Real Estate Books - Page 5

The Complete Guide to Locating, Negotiating, and Buying Real Estate Foreclosures: What Smart Investors Need to Know - Explained Simply

Frankie Orlando

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In every hour of each day, savvy real estate investors are accumulating vast fortunes buying foreclosed homes at bank foreclosures, pre-foreclosures, and foreclosure auctions. Recent research indicates that more than 1 percent of ALL residential property in the United States today is already in; or facing foreclosure soon.. In April 2006 RealtyTracTM , the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, released its 2006 Q1 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which showed that 323,102 properties nationwide entered some stage of foreclosure in the first quarter of 2006, a 38 percent increase from the previous quarter and a 72 percent year-over-year increase from the first quarter of 2005. The nation s quarterly foreclosure rate of one new foreclosure for every 358 U.S. households was higher than in any quarter of last year. There is an estimated 1 million plus homes being foreclosed on. Armed with the right knowledge and tactics, opportunities for buying low-cost real estate foreclosures are plentiful. There are a lot of things you need to know before you get started. You need to understand how the foreclosure process works, what the borrower is going through, and the lenders role. You will be taught everything you need to know to locate and purchase real estate bargains from banks, public auctions, and other sources. Whether you are a first-time homeowner or an experienced property investor, this is a tremendous guide for buying pre-foreclosed homes in any market. You will learn the simple formula (developed from real-life experience) that can build massive wealth through real estate foreclosures. You will learn how to: negotiate with homeowners in distress, prepare contracts and paperwork, determine the true market value of the property, creative techniques to finance properties, learn how to flip the property, locate one-of-a-kind properties, negotiate with sellers, research, auctions, estimate repair costs, eliminate, obtain REO, use online resources, look up owners contact information, communicate with property owners, write ads, how to receive pre-foreclosure information, options, and more. This brand new book is the resource for novices and pros alike; it will guide you through every step of the process including finding properties, negotiating, and closing on your first deal. This new exhaustively researched book will arm you with hundreds of innovative ideas that you can put to use right away. This book gives you the proven strategies, innovative ideas, and case studies from experts to help you get more with less time and effort.

Earth-Sheltered Houses: How to Build an Affordable...

Rob Roy

Amazon Price: $18.45 List Price: $27.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New Society Publishers Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $16.92

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Home Design -> Design & Construction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

An earth-sheltered, earth-roofed home has the least impact upon the land of all housing styles, leaving almost zero footprint on the planet.

Earth-Sheltered Houses is a practical guide for those who want to build their own underground home at moderate cost. It describes the benefits of sheltering a home with earth, including the added comfort and energy efficiency from the moderating influence of the earth on the home's temperature (keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer), along with the benefits of low maintenance and the protection against fire, sound, earthquake, and storm afforded by the earth. Extra benefits from adding an earth or other living roof option include greater longevity of the roof substrate, fine aesthetics, and environmental harmony.

The book covers all of the various construction techniques involved, including details on planning, excavation, footings, floor, walls, framing, roofing, waterproofing, insulation, and drainage. Specific methods appropriate for the inexperienced owner/builder are a particular focus and include:

• Pouring one's own footings and/or floor
• The use of dry-stacked (surface-bonded) concrete block walls
• Post-and-beam framing
• Plank-and-beam roofing
• Drainage methods and self-adhesive waterproofing membranes

The time-tested, easy-to-learn construction techniques described in Earth-Sheltered Houses will enable readers to embark upon their own building projects with confidence, backed up by a comprehensive resources section that lists all the latest products such as waterproofing membranes, types of rigid insulation, and drainage products that will protect the building against water damage and heat loss.

Rob Roy is a former contractor with 27 years of experience and 12 previous books to his credit, including Cordwood Building and Timber Framing for the Rest of Us. An expert on underground building, he founded the Earthwood Building School in 1981 with his wife, Jaki, and is frequently a speaker at events throughout North America.

Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens: Earn Safe, Secured, and Fixed Returns Every Time

Larry Loftis

Amazon Price: $14.96 List Price: $22.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Kaplan Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 30 new & used starting at $12.96

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Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Investing -> Introduction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens introduces an investment alternative that is safe, secured by real estate, administered by the government, involves no brokers, is enforced by state law, and gives fixed returns.

Selling tax liens or tax deeds (depending on the state) are the two ways that counties across the country bring delinquent property taxes up-to-date. This investment is one of the least publicized and safest ways of investing in real estate, designed to give the investor either a fixed return, as in the case of investing in tax liens, or a property for 10 to 50 cents on the dollar, as in the case of a tax deed sale. In most situations, the property is ultimately transferred free of any liens, such as mortgages.

Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens also debunks the common myth that tax delinquent properties are run-down and shows that liens exist on every type of property. Author Larry Loftis, an attorney and active investor, has purchased liens on properties owned by Julius ""Dr. J"" Erving, Hector ""Macho"" Camacho (world champion boxer), Chase Manhattan Bank, LaSalle National Bank, and even a building whose major tenant was the local sheriff's department!

In this authoritative guide, Loftis helps investors avoid the pitfalls while answering all the key questions they need to consider:

* What's the difference between investing in tax liens and tax deeds?

* How does an investor go about bidding at tax sales? And what is the process?

* What are the different requirements in each state?

* Where are the greatest risks in this kind of real estate investing?

For investors eager to get started, Loftis's action plan provides details on the next steps to take, while real-life examples in every chapter bring the concepts down to earth.

The Second Edition is updated and revised including:

*A new section on using the internet to purchase liens across the country.

*New and updated information for tax and other laws affecting the purchasing of tax liens.

*Updated forms, contracts, and sample letters.

Every Landlord's Legal Guide

Marcia Stewart, Ralph Warner, Janet Portman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

An all-in-one authoritative guide every landlord needs

Every Landlord's Legal Guide is the most comprehensive and up-to-date legal and practical guide for residential landlords. The best, most effective way to make and save money as a landlord is to keep up with the law --and with Every Landlord's Legal Guide, you can do all that and more.

From move-in to move-out, this book covers a wide range of issues , including fair housing, repairs, sublets, screening for good tenants, environmental hazards such as mold and bed bugs (yes, bed bugs). You'll find legal and practical solutions backed by many 50-state charts with specific laws for each state. This complete resource will help you avoid hassles and headaches -- not to mention legal fees.

Here is everything you need to:

choose tenants

prepare a lease or rental agreement

collect and return deposits

avoid discrimination charges

hire a property manager

keep up with repairs and maintenance

minimize liability

deal with problem tenants

and more

Every Landlord's Legal Guide provides over 30 forms you'll need, including leases and rental agreements on the included CD-ROM.

The 9th edition is completely revised with updated information, and discusses new developments in domestic violence protections for tenants.

Landlord Forms Library on CD-ROM

Screening, Choosing, and Rejecting Applicants
Rental Application
Consent to Contact References and Perform Credit Check
Tenant References
Notice of Denial Based on Credit Report or Other Information
Notice of Conditional Acceptance Based on Credit Report or Other Information
Rental Documents and Moving In
Receipt and Holding Deposit Agreement
Landlord-Tenant Checklist
Move-In Letter
Month-to-Month Residential Rental Agreement
Month-to-Month Residential Rental Agreement (Spanish Version)
Fixed-Term Residential Lease
Fixed-Term Residential Lease (Spanish Version)
Cosigner Agreement
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards (Spanish Version)
Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home Pamphlet
Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home Pamphlet (Spanish Version)
Property Manager Agreement
Verification of Disabled Status
Rental Documents during the Rental Term
Amendment to Lease or Rental Agreement
Letter to Original Tenant and New Cotenant
Consent to Assignment of Lease
Agreement for Delayed or Partial Rent Payments
Repairs and Maintenance
Time Estimate for Repair
Semiannual Safety and Maintenance Update
Agreement Regarding Tenant Alterations to Rental Unit
Notice of Intent to Enter Dwelling Unit
Resident's Maintenance/Repair Request
Handling and Returning Security Deposits
Letter for Returning Entire Security Deposit
Security Deposit Itemization (Deductions for Repairs and Cleaning)
Security Deposit Itemization (Deductions for Repairs, Cleaning, and Unpaid Rent)
Terminating Tenancies
Tenant's Notice of Intent to Move Out
Landlord-Tenant Agreement to Terminate Lease
Move-Out Letter
Warning Letter for Lease or Rental Agreement Violation

Multiple Streams of Income: How to Generate a Lifetime of Unlimited Wealth! Second Edition

Robert G. Allen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 187 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Makes it sound easy 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book has no shortage of practical ideas for creating other streams of cashflow.

I found the beginning of the book to be very reasonable. One pieice of advice I thought was honest and realistic is that you will rarely beat the stock market, so pick a mutual fund that tracks the S&P 500, sink some cash into it, and don't look at it again for 30 years, counting on the natural growth of the market to give you a return. You can take smaller amounts of money and apply them more aggressively elsewhere.

After that sound advice, however, Allen gets into more aggressive stock and investment strategies such as options. It is interesting to read about the approach and worth considering if you have set a small percentage of your portfolio aside for aggressive investments.

One thing about the book that made me cringe - and I see this in other places like "Money" magazine - is the fact that the author seems to regard the entire value of your house as part of your net worth regardless of how much you owe on it. A more honest approach to real estate investment is given by Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad" books, which point out, quite astutely, that any money you owe is a liability and therefore only the equity in your house is part of your assets. What you owe counts against you.

In Robert Allen's book, there are memorable quotes scattered on each page that are worth remembering. One of them says something to the effect of "if you think nobody cares about you, just miss a couple of mortgage payments." That is exactly the point. Your debt on your house is a ball and chain until you are free of that debt, it counts against your net worth. Most home owners are net negative, at least for a few years, before their equity and investments bring them past break even. As long as you owe that debt, the house isn't yours. It seems to me that Allen is glazing over that fact; I am certain he knows better.

Nonetheless, Allen describes how buying a home in a good neighborhood can give you a good return on your down payment, but it seems to me that he neglects the amount of interest you paid out of pocket during the time you carried the mortgage. Do the amoritzation schedule... if you buy an undervalued house with a reasonable appreciation rate, you could conceivably turn your down payment into a reasonable return within the first few years of ownership. However, over time the curve gradually dips below zero and stays negative until you reach a critical point where more of your monthly payment counts towards the principle and the appreciation of your home is starting to beat the interest. For most homes and interest rates, you only profit at the sale within a short inital period, or considerably farther down the road. And for anyone that has bought a home that isn't brand new, they know that the invisible costs of home ownership are significant - every paint bucket, lawn mower belt, nail, hammer, and vacuum cleaner quickly adds up. Your home is a forced savings account, but it has fees. Allen happily tells you that your house is your greatest investment, but conveniently forgets the small stuff.

Another thing that this book (and many others) fails to address is the following:

1. Rental properties require renters
2. Owning property for less than 2 years may stick you with capital gains taxes
3. Not every transaction is a winner. Nobody writes about the losers 'cause it won't sell books

Listing these items seems unnecessary but in the tens of books I've read on this subject, it seems to me that nobody wants to admit the dirty work. I haven't quite found the honest book on this subject that admits the dirty work and addresses the best way to handle it.

Finally, regarding a more detailed approach to the specific *tax* consequences (and advantages) to investing, check out Kiyosaki's "Real Estate Tax Advantages" book. It goes into more detail than Allen. Allen, however, offers more detail on tax leins.

Editorial Review:

In Multiple Streams of Income, bestselling author Robert Allen presents ten revolutionary new methods for generating over $100,000 a year—on a part-time basis, working from your home, using little or none of your own money. For this book, Allen researched hundreds of income-producing opportunities and narrowed them down to ten surefire moneymakers anyone can profit from. This revised edition includes a new chapter on a cutting-edge investing technique.

Success as a Real Estate Agent For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

Dirk Zeller

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Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Success as a Real Estate Agent For Dummies shows you how to make your fortune in the real estate business. Whether you are looking to rev up your real estate business, deciding whether to specialize in commercial or residential real estate, or just interested in refining specific skills, this book is for you.

This no-nonsense guide shows you the fun and easy way to become a successful real estate agent. It provides expert advice on acquiring the skills needed to excel and the respect and recognition you’ll gain through making sales and generating profit. Soon you’ll have all the tools you need to:

• Prospect your way to listings and sales
• Build a referral-based clientele
• Work with expired and FSBO listings
• Plan and host a successful open house
• Present and close listing contracts
• Market yourself and your properties online and in print
• Negotiate contracts and avoid derailment
• Stake your competitive position
• Achieve excellent relationships with clients
• Spend less time to earn more money

This guide features tips and tricks for working with buyers, must-haves for a successful real estate agent, and common pitfalls that can be avoided. Also included is a list of Web sites for real estate agents that are valuable resources for success. With Success as a Real Estate Agent For Dummies, you’ll discover how to acquire key skills and get on track for a successful career!

Landlording: A Handymanual for Scrupulous Landlords and Landladies Who Do It Themselves

Leigh Robinson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Landlording: A Handymanual for Scrupulous Landlords and Landladies Who Do It Themselves 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I think this is a great book. It is understandable, easy to read, and it has lots of useable, real world information--like how to screen potential renters. I highly recommend it, especially for novices such as myself who, due to market conditions, stumble into the unsought role of landlord.

Every Landlord's Bible 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If there is ever a need for a landlord book, this is it. For California residents, I also suggest using The California Landlord's Law Book: Rights & Responsibilities. These two books go hand in hand together.

This book offers the best overview going! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A very, very useful, comprehensive work that gets you the lay of the land, and does not bog you down in extraneous details.

You REALLY want to read this before you even think about going into the landlord business.

Very helpful! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book offers great advice. It covers topics that I hand't even thought of that one would need when trying to rent out their property. Also, it offers "sample" leases, deposit forms, credit check forms which I was able to just copy and use for when I rented out my property. I definitely recommend this book.

Editorial Review:

Since 1975, this book has been the bible of scrupulous landlords and landladies. It's a comprehensive and readable reference on how to attract and keep good tenants and make good landlording decisions.

How to Sell a House Fast in a Slow Real Estate Market: A 30-Day Plan for Motivated Sellers

William Bronchick, Ray Cooper

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $9.85

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Stop fretting about selling in a soft market. It's not IF you can sell your house that matters . . . it's WHAT you should do (and NOT do) to get it sold quickly. And Bill nails the WHAT in this must-read book."
--Alexis McGee, author and publisher of foreclosures.com

"This great book shows sellers how to move their property in today's softer markets. VERY creative and right-on for sellers to sell quicker and for more money."
--Wendy Patton, bestselling author and real estate broker

"Brilliant advice for selling your house fast for the best possible price."
--Gary Licata, appraiser and author

SELL YOUR HOUSE EVEN WHEN THE MARKET'S DEAD!

Stop sweating! You can find a buyer for your home and you can get a good price, even when the market is down and your mortgage is up. All you need is a good plan and the motivation to make it happen for yourself. You can't just sit back and wait for a buyer. You have to go out there and find one.

In this practical, life-saving guide, real estate wiz William Bronchick offers a proven plan for finding a buyer using aggressive marketing techniques, advertising, repairs and upgrades, home staging tactics, and a wealth of other creative, effective strategies. It's time to stop whining and start doing something different. You can take control of the process and win. Here's how:

• Develop a customized plan for action
• Be aggressive and market your home to potential buyers
• Set the perfect price for a quick sale
• Prepare your house and make a killer first impression
• Use owner financing as your secret weapon
• Negotiate terms that help everyone win
• Use the "round robin" auction method

This comprehensive, practical guide comes complete with real-world examples, as well as resources, checklists, and forms that make selling simple, fast, and profitable. If you've got the guts and the drive to do it yourself, this is the ultimate guide for getting the best price possible--fast.

Property

Steven Emanuel

By: Emanuel Law Outlines Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $9.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Emanel's Property 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This was a very helpful supplement to the course material for the semester. It explains complex property theories in easy to manage summaries.

very useful outline 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Property can be extremely dull and difficult to memorize for your law school exams...this book provides a great outline of the concepts and good example problems to practice on. love it that so many people sell their used copies so cheap...can get great deals in law school supplements through amazon!

Editorial Review:

The most trusted name in law school outlines, Emanuel Law Outlines support your class preparation, provide reference for your outline creation, and supply a comprehensive breakdown of topic matter for your entire study process. Created by Steven Emanuel, these course outlines have been relied on by generations of law students. Each title includes both capsule and detailed versions of the critical issues and key topics you must know to master the course. Also included are exam questions with model answers, an alpha-list of cases, and a cross reference table of cases for all of the leading casebooks.

Property Management for Dummies

Robert S., MBA Griswold

List Price: $21.99 By: Wiley Publishing, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $10.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

You'll need to wear many hats in the business of property management: advertiser/promoter (in seeking tenants), host (in showing your property), handyman (in keeping up with and arranging repairs), bookkeeper (in maintaining records), and even counselor (in dealing with tenants and their problems). But Property Management For Dummies will help you maintain your sense of humor – and your sanity – as you deal with these challenges and more.

You may become an unintentional property owner – someone who inherited a house from a relative and didn't want it to sit idle, or someone who transferred to a job in another city and decided to rent your home rather than sell it – or you may have entered the world of property ownership intentionally. Either way, real estate offers one of the best opportunities to develop a steady stream of residual income.

Property Management For Dummies is organized by specific topic areas, so you can easily and quickly scan a topic that interests you, or you can troubleshoot the source of your latest major headache. You'll discover how to

• Evaluate your skills and personality to see whether you have what it takes to be a landlord
• Keep your units occupied with paying tenants who don't destroy your property
• Move in your new tenants and move them out – and everything in between
• Assemble the right team of professionals to help you, from employees to contractors
• Insure your property and understand the taxes that go with it
• Look for additional sources of income beyond rent, including the opportunities and pitfalls of lease options

While many of life's lessons can be uncovered by trial and error, property management shouldn't be one of them – the mistakes are too costly and the legal ramifications too severe. In this book, you'll find proven strategies to make rental property ownership and management not only profitable but pleasant as well.