Real Estate Investing for Dummies 
—Randall Bell, Author, Home Owner's Manual
"Tyson and Griswold have truly opened the world of real estate investing to all by tackling often complex issues in this easy to understand and use book. I can't think of a better way to get smart about building wealth through rental properties than to read their excellent Real Estate Investing For Dummies!"
—Vern Hoven, CPA
Non-prime time TV is cluttered with infomercials about how you can buy non-prime real estate for next to nothing and get rich quick. Common sense should tell you that’s an exaggeration. (If common sense doesn’t tell you, bankers will.) Nevertheless, it is possible to get rich gradually by investing in real estate. Long term, you can expect to realize an annual return of 8 to 10% a year.
Real Estate Investing for Dummies gives you the keys to successful real estate investment, whether it’s in single family homes and condos, apartments, vacation homes, commercial properties (office, industrial, and retail), raw land, or REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts). With guidance from authors Eric Tyson, MBA, a financial counselor, and Robert S. Griswold, a veteran real estate investor, you’ll discover how to: Find and buy the best properties at a fair price Capitalize on opportunities such as foreclosures, no money down deals, auctions, tax sales, and more Secure financing and good mortgage terms Value, evaluate, and negotiate everything to do with real estate Work with agents and other professionals Project income potential and cash flow Handle contracts, inspections, and closings
Whether you’re interested in a fixer supper for rental, premier office space you can lease, or a vacation home you can enjoy and rent, when you become a buyer, you also become a landlord. That means you can hear from tenants any time, night or day. It means you may not hear from them when the rent is due. Real Estate Investing for Dummies also helps you: Find and keep good tenants Negotiate lease agreements Insure and maintain your property Keep good records for tax and accounting purposes
Remember, with any deal, you have to know when to hold them and know when to fold them. So Real Estate Investing for Dummies gives you guidelines on when and how to sell and how to reinvest to build wealth. It also lists 10 real estate investments you shouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole. Especially if you’re tempted by those late-night infomercials, that warning could save you a fortune!
Reviews
This book I give 5 stars because it truly explains everything to the average Joe. It isn't boring. You get to learn the different aspects of real estate investing. This was my first book and it made me get interested in real estate not because of the "riches that's promised" but the potential that this field has and so many branches of it. Real estate investing isn't limited to just flipping houses, you'll find by reading this book there's many more roads that's equally profitable.
Also, since they have no agenda other than to help you understand the process, they did not try to sell you anything (i.e.; get rich quick schemes). This Dummies book gives it to you straight -- Why you should invest in real estate; How real estate investments stack up against other types of investments, such as stocks, etc.; The benefits of building your wealth by staying in for the long term; What cash flow to expect in the short term, including the possibility of negative cash flow.
I would highly recommend this book!
