As you work on building your wealth and investing your money, one area that may intrigue you is real estate. Owning property to either rent out or flip has grown in popularity over the years and more people are interested in getting started.
However, oftentimes the idea of investing in properties and what it takes can be very intimidating. This can be a much larger investment with money and time, plus you could potentially lose a lot of money if you are not prepared. Luckily, there are tons of real estate investing books that can serve you well and help alleviate any fears.
1. The Millionaire Real Estate Investor
One of the first books about real estate I read was this monster called The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, by Gary Keller. His name might be familiar as he is also the founder of Keller Williams, which is the largest real estate company in the world.
This real estate book takes you on a journey from zero knowledge to being a pro by the end. You’ll learn how to develop an investor mindset, identifying real estate investment opportunities, achieving the best deals, building a network to streamline your real estate, how to acquire properties and more.
2. Rich Dad Poor Dad
This is one book I’ve talked about before as it helped me personally think about money differently. I’m not a fan of everything author Robert Kiyosaki talks about with investing, but Rich Dad Poor Dad is a must read.
While not a traditional real estate investing book, it talks about finances, making money while you sleep, and becoming an investor. This book covers how you don’t need a high income to become rich, challenging the idea that your home is an asset, explains the difference between assets and liabilities, and how to teach your kids or future children about money.
3. Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat
While this might be the longest title out of all the real estate investing books in this list, it’s a solid choice to consider. If you have done any reading about real estate investing, you’ve probably come across the “BRRRR” method. This stands for Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat and it’s become a popular strategy by investors.
4. Retire Early with Real Estate
Retire early you say? I’m sure that will catch your eye and certainly does for those looking to FIRE in the next few years. But Retire Early with Real Estate is presented by BiggerPockets, one of the best online communities for real estate investing knowledge.
Author Chad Carson provides the best methods you need to quickly (and safely) build wealth using real estate rentals. Learn from over twenty real estate investors and early retirees, as they discuss retiring early and how it is possible with a real estate strategy.
5. What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow
Real estate expert, Frank Gallinelli dives into detailed real estate investment case studies, while covering many of the essentials to build your own cash flow empire. The book also covers important areas of real estate investing like discounted cash flow, net operating income, profitability index, return on equity, and more.
6. The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor
The Book on Tax Strategies by CPAs Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland focuses on what you need to do for your taxes this year and an ongoing strategy that will make your next tax season even better.
This real estate investing book covers methods to help maximize your tax deductions, strategies to write off your travel, easy tips and tricks to cut down on bookkeeping time, and simple steps to protect you from an IRS audit.
7. Real Estate Investing Gone Bad
Look, real estate investing is not all money and glamor. There are a lot of stories where things go flat wrong and people make tons of mistakes. The good thing is, you can learn from others mistakes and ensure you best avoid them during your own property investments.
In Phil Pustejovsky’s book, Real Estate Investing Gone Bad, he covers true stories of mistakes and bad deals that totaled millions of dollars in losses and stress. If you are thinking about investing in real estate or currently are, this book will help prepare you for what NOT to do in real estate.
8. Build a Rental Property Empire
Author Mark Ferguson has years of real estate investing experience as a rental property owner, fix and flipper and real estate broker. Not only is he writing about how to get results, but has the track record to back it up.
In his book, Build A Rental Property Empire, Ferguson gives you the exact details on how to finance, find, analyze, manage, and even sell rental properties. You’ll find his book easy to understand and gets right to the point, no fluff!
9. Crushing It in Apartments and Commercial Real Estate
Large buildings or office properties can be even more intimidating and is a much bigger investment. But the rewards can be great! This is where Brian H. Murray’s book, Crushing It In Apartments and Commercial Real Estate can be extremely beneficial.
If you are interested in commercial real estate, this beginner’s guide will cover what you need to know as well as Murray’s experience going from newbie investor to award-winning CEO of Washington Street Properties.
10. The Book on Rental Property Investing
Building a rental property portfolio is not easy. But in Brandon Turner’s, The Book on Rental Property Investing, you’ll find yourself steps ahead of other investors.
You may recognize Turner’s work with BiggerPockets, where he co-hosts their popular podcast about real estate. He’s also written a few books, this one being a top choice. If financial freedom through rental properties sounds good to you, then this is a great book to read.