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Rating: 
Summary: Tons on information in a very readable form
Review: As a seasoned investor, author and host of my own Real Estate Investment radio show, I read a lot of Real Estate related books and found this one to be a great addition to my library. It takes an approach that is different from many other books in that it suggests investment in multifamily properties. The author sets forth his reasons and then lays out the plan and approach one must take from initial research to actual management of the properties. While the answers to EVERY question are beyond the scope of any one book, the author covers just about every issue that might crop up as you build your real estate portfolio. If you are new to the industry, you will come away with an understanding of what you need to do to get started including creation of a plan. If you are an experienced investor, you will come away with tips and strategies on how to come away with more income and/or profit on every one of your investments through what the author refers to as strategic marketing. If you don't believe me, feel free to listen to his interview on The Real Estate Investor's Forum by logging on to voiceamerica.com
Rating: 
Summary: YAWN!
Review: I have been purchasing rental houses for going on 2 years. If I had read this book first, I think I would have kept my money in the bank. Eldred makes me feel that real estate investing is way too complicated to even start. Granted, there are those writers who make it seem all too easy, but Eldred throws up so many cautions as to scare the average investor away. He may tour the US giving seminars on investing, but the book seems to have been written for rich investors. He gives very little details on how to do a deal. He declines to outline his plan for the reason that every city is different. While this is in essence true, it would be helpful to an investor to have some plan, any plan upon which to start his or her real estate investing career. I did glean some info from it, but that was because I was interested in a very narrow sphere of real estate. For that reason I gave it 2 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for beginners or pros
Review: If you're thinking about investing in real estate, this book will give you a clear path to follow to maximize your profits. I found its strength both in its clearly written explanations as well as the tips and ideas on how to develop an improvement strategy. As a quick read that fully covers the basics, it's the best book on investing in small apartment buildings that I have read. True, as the reviewer below notes, you won't find a bunch of crazy "no credit, no cash" dealmaking tatics here. But you will find substantive content that distinguishes this author from others. Whether investing pro or amateur, I believe you'll come away from this book with insights that will really boost your return potential. I certainly did.
Rating:
Summary: Not your first real estate book, but very valuable
Review: This book, as others have noted, is not about the mechanics of proceeding; it's no cookbook and doesn't outline the specific steps to implement a deal. Nor does it specify some mythical "one true strategy" you should follow. What it does, and does very well, is cover the entire spectrum of larger strategy issues that will distinguish the greater success of strategic thinkers from the blind-luck results of simple tactical implementers.
Who is this for? People who have read (or done) enough real estate that they don't need yet another book of the details. People who want (or need) to be reminded to think about the larger plan, where they are going, and how to optimize your strategy for best results. I'm a business strategist professionally, and I think this is well written and useful. Some of the people who appreciate it the least ("just do it" types who want to be handed simple answers) would benefit the most from this very good summary of real estate strategic thinking. It's true, you do need to dive in and "just go do it" to make RE work. But thinking about the issues in this book will probably make any RE campaign significantly *better*. Good luck, to each of you.
Rating:
Summary: Not your first real estate book, but very valuable
Review: This book, as others have noted, is not about the mechanics of proceeding; it's no cookbook and doesn't outline the specific steps to implement a deal. Nor does it specify some mythical "one true strategy" you should follow. What it does, and does very well, is cover the entire spectrum of larger strategy issues that will distinguish the greater success of strategic thinkers from the blind-luck results of simple tactical implementers.
Who is this for? People who have read (or done) enough real estate that they don't need yet another book of the details. People who want (or need) to be reminded to think about the larger plan, where they are going, and how to optimize your strategy for best results. I'm a business strategist professionally, and I think this is well written and useful. Some of the people who appreciate it the least ("just do it" types who want to be handed simple answers) would benefit the most from this very good summary of real estate strategic thinking. It's true, you do need to dive in and "just go do it" to make RE work. But thinking about the issues in this book will probably make any RE campaign significantly *better*. Good luck, to each of you.
Rating:
Summary: Create value, Increase net income
Review: This is the second book I've read by Eldred. I like his style and thoughtful ideas. Unlike so many get rich in real estate books, Eldred seems to have his feet on the ground, yet he still demonstrates great ideas and techniques for buying, improving, and creating value for properties. This book does not cover "everything you need to know" (what book does?), but it does give you a unique and solid approach to investing smarter and more profitably.
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