This list of the best books on real estate investing has something for everyone, whether you want to learn how to negotiate or flip houses
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, we can all benefit from the wisdom of others when it comes to real estate investing.
But looking at how-to books alone (to say nothing of YouTube channels and podcasts) can be a daunting prospect. That’s where we come in.
In this article, we will look at the 10 best books on real estate investing. We will also look at the book that consistently ranks at the top of many online lists, as well as outline the golden rule of real estate investing.
Here is everything you need to know.
What are the 10 best books on real estate investing?
Real estate investing can be a great way for you to grow your wealth. Unlike other types of investments, which can be passive, most real estate investments are hands on. In other words, if you want to be successful, you will need to know the ins and outs in all steps of the process.
The good news for you is there is no shortage of expertise on the subject of real estate investing. In this section, we are going to single out the best books on real estate investing to give you some idea of the experts you should listen to.
Without further ado, let’s look at the 10 best books on real estate investing:
- How to Invest in Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started
- ABCs of Real Estate Investing
- The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down
- The Book on Managing Rental Properties
- The Book on Flipping Houses
- Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat
- Long-Distance Real Estate Investing
- The Book of Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor
- Rental Property Investing QuickStart Guide
- The Book on Negotiating Real Estate
Now, let’s look a little more closely at each to see what they have to offer.
1. How to Invest in Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started
Published in 2018, How to Invest in Real Estate is a great place to start your journey into real estate investing. The book, written by Brandon Turner and Joshua Dorkin, is an easy-to-understand introduction to popular investment strategies. These include:
- House flipping
- Wholesaling
- Short-term rentals
- BRRRR (buy, rehabilitate, rent, refinance, repeat) investing
- Turnkey investing
- House hacking
How to Invest in Real Estate also explains how to invest even with a full-time job, bad credit, or no money.
The book offers numerous stories taken from the authors’ podcast, which are motivational, real-life stories that give you an idea of what real estate investing is actually like.
2. ABCs of Real Estate Investing
Ken McElroy’s 2004 book focuses primarily on multi-family properties. This includes setting target property parameters, identifying the market, making offers, evaluating investment opportunities, and negotiating deals, among others.
It also highlights the importance of building a strong team. In other words, don’t try to do everything yourself. According to ABCs of Real Estate Investing, you will need a business team, a property search team, an offer team, and other team members.
3. The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down
This is the second book on this list authored by Brandon Turner. His 2020 offering, The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down, focuses on the biggest obstacle investors face: financing. This book covers multiple solutions, including:
- Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans
- Home equity lines of credit (HELOC)
- Private money
- Partnerships
- Hard money
- Lease options
- Seller financing
- Syndication
This book, like Turner’s other book on this list, is easy to understand and conversational. It also includes real-life examples and inspirational stories.
4. The Book on Managing Rental Properties
The Book on Managing Rental Properties, co-written by Heather and Brandon Turner, is ideal for new landlords. This 2015 book focuses on the management side of residential rentals. It also includes advice on how to be an effective landlord.
The book emphasizes how important it is to manage properties correctly, despite how good you may be at finding real estate deals. It delves into topics such as advertising your vacancy, screening tenants, and finalizing lease agreements. You will also learn how to solve problems from repairs to bounced rent checks and evictions.
5. The Book on Flipping Houses
J Scott’s 2019 offering, The Book on Flipping Houses, draws on his expertise as a multifamily investor with $130 million in assets under management. The book details potential problems and costs that investors should anticipate when flipping properties.
The Book on Flipping Houses focuses on reducing risks when purchasing properties. It then guides you through the rest of the process, from preparing financing and finding deals to creating budgets. It is a great read if you want to receive the maximum return on your investment.
6. Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat
Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat is also known as the BRRRR method and was developed by real estate broker and investor David Greene. In 2019, he wrote the book on it, detailing every step in the process. This includes finding deals to buying under market value to rehabbing and setting rent prices. It also explains how to scale your business.
Whether you follow the BRRRR method or not, this book offers useful advice that can apply to other rental real estate strategies.
7. Long-Distance Real Estate Investing
David Greene’s second book on this list, Long-Distance Real Estate Investing, explains that out-of-state investing used to be considered risky. However, the rules, markets, and technology have all changed, allowing investors to cast wider nets to find deals across the USA.
In his 2017 guide, Greene shows you how to build a solid team, how to better understand your market, and find more out-of-state deals. These include real estate owned (REO) properties, half-finished homes, short sales, and notices of default. He also shows you how to work through long-distance rehabs.
8. The Book of Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor
Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland, authors of the Book of Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor, are both certified public accountants (CPAs). That makes them uniquely qualified to offer advice on how real estate and investing taxes work in their 2020 tax guidebook.
This book offers first-hand insight and advice on how investing and real estate taxes work. While it is targeted at novice real estate investors, this book is also useful for mid-level investors. Han and MacFarland draw on real-world examples to explain complex tax laws.
9. Rental Property Investing QuickStart Guide
Symon He’s 2021 book, Rental Property Investing QuickStart Guide, keeps the material engaging by offering simple graphics, anecdotes, and examples. It also offers words of caution to keep the material fresh.
He also gives excellent advice on how to win the right rental property price. First, you need the right property, then the right team, to plot long-term success. Offering a balanced approach to real estate investing, He simplifies complex topics while including insights that will appeal to savvier investors.
10. The Book on Negotiating Real Estate
The Book on Negotiating Real Estate, by J Scott, Mark Ferguson, and Carol Scott, focuses on the importance of negotiating when it comes to real estate investing. If done properly, the book suggests, negotiating can help you close more real estate deals and maximize profits.
The book goes through every aspect of the real estate negotiation process. This includes first interactions with buyers or sellers and renegotiating contracts if there is an issue. Reading this book will also teach you how to overcome objections and find mutually beneficial solutions.
What is the best book about real estate investing?
We’ve looked at the 10 best books on real estate investing. The one book that consistently shows up on most lists is The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner. That makes it a good contender for the best book about real estate investing, even if it is somewhat subjective.
Turner is an active real estate investor and host of the world’s #1 real estate podcast, BiggerPockets. According to the blurb on the book’s back cover, The Book on Rental Property Investing offers “every strategy, tool, tip, and technique you need to become a millionaire rental property investor!”
The book may not cover every single aspect of rental property investing. It does, however, contain more than enough detailed information and tips to help get you started in real estate investing.
The book, published in 2015, covers every topic you might expect such as finding the keys to rental property success, building your real estate dream, and analyzing rental properties. It also covers how to finance deals, how to carry out the due diligence process, and how to manage your rentals, among other things.
What is the golden rule of real estate investing?
When it comes to real estate investing, there are four golden rules, not just one. Let’s look at what these are:
Buy from motivated sellers
The first golden rule of real estate investing is to buy from motivated sellers. A motivated seller is someone who really needs to sell their real estate property. Due to some issue they may be experiencing, they are more flexible on the home price or the terms of the sale. This is great news for you.
Buy in areas where demand is high
If you buy a cheap property and no one is around to live in it, you’re in trouble. If, however, the property is in an area of strong rental demand, you’re in luck. Even if you pay more initially for the property, you are more likely to find tenants—and therefore more likely to pay it off. To find areas of high demand, check online or speak to local real estate agents.
Buy property that provides positive cash flow
This means that at the end of each month, when you get your rent and deduct the other costs, there is still profit left over for you. Possible costs include your mortgage, your insurance, and your management fees, among others. If there is little or no cash flow, ie no profit, then look for another real estate investment.
Have a cash buffer
A cash buffer is money that you put aside, either on a credit card or in a bank. It could even be someone else’s money you’ve agreed to borrow ahead of time. This cash buffer will act as a safety net for problems that are not covered by insurance.
When looking for the best books on real estate investing, remember these tips
There is no shortage of expertise when it comes to real estate investing. The number of books—and YouTube channels, podcasts, and ads—vying for your attention can feel overwhelming. The good news is that, with a little research, you can easily find the best books for you and your real estate investing goals.
A good starting point is to have some idea of what you’re looking for.
To find out more about the best strategies for real estate investing, get in touch with one of the mortgage professionals we highlight in our Best in Mortgage section. Here you will find the top-performing mortgage professionals across the USA.
Do you think that any of the best books on real estate investing will work for you? Have you read any books on real estate investing that you found especially insightful? Let us know in the comment section below.
