book with the "must read" lable. BUT if you read this book you will see what I'm talking about. It goes beyond just explaining "how to get a mortgage" or "how to save money" on financing. I think what makes this one so worthwhile is that it greatly expanded my ability to make sense of all types of of financing. If you really want to pull back the curtain on the lending process, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read
Review: I know that it's a cliche to review any book with the "must read" lable. BUT if you read this book you will see what I'm talking about. It goes beyond just explaining "how to get a mortgage" or "how to save money" on financing. I think what makes this one so worthwhile is that it greatly expanded my ability to make sense of all types of of financing. If you really want to pull back the curtain on the lending process, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding guide to financing
Review: I previously read Eldred's book,Investing In Real Estate.It's the best,comprehensive, and most sensible guide to investing that you'll find (read the reviews for youself). Likewise, this book on financing goes way beyond the other authors that I have read. (Sidenote: I cannot figure out what the Seattle reviewer is talking about, Mortgage Secrets deals exclusively with the ins and outs of financing techniques, saving money, cutting mortgage costs,and building equity faster. This book says nothing about using high leverage to get rich in real estate. As to infomercial hype, Eldred actually lambasts these gurus and warns how their "techniques" can lead the gullible to financial ruin. He even cautions strongly against home equity loans.) If you want to learn your financing options as well as the "tricks of the trade", you won't find a better book than this one. Although I'm in the business, I liked this book because a much more educated borrower gives us true professionals a stong advantage over our competition. Read Mortgage Secrets, then work with a broker who follows the insights that Eldred reveals. I'll make more money and you will get a better deal.
Rating:
Summary: Thorough and eye-opening
Review: I really liked this book because it not only covers so many ways to cut the costs of my r.e. financing, but it opened many financing possibilities that I wasn't aware of. The chapters on how to arrange my personal finances to jack up my credit scores and qualifying ratios really got me me thinking. "Wait a minute! I don't have to remain a passive bystander to this whole borrowing process. Now I know how to take control and advance and protect my own interests." I suspect reading this book will make you feel the same way.
Rating:
Summary: Right on, Mr. Bruss
Review: In his L.A. Times review of this book, Robert Bruss advised, "Whether you are buying or refinancing, first read Gary W. Eldred's new book." Mr. Bruss is absolutely right. This book gave me (a real novice) more knowledge than nearly all of the realtors and mortgage people I talked with. What I liked best,though, was how Mortgage Secrets showed how to choose the the right financing to make home equity grow the fastest. If you want to understand the fine print "gottcha's", or make sure your not overpaying, this book really pays off.
Rating:
Summary: Right on, Mr. Bruss
Review: In his L.A. Times review of this book, Robert Bruss advised, "Whether you are buying or refinancing, first read Gary W. Eldred's new book." Mr. Bruss is absolutely right. This book gave me (a real novice) more knowledge than nearly all of the realtors and mortgage people I talked with. What I liked best,though, was how Mortgage Secrets showed how to choose the the right financing to make home equity grow the fastest. If you want to understand the fine print "gottcha's", or make sure your not overpaying, this book really pays off.
Rating:
Summary: Attention Suze Orman readers
Review: Pay down debt. Build equity in your house. In these uncertain times use your mortgage and home ownership to increase your net worth and financial security. Suze Orman fans will love this book. It not only deals with the ins and outs of all kinds of real estate financing, it showed me how to manage my largest asset to establish a solid base of wealth. I'm pretty sure this book will put thousands in my pocket (and yours).
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