Rating: 
Summary: Not realistic using his method
Review: 1 Star is really misleading, it implies some value, we need a 0 star option. I have read several real estate books, and they all have something to teach you. Except this one. Amazon (and Borders, where I bought it) should face a class action lawsuit for selling this piece of trash masquerading as a book. Does anyone read it before deciding to sell it? I am sure they know the problem by now. But what are they going to do, stop selling a good money maker? That title must sell lots of copies. It is designed to sucker you in and get your cash.The "author" Tyler Hicks is the type of guy who would have been a snake oil saleman in the old days. A charlatan who cons people out of their hard earned money by pretending to have something of value to them. Just the way he keeps trying to get you to trust him by calling you "good friend," is creepy. It is written for morons who will think "Wow! Tyler must really like me! He would never mislead me!" He even makes the offer: If you subscribe to my newletter for 2 years, I will happily lend you money to finance your deals, or give you a list of lenders. Hmm. I wonder which one he will choose to do. I challenge any of the "reviewers" who liked it to mention anything useful from the book. Quote Tyler Hicks or just put it in your own words, oh and don't forget to mention what page it can be found on. No one will be able to do this. There is nothing useful in this "book." The negative reviewers are "jealous" or "lazy"? Hah! I admit one thing: you guys are good at spinning it to make it look like the honest reviewers are the ones who are full of crap. Rather than attack them or call them names, why not mention something useful you learned in the book and what page it can be found on? Your reviews are as empty as the book. Who are you, the publisher? the author? his brother? And please stop opening new Amazon accounts and voting over and over again for the favorable reviews to bump them to the top. Pathetic. The only positive thing about the book is how it made me laugh at some of the ridiculous "advice." For example: Chapter 7 - Make Residential Properties Your Wealth Source, pages 124 -126 gives us such gems as this... You find a 10-year-old 50-family building for sale for $750,000. The owner clearly has at least 20% equity, and is netting at least $62,000 a year from it. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for you, he dies. His estate lawyer puts it up for sale for $150,000 down. You make the more than generous offer of nothing down. He is forced to accept, almost begging you not to force him to come down even more. In other words: You find a large, young apartment building in great condition, which generates good income, being dumped for a ridiculously low price. Mysteriously, no one else wants to buy it. Apparenty you are the only person other than Tyler who ever thought of the crazy idea of buying real estate. So you rake the seller over the coals until he agrees to finance 20% of it himself just to unload the money making machine that no one but you is willing to take off his hands. Yep, sounds realistic. Now I am ready to become a millionaire in 3 years. In other places he lays out the plan for you to follow, which basically consists of: (I kid you not) Buy property cheap for no money down, sell it high for money down, use the proceeds to buy more property, etc. then in 3 years when you are a millionaire, spend your time vacationing on the beach. But he never actually tells you how to do any of it. He literally spends more time telling you to take vacations than covering any specific techniques for buying low, selling high, getting no cash down terms, etc. You just keep hoping he will eventually get to the nitty gritty. It never happens. You can learn more about real estate for almost any other book, on any subject. I recommend any other book on real estate over this one. Note: My wife just checked, and indeed, Borders has stopped selling this title! Unfortunately, Tyler will probably just rehash it again in another title.
Rating:
Summary: I paid for an infomercial!!!
Review: Don't be ripped-off! HONESTLY, the only reason this book rated 1 1/2 stars is because there is no zero-star option. Almost every page is a shameless plug for the author's newsletter and other financial wares. In between these nauseating self promotions is advice such as "when dealing with a commercial lender, try to negotiate a lower interest rate." DUUUHHHH!!! I never would have thought of that! If you need such advice, I will gladly sell you my slightly used book . . . and I have a bridge in Brooklyn. Seriously, don't waste your money!
Rating: 
Summary: "Where's the Meat?"
Review: I am happy that I didn't buy this book and borrowed it from the library instead. I wanted to read this book with an open mind and get past the self promotion and really learn something about investing in real estate. But my open mind was shut with Hicks' self promotion over and over again. He encourages all to subscribe to his newsletters and buy his other programs. There were a few questions I had before I read the book: one was where to find property that would provide me with a positive cash flow. I never got that answer. I also wanted to know about where to look for government programs that give grants for rehabilitation. I never got the answer, but I'm sure that if I subscribe to the newsletter and buy all of his kits, I may learn something, but unfortunately I want to spend my time and money investing in real estate not books.
Rating: 
Summary: I loved it !!!
Review: I an 32 years old and I read this book 2 months ago... I bought my first no-money-down apartment building 6 weeks after starting the book. He didn't re-invent the wheel. He has a good way of presenting information and methods for becoming a real estate entrepreneur. I did not subscribe to his other products as I felt that I did not need to. It did not aggravate me that he was self-promoting his services. All of the other reviews make me laugh... they are all frustrated by the author... He is a rich entrepreneur and of course he will promote his other services. That's what makes him succesfull and that's what makes some of the reviewers jealous. All I have to say is: this is a tool for those who want to take control of their financial lives. I didn't stop myself at just this book... I also read "Multiple streams of income". I really did my homework and I wasn't expecting the authors of those books to answer EVERY question.... but did they ever wake me up!!!!!!!! Go a head reach your full potential!... and don't be scared. Cheers...
Rating: 
Summary: Great motivational book! Some good real estate ideas, too.
Review: I gave this book five stars for two reasons. First, I wanted to offset some of the one-star reviews here, which I think are unwarranted. More importantly, however, this book is truly one of the best introductory texts available for those just starting in real estate investing. If you are a total newbie to the subject, this book will help you get started. It's an excellent motivational text. Half the battle of starting in real estate investing, or any endeavor for that matter, is getting your head in the right place to start thinking like an investor, and having the confidence to take the educated risks you'll need to be successful. Hicks gives the reader the encouragement they need to do this. He presents a decent overview of the opportunities in real estate investing, with some interesting ideas on how to take advantage of those opportunities. All too often texts of this variety fall into the "business cult" trap, where the reader is encouraged to follow the author's way of doing things without any other information or consultation. The dangers are glossed over in favor of built-up rewards. Despite what his other critics might say, Hicks avoids this pitfall. He dedicates an entire chapter to mistakes beginners make in real estate, and he includes some really good, basic advice, some of which might not be blatantly obvious for those who are just starting out. He constantly admonishes the reader to consult with a competent attorney, a CPA, their local laws and regulations, and to further educate themselves in the field in order to avoid other dangers, and maximize other rewards, that you simply can't learn about until you've started applying the fundamentals towards your own unique investing situation. He includes a recommended reading list for further information. Half the materials he recommends are written and published by other authors (due to the dated nature of his material, however, most of these books are out-of-print, although you can easily find similar resources by searching for his recommended titles on Amazon), and the other half are from his own publications. There are several references throughout the text to these publications, but almost all of them are made in the letters he cites as examples of people who have tried this technique such-and-such a way. These letters add understanding to the text beyond just being used as an advertisement for his previously-published materials. The references he makes to his own publications outside of the recommended reading list simply say, "Look here for more information on this specific topic," which is a common, perfectly acceptable practice for an author, especially when he is writing a broad overview of a subject, like he does here, and he doesn't have the space to go into detail on a specific subject that takes up an entire book by itself. He also makes himself available by phone for questions, especially for more detailed consultation regarding your own implementation of his techniques, any problems you might encounter, etc. Even if you decide not to work with him as a mentor, that's a pretty impressive testament to the fact he's not just out to take your money and run, but wants to see you succeed using his techniques. This is probably where the controversy over Ty Hicks stems from. Many readers mistakenly believe that they can indeed read this one book and make millions in real estate in three years. Ty Hicks does not claim this, and it is no wonder when some of his readers are so deeply disappointed when this belief does not materialize. Hicks does claim you can make a fortune in real estate if you're willing to study, work, and stay motivated. He offers many more materials to help in this learning process, and sure, he makes money off of them. Good thing for us; if business people didn't make money off of telling us how they do things, they'd spend all their time investing for themselves and we'd never learn how to share in the wealth. You don't necessarily need Ty Hicks' other materials to be successful, however. What you're really paying for in buying his other materials is the personal encouragement and mentorship of Ty Hicks. If you need that sort of mentor to help guide your efforts (and some people do), that's fine. If not, you can find the additional information you need to educate yourself further about real estate investing from other, less expensive sources. For those just starting out, who need a little motivation with their information, you can't go wrong with this book. It's just the beginning of your education in real estate investing, though! Supplement it with books like "Investing in Real Estate, 4th Edition" by Andrew McLean, "Real Estate Finance & Investment Manual" by Jack Cummings, "Landlording" by Leigh Robinson, "The Complete Guide to Buying & Selling Apartment Buildings" by Steve Berges, "Real Estate Investor's Tax Guide 4th Edition" by Vernon Hoven, and if you want to lay down some cash for an exhaustive, detailed, expansive collection of sample forms and calculation techniques, get the "Real Estate Investment & Acquisition Workbook" by Howard Zuckerman.
Rating: 
Summary: A few good bits of info(mercial)
Review: I must say the other reviewers shouldn't be so disappointed in the contents of the book. I am afraid most people in the world (and certainly in my country, America) are looking for the easiest way to become the next successful millionare. Nobody wants to work for it and everybody wants to get that way without taking any risks. But people with common sence know that to earn money, one must work for it. And it takes time to make money these days (as always), even in real estate. So, I believe people who write negative reviews about this book are the people who are foolish enough to buy into the hype of the book and then are let down by the fact that in order to follow Ty Hick's formulas they must get out there and conduct business in a professional manner, making smart and informed decisions about what income producting real estate to buy, find a way to borrow money for down payments and secure 100% financing, take risks with that borrowed money, maybe have to settle with old fixer-upers in the early stages when one has no money and no credit, etc. You see, this book does hype you up about being a millionare which I'm sure makes lazy people like 95% of all my fellow Americans drool all over themselves. But when they open up the book and read the contents of the pages they find that it actually takes some planning, work, doesn't happen overnight, can be hard to get funds when they have no credit and a poor financial statement, and has a possibility of failing or not bringing in what the book title suggests. So, now they feel prompted to come online and write nasty reviews about Ty Hick's books not having any useful information in them. Sorry reviewers, but you're just plain lazy! The book doesn't try to pretend to be a one-stop source for your riches, wealth, health, and prosperity. It is nothing more than an info book package, not an answer to all your problems in life. It points you in the right direction if you are an absolutely newbie to the field of real estate and that, I think, is plenty for the cost of a $15.00 book. He teaches you conventional and non-conventional ways of borrowing money, how to go about making down payments with what he calls OPM (other people's money), who to go to get loans and money and the pros and cons of going the way of some of those routs (like using money brokers). Sure, there are risks in borrowing money for real estate, but far less risks in real estate than in the stock market or many, many other investment options! If your not willing to take at least some kind of risk then work in a factory and never invest your money in anything besides a savings account. And furthermore, the idea of borrowing money for everything you do is dangerous to some extent but not if you are making a smart decision and researching your options and making sure you can make a profit on some property before going down to the bank and getting a loan on it. He talks plenty about what NOT to do, mistakes to avoid, etc. in this book on this subject.
And of course many people who buy this book have little or no money and are just starting out with little or no credit whatsoever. So, naturally you cannot go borrow a $250.000 down payment for a home when your bank account has $6.02 in it. He explains this very clearly and doesn't mislead you to believe that you can do otherwise. He states very clearly that if you are looking for overnight riches that this isn't for you. If you really are starting out with no cash and nothing to your name, then it will take time to build up the financial statement required for those huge loans for that big income producing real estate. He gives you advice on what small income-producing properties to persue that have a much higher likelyhood of gettting you approved on a loan and a no down payment transaction on a home. This will help you slowly build up profitability over the course of a few years. Notice I said slowly, which is exactly what turns off most lazy readers of this book who want to get rich over night without having to work or wait for it. I will agree with the other readers though that this book does have way too mucch hype at times and he advertises his other services such as his $24.00 per year newsletter and other books he has written which in essence say the same thing as this one does. One of his other books though, "How to Make BIG MONEY in REAL ESTATE", does talk about bank foreclosures which I think is valuable information for those who are just starting out and need some really low priced real estate to go after and invest in. Anyway, this book does seem like an infomercial and in many ways it is one in print. I don't like having to deal with the author advertising his services which is really nothing more than information that should have been included in the book instead of an extra charge newsletter. I do like the fact that in one of the chapters he gives you a list of places where you can obtain loans, borrow money, private investors, etc. He also sells (of course) extra information on just about every resources you would need. But again, this all should have been included in the book. I give the book 3 stars for the ideas it presents and the overall good worth that I think it will have to many complete real estate newbies who need good ideas, need to learn some of the terminology and mind set of the business, and need to know where to go to look for money they can borrow. The book though is very lacking and could have been a lot better if the author would have put his newsletter contents into this book instead of insisting on you the reader purchasing the newsletter seperate. I would say this book will have far more worth to rookies in the field with no experience than it will to those who've been in RE for a while now. But caution to all newbies, this isn't a complete guide and you should really consider what your doing before you go into major debt right off the bat after reading this book. Start small, very small and gain experience from each and every real estate deal you get into. Zero cash down deals are hard to come by for a beginner but don't give up if you've been rejected half a dozen times or more...keep trying. But think small at first and grow over the course of time and you'll be fine.
Rating:
Summary: I am now dumber for having read this!!!
Review: If you want all the "information" in this book pick up Real Estate Riches by Dolf De Roos. It contains everything useful in this book and only enough hype to get you excited. This book on the other hand is a thinly disguised info-mercial for a lot of other drivel that Hicks will make a profit if you purchase. Please by something from a useful guru (ie. Peter Conti and David Finkel, Dolf de Roos, Russ Whitney) and save yourself the dissapointment.
Rating:
Summary: Do NOT waste your money
Review: Readers, If you are curious about real estate investing, then take my word for it, this book is NOT what you are looking for.
The author spends the whole time pretty much giving you a pep talk about just getting out and and making offers to people for a hundred percent plus in financing and while im not saying that you couldnt get that, I am saying that this book does not tell you anything that a little common sense wouldnt tell you. And common sense is free. Plus the whole book is like one big plug for the authors other businesses that hes trying to sell you. I felt like I paid money for an infomercial!!!! I dont know what book to recommend to you, dear reader, but this is NOT it.
Thanks for your time.
Rating:
Summary: Little information ---too much hype
Review: This book by Hicks is nothing more than quick and glib sayings and pie in the sky real estate dreams. Save your money. (...) This book is a waste of spare time.
Rating:
Summary: Motivation. Not How-To
Review: This isn't exactly a step by step, how to buy, what to say word for word kind of book. I see people scan the book, look for five minutes on the internet for apartments, houses, etc, and find nothing. It takes more than that, so these same people disagree with the book and go on living from paycheck to paycheck, hoping to win the lottery. For me, after reading the book, I found the motivation to get in my car and stop by a few banks and insurance companies to ask if there are any apartments buildings or multi-family housing complexes for sale in the area. As simple as this, I will get my list of buildings that I want. I know that at least one is what I want. I make a phone call to the bank, later, we have a meeting at the building. Is this more step by step that you want? I throughly enjoyed the book and it has pushed me just enough to go flying through this venture easily. My next letter will include the facts of what I did and it is going to be sent to Mr. Hicks. Don't expect to know exactly what to say and who to call, that's your job, else this book would have cost much more. It's just a book of hints and tips. Mostly, it is a guide. I read it in 4 hours. Everything was useful. I'm buying two more by the author tonight.
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