Best Books for New Real Estate Investors

This page has the best books for real estate investing. Period.

Real estate investing is the art and science of adding value and creating passive income with real estate. There can be amazing returns in real estate, but there are also a lot of potential pitfalls, that’s why it’s so important to educate yourself first, before buying.

Here we will cover the top books in a lot of different real estate categories. Then, we’ll link to a more detailed list in every category.

Real Estate Investor Mindset Books

These books are about the mindset of a real estate investor or those who want to be financially independent

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad

by Robert Kiyosaki

I don’t know how else to explain this, but Rich Dad Poor Dad is definitely the #1 book that I have ever read. It fundamentally changed my life.

…and I know it has changed the lives of millions of other people.

Basically, it turns everything you believe about money and finance on its head.

It has since become the #1 Personal Finance book of all time… translated into dozens of languages and sold around the world.

Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert’s story of growing up with two dads — his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad — and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. The book destroys the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.

2. The Millionaire Real Estate Investor

by Gary Keller

If you are seeking wealth and financial independence, you must learn about the models and truths that drive it. The Millionaire Real Estate Investor compiles the wisdom of over 100 millionaire real estate investors from all different kinds of real estate and backgrounds who have achieved financial freedom. This book reveals their strategies in a straightforward and easy-to-read way.

It covers:

• Myths about money and investing which hold people back
• How to develop the investor mindset.
• How to develop criteria for identifying opportunities to invest in real estate
• How to identify the terms of any transaction and get the best deals
• How to grow your team that will help your business

This book is about you and your money. It’s about your financial potential. It’s about discovering the millionaire investor in you.

Best House Flipping Books

Flipping houses is all about finding properties that are distressed or undervalued, creating value, then selling them and capturing that increased value as profit.

House flipping is simple, but it’s not easy. You need to know the selling price before you purchase, the rehab costs, and all carrying costs. Additionally, you need to be able to turn the project over quickly because any delay can cost you big.

These are the best house flipping books.

1. The Complete Guide to Flipping Properties

By Steve Berges

This is one of the first books I ever read about real estate and I’ve come to love every book from Berges.

The Complete Guide to Flipping Properties covers all the ins and outs of buying, renovating, and reselling distressed properties for a profit. Steve Berges walks you through every aspect of house flipping – from finding deals to analyzing them, and even negotiating and closing deals. With new information on flipping in a soft market, this is the only guide you need to start turning a profit now.

I really love Steve Berges as an author as he has a ton of great examples and is very experienced. He has a whole collection of books on all aspects of real estate, and I have personally read almost all of them. This is why he gets my top spot above some of the newer and trendier options.

2. The Book on Flipping Houses: How to Buy, Rehab, and Resell Residential Properties

By Mr. J Scott

J Scott is a well-known and well-respected house flipper. I’ve been following him for years and he is very knowledgeable and has flipped an unbelievably huge number of single family houses.

The Book on Flipping Houses covers just about everything you need to know about house flipping. It’s about:

• Getting financing
• Analyzing potential markets
• Types of property you should buy
• Finding motivated sellers
• Quickly evaluating potential deals
• Create a scope of work, budget, and schedule
• Hiring the best contractors
• Selling your properties for top dollar

Whether you are an experienced investor or just getting started, the Book on Flipping Houses will teach you a ton about building a bigger and more profitable house flipping business.

Best Real Estate Wholesaling Books

Wholesaling is similar to house flipping, except you are flipping a contract instead of the actual property.

Essentially, a real estate wholesaler finds a deal and puts it under contract, then they find a real estate investor who wants that deal, and they sell the contract to them. The house flipper then purchases the property, rehabs it, and sells it or rents it out.

1. The Book on Negotiating Real Estate: Expert Strategies for Getting the Best Deals When Buying & Selling Investment Property

By J Scott,‎ Mark Ferguson, &‎ Carol Scott

From expert real estate investors and best-selling authors J Scott, Mark Ferguson and Carol Scott, this is one of the best books on wholesale real estate. It’s designed to help you get the most deals, and the best deals, on all investment property.

The authors have over 1,000 successful real estate deals between them, they combine the art and science of negotiation with their real-world experience.

This book dives into all aspects of the wholesale real estate negotiation process – from first interaction with the seller, to renegotiating the contract after due diligence, to last-minute concessions.

Aimed at real estate investors, wholesalers, and real estate agents at any level. It covers all aspects of negotiating real estate deals and also contains tons of true-life stories that show how strong negotiation can result in better deals. This book also has dialogue that will teach you what to say and how to say it, strengthening your ability to close profitable transactions.

Using expert strategies to create optimal agreements and dynamic end results, you will learn:

• The principles behind successful negotiation
• The psychology of building relationships to gain negotiating leverage
• How to uncover and use information to tip negotiating outcomes in your favor
• Strategies for defining optimal offers and counter-offers
• Tactics for in-the-trenches negotiating and overcoming objections
• Strategies for using concessions to get your deal to the finish line
• Tips for overcoming tactics employed by those on the other side
• How to overcome the challenges of making/receiving offers through agents
• Tactics to renegotiate issues that arise from contract contingencies
• Strategies to get the best of it when buying properties from banks and HUD

2. The Real Estate Wholesaling Bible: The Fastest, Easiest Way to Get Started in Real Estate Investing

By Than Merrill

Than Merrill is a well known real estate investor and has one of the top books on wholesaling real estate.

The Real Estate Wholesaling Bible teaches what you need to know to profit from real estate wholesaling without needing a lot of capital or previous experience. Than Merrill shows you a business model that is relatively simple, profitable, and perfect for today’s real estate market.

This model will work in good or bad markets, so you can feel assured to do alright when the market takes its next turn.

All you will need to get started is a computer, an Internet connection, this audiobook, some passion, and a lot of curiosity.

The Best Books for Realtors and Real Estate Agents

A huge number of investors are also real estate agents. It’s especially true for new investors who need the extra capital to get their investing businesses up and running on a shoestring budget.

Plus, being a real estate agent is a natural field to be in and it has a lot of synergy with investing.

So here are the best books for real estate agents and Realtors.

1. The Millionaire Real Estate Agent

By Gary Keller

As one of the founding members of Keller Williams, Gary is one of the most influential real estate people ever born. I read this book when I first got into real estate and he truly lays out the exact blueprint you should use to start and grow your business as a real estate agent.

The advice in this book is truly timeless. Not only does he show you the fundamentals of getting started as a real estate agent, but he gives you the direction you need to grow your business. My favorite part is where he actually outlines what employees you should hire and at what stage in your business.

If you get this book and actually follow what is written, you will undoubtedly be a top producing agent and probably own your own brokerage one day.

2. The E-Myth Revisited

By Michael E. Gerber

The best thing about E-Myth is so many people credit it with taking their business to the next level.

Michael changes your perception of owning a small business and shows you what it truly can be. He uses some great stories to show you different pitfalls and also finds ways to help you grow your income.

By the end of the book, you’ll be finding ways to work less and earn more.

This book is important because as a Realtor or real estate agent, you need to start thinking about growing your business early. It’s easy for this business to take up more and more of your time until you just have no time left to grow.

Best Single Family Investing Books

Single-family real estate is one of the most well known but least understood areas of investing.

Just about everyone can invest in single-family homes, but few people who do invest actually understand investing.

So, don’t be like everyone else. Learn before you invest!

1. The Complete Guide to Real Estate Finance for Investment Properties: How to Analyze Any Single-Family, Multifamily, or Commercial Property

by Steve Berges

This practical, real-world guide gives investors all the tools they need to make wise decisions when weighing the value and potential of investment properties. Written for old pros as well as novice investors, this friendly, straightforward guide walks readers step by step through every stage of property analysis. Whether you’re buying or selling, investing in big commercial properties or single-family rentals, you’ll find expert guidance and handy resources on every aspect of real estate finance, including:

• Proven, effective valuation techniques
• Finance tips for all different kinds of property
• How various financing strategies affect investments
• Structuring financial instruments, including leverage, debt, equity, and partnerships
• Measurements and ratios for investment performance, including capitalization rates and gross rent multiplier ratios
• Future and present value analysis
• How the appraisal process works
• Primary appraisal methods-replacement cost, sales comparison, and income capitalization-and how to know which one to use
• How to understand financial statements, including income, balance, and cash flow
• Case studies for single-family rentals, multifamily conversions, apartment complexes, and commercial office space
• A detailed glossary of important real estate terminology

2. Building Wealth One House at a Time

by John Schuab

The collapse in real estate prices from 2007 through 2012 was the most significant event in the real estate industry since the Great Depression. But today, with the real estate market rebounding, a new generation of investors is entering the field, eager to make their fortune.

Building Wealth One House at a Time provides you with a practical way to create wealth through an ethical approach of buying, financing, and managing property. Renowned real estate expert John W. Schaub takes you through his 9-step program and explains how to accumulate one million dollars’ worth of houses debt free in any market while earning a steady cash flow.

This invaluable guide presents fresh strategies for buying and financing property, reflected in six new chapters on topics such as real estate cycles, financing real estate purchases, negotiation techniques, and retirement investing.

You’ll learn how to:

• Finance real estate purchases without going to a bank
• Recognize and capitalize on real estate cycles
• Improve your negotiation skills in any situation
• Avoid common and costly mistakes
• Create cash flow that lasts forever, and much more

Building Wealth One House at a Time reveals how virtually anyone can accumulate houses debt free and earn an income for life.

Best Multifamily Real Estate Books

Multifamily real estate is one of the best ways to generate wealth. Multifamily is usually anything over 5 units, there is always demand for rentals, and it has very high returns when compared to other investment types.

Additionally, with multifamily, you get economies of scale so maintenance and management costs are generally lower than single family.

These are the most influential multifamily books that helped me get started.

1. The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apartment Buildings

by Steve Berges

Whether you’re a first-time real estate investor or a seasoned professional, The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apartment Buildings helps you map out your future, find apartment buildings at a fair price, finance purchases, and manage your properties.

Now revised and expanded, this Second Edition includes tax planning advice, case studies of real acquisitions, and appendixes that add detail to the big picture.

Plus, it includes a handy glossary of all the terms investors need to know, helpful sample forms that make paperwork quick and easy and updated real estate forecasts. With this comprehensive guide at hand you’ll find profits easy to come by.

2. The Perfect Investment: Create Enduring Wealth from the Historic Shift to Multifamily Housing

by Paul Moore

The American Dream has shifted…Not long ago, Americans were bent on homeownership. Most viewed it as one of their great life goals and their largest investment. No more. Almost overnight, the demographics have shifted. For an increasing number of Americans of all ages and backgrounds, renting is in, and home ownership is out.

Experienced commercial real estate investors know that the risk profile, returns and tax benefits of large-scale multifamily are virtually unmatched. Unfortunately, access to these investments is unavailable to most investors. This volume provides investors with a clear path to minimize risks and maximize profits from this coveted asset class.

Best Books on Commercial Real Estate Investing

Apartment buildings are technically commercial real estate, but this section focuses on everything other than multifamily.

Commercial real estate can be offices, warehouses, self-storage, retail, etc.

1. Buying NNN Retail Properties: Your 1031 Acquisitions Guide

By Jonathan Florin

NNN properties are leased to tenants on a triple-net basis, meaning the tenant is responsible for and pays for all real estate taxes, insurance, and property maintenance. This unique lease structure makes NNN properties a largely passive commercial real estate investment.

Jonathan D. Florin, an NNN-focused CRE veteran with over $600 million in closed transactions to his name, guides you through the benefits and process of buying NNN properties for investments or as part of a 1031 exchange.

Starting with the advantages of acquiring NNN properties, Florin provides a comprehensive primer on the acquisition process, due diligence, financing, and 1031 exchanges. You’ll discover the importance of using a professional NNN team, how to select a property, and the real estate terminology needed to understand NNN transactions. You’ll also learn to identify common obstacles to the acquisition process and how to overcome them.

NNN properties include retail, office, and industrial real estate, and include nationally recognized tenants such as Walgreens and CVS. Discover how to leverage NNN properties to your advantage and reap the rewards of commercial ownership—without the NNN expenses or day-to-day management responsibilities.

2. How to Invest in Self-Storage

By Scott Duffy

I personally love the idea of self-storage and I’d love to own a facility, though I just haven’t been able to find one. Self-storage investing is definitely high on my priority list and this book is useful if you are looking at them as well!

“How to Invest in Self-Storage” is an easy-to-read book filled with self-storage information and advice that can be extremely valuable for anyone seriously considering the business of self-storage. Looking at the industry from its earliest beginnings to the market today, it examines not only the reasons to get into the business, but also the common myths that surround the industry as a whole, as well as a step-by-step guide for developing and/or acquiring a facility.