Books about real estate tend to fall into two categories: building a real estate career and investing (this list), two of the main goals in the industry. We put together a list of the best options out there to help you stay up to date on best practices, learn new skills, and access professional development opportunities.
Real estate professionals, novice investors, and savvy business people alike can build a strong and lucrative portfolio by making sound investments. To increase your chances for success, it helps to learn from others with experience and expertise, even if you already know what you’re doing. So, whether you want advice on how to get started, master the leading investment strategies, improve your knowledge of the transaction process, or seek out new possibilities to build out your expertise, this list of the best books on real estate investing will set you off on your next investment adventure.
Best Books on Real Estate Investing
Investing in Real Estate with No Money Down
Author: Brandon Turner
Publisher: BiggerPockets Publishing
Publication Date: June 30, 2020
Review:
Brandon Turner’s book, Investing In Real Estate with No Money Down, explores creative financial strategies for buying investment properties, such as wholesaling, lease options, and seller financing. He presents all the pros and cons in a straightforward manner that provides a realistic view of achievable outcomes. Instead of touting a get-rich-quick mentality, he uses his personal journey of success as a real-life example of a buy and hold investing method that produces income over the long-term. Experienced investors may find the information better suited to a beginner and prefer more information beyond the initial investment stages about how to manage complex transactions.
How to Invest in Real Estate
Author: Joshua Dorkin and Brandon Turner
Publisher: BiggerPockets Publishing
Publication Date: October 31, 2018
Review:
How to Invest in Real Estate by Joshua Dorkin and Brandon Turner is designed to help real estate investors with varying levels of expertise achieve their goals. The answers in this book often incorporate BiggerPockets podcasts and give real-life examples of what other investors did to find and purchase their properties. The nine chapters cover the common questions beginners ask and also explore subjects like personal finance, multifamily properties, and exit strategies. While this book gives a good overview of real estate investments, some readers may not appreciate the constant references back to the BiggerPockets website for additional information and insights that would serve the reader better if included in the actual text itself.
Building Wealth 1 House at a Time
Author: John Schaub
Publisher: Echo Point Books & Media
Publication Date: October 30, 2019
Review:
John Schaub became a successful real estate investor by focusing on single-family homes, as he discusses in his book, Building Wealth One House at a Time. He follows the 10/10/10 rule of buying at least 10% below the market, with no more than a 10% down payment, with a 10% interest cap. His book discusses how to understand the different cycles of the housing market, knowing the value, negotiation techniques, and selling strategies. Schaub’s approach to investing in real estate might not appeal to those who seek a faster return versus a longer-term strategy. Also, some readers may not agree with his examples of down payment amounts because prices can be higher in more expensive areas of the country.
What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know about Cash Flow
Author: Frank Gallinelli
Publisher: McGraw Hill
Publication Date: November 18, 2015
Review:
Frank Gallinelli, the author of What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know about Cash Flow, provides an in-depth analysis of investment calculations for determining the net profits and costs associated with each property. As an Adjunct Associate Professor for Master of Science students at Columbia University, Gallinelli taught real estate finance for 15 years. His book includes 37 formulas, including ways to figure out capitalization rate, net operating income, profitability index, and return on equity. While the various formulas and explanations offer valuable information for advanced students and experienced investors, readers new to the subject might find the calculations difficult to fully understand.
The Millionaire Real Estate Investor
Author: Gary Keller, Jay Papasan, and Dave Jenks
Publisher: McGraw Hill
Publication Date: April 7, 2005
Review:
The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan, and Dave Jenks teaches strategies for achieving wealth from real estate investments. Based on information obtained from 100 millionaire investors, the book outlines their strategies and shared mindset. It features several charts that illustrate the actions millionaire investors take, such as tracking expenses, managing cash flow, and building a strong network to achieve optimal results. These charts accompany anecdotes that demonstrate how their choices, including missed opportunities, can serve as memorable financial lessons. While some investors will greatly appreciate the motivational aspect of the book, others may find it repetitive at times.
The Book on Rental Properties Investing
Author: Brandon Turner
Publisher: BiggerPockets Publishing
Publication Date: December 10, 2015
Review:
Brandon Turner, author of The Book on Rental Property Investing, describes his love of rental properties and explains how they can turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary one. He outlines the key reasons for investing in rental properties, especially the advantages of leveraging money, time, and knowledge. Moreover, he not only emphasizes how the housing market can change, but also how housing is an ongoing need. While this book provides a useful overview for beginning investors, more advanced readers may find it less helpful.
Start Your Real Estate Career with AptAmigo
If you’re ready to invest in your new real estate career after reading the best books for real estate investing, consider starting your journey at AptAmigo, where you can work with a great team of professionals who believe in success. To learn more about how you could earn a six-figure salary while helping people achieve their goals, read our career blog and browse our job board.
AptAmigo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and does not discriminate based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, in connection with any aspect of employment at AptAmigo.
Jennifer Schmidt is a freelance writer in Vancouver, Washington, who specializes in real estate topics.
