(Part 2) Best buying & selling homes books according to redditors

Read Shift. It was written for realtors in reaction to that recession.

DM me I'm a commercial real estate broker at a worldwide firm that I'm not sure if I'm allowed to name, I've got some good reading material for you that helped me in my undergrad studies....

edit... I guess by popular demand here are the links to the books that I used, I'm sure you can find PDF files online.


The Due Diligence Handbook For Commercial Real Estate: A Proven System To Save Time, Money, Headaches And Create Value When Buying Commercial Real Estate

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1511996897/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511882652&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=due+diligence&dpPl=1&dpID=51yDFxwouBL&ref=plSrch



Commercial Real Estate Analysis and Investments

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0324305486/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511882813&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=geltner+commercial+real+estate+analysis+and+investments&dpPl=1&dpID=510xZB%2BaDUL&ref=plSrch




Real Estate Development Workbook and Manual

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0137634919/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511882934&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=real+estate+development+zuckerman&dpPl=1&dpID=51A1M27P92L&ref=plSrch

The geltner book literally shows you every aspect of commercial real estate, there isn't much of a difference between the first and second edition if you wanna save some money.

if you like reading i would recommend this book

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Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home

https://www.amazon.com/Nolos-Essential-Guide-Buying-Guidel/dp/1413327001/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

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for first time homebuyers.. DO LOOK UP

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- individual development account (IDA) -- help with down payment

- Community land trust (CLT) -- program where you buy the house but rent the land from the city ($30-$50/month) -- the house price is usually 40-50% less than market price

- realtor who will take 3% commission from the seller not the buyer (you)

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big bank vs credit union-- will depend on which one will offer a lower rate .. imo

And if that is all you have “liquid” good luck putting it all down on a coop.

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There may be some condos in that area but it depends what OP wants.

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OP given your lack of knowledge, I would recommend reading the following before buying in NYC...

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https://www.amazon.com/New-York-Co-op-Bible-Everything/dp/0312340753

Here is a book that I found a year ago while learning about property n Portugal. It was highly recommend. Spend the money for the book. Learn the system top to bottom.

https://www.amazon.com/Buying-Property-Portugal-second-insider/dp/1907498567

Find a reliable inspector with references (zaask.com maybe), follow the home listings for several months, round up 10 listings to view, get on a plane to the island, check them out, make a decision, get your top two choices inspected, negotiate with the seller, verify title. Then, and only then....make an offer.

Good luck!

First - politely inform them that you feel communications should cease as you are not a licensed contractor.

2nd - home chepot and Lowes and menards (if in US) have classes for this.

3rd - I have given this to a couple r/kevin ‘s in my life (people completely unable to adult or even aware that they needed to) and was amazed at how much it helped -
The First-Time Homeowner's Survival Guide: A Crash Course in Dealing with Repairs, Renovations, Property Tax Issues, and Other Potential Disasters https://www.amazon.com/dp/0814473725/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ugenDb8HMP6CA

This one may seem rude if they don’t get the pun or are sensitive type.
Home Maintenance For Dummies https://www.amazon.com/dp/047043063X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YeenDbPEBKNXW

This one is a great guide and I actually use it regularly for training in hotel maintenance and housekeeping classes.
The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything https://www.amazon.com/dp/1328927326/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wfenDb3KGNC5J

That's a good list, BUT they should be secondary reading, sure you can get insights from them that can relate to any type of investing but you want to be RE specific right? Here is a list I would look into.

Private Real Estate Investment: Data Analysis and Decision Making

Real Estate Finance & Investments

Multifamily Housing Development Handbook

Real Estate Market Analysis: Methods and Case Studies, Second Edition

The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apartment Buildings

How to Pay Little or No Taxes on Your Real Estate Investments: What Smart Investors Need to Know

Investing in Real Estate

Real Estate Investing, Cash Flows, and Due Diligence: Making Better Investment Decisions (Volume 2)

What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow... And 36 Other Key Financial Measures

That's a lot, also info in those books may over lap so pick which ones you would want to answer your specific questions. Hope this helps.

I agree, as long as you can swing an extra bedroom, more than 1 bedroom is a good idea for resale. I bought a 2BR, plus if I retire, grow old here, the 2nd bed room can be used for overnight health care if I need to have someone stay with me.

Maintaining is key. Can you handle the snow removal/lawn care involved? If not, perhaps a condo or co-op may be an option? But then you're stuck with listening to a homeowners' association. If you still want your own, detached home, but can't do snow removal or lawn care, start shopping around to see what that costs in your area so you can budget that in.

It was back in 2001, but I think an earlier edition of this and Homebuying for Dummies were the 2 books I bought to educate myself about house hunting, mortgages and the closing process:
https://www.amazon.com/Consumers-Buying-Barrons-Consumer-Guides/dp/B006G8HNOG

However, that's from 2008, so I'd look for something written after the mortgage meltdown crisis, because that's signficantly changed things.

And look at the neighborhood and building or complex. One nice thing about my place is the 2nd bedrooms are very small, so people tend to move out when they have kids or a 2nd one. So there aren't a lot of kids screaming and running around where I live.

There's a book aimed at for sale by owner (FSBO) I found very insightful, written by a real estate attorney. It was harder to look this one up, or I'd have mentioned it in my earlier post:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Kit-Selling-Your-Home/dp/1572483539

Of course you could check it out from the library, but at $0.01 plus $4 shipping maybe it's worth just buying.

If you are based in the UK, I read Samuel Leeds' book 'Buy Low Rent High' which can be purchased here. It is extremely informative and the dude also offers video content through his YouTube channel.

He explains several strategies and gives guidelines on what to look for in property investment.

If you do not reside in the UK, I would still suggest reading it because most of his explanations apply worldwide.

Interview a mortgage loan officer, a processor and a mortgage customer service type of person in your network separately in exchange for a meal. Ask them to walk you through what they know about how a mortgage works. Take good notes. Repeat. There are lots of little nuances in mortgage but the above types of people can make you aware of the most common concepts.

This book is a time, but if you learn better by reading, it’s a great resource: Residential Mortgage Lending: Principles and Practices https://www.amazon.com/dp/0324784643/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SQB5CbWZ6N5HH

I'm gonna plug my buddy's book here. It might help you if you're thinking you need to waive an inspection in order to close a deal.

The Confident House Hunter

>One thing I did read about that seems to be a little less understood/known is that your home state might still continue to try to tax you.

How is that possible if you're not living or working there? But yeah, opening a P.O. Box "residence" in some no tax state would be a wise precaution. I'll definitely do it because I have zero intentions of paying my home state tax on Roth laddering. Thanks for that warning.

I've been reading the following books:

https://www.amazon.com/How-Retire-Overseas-Everything-Abroad/dp/0525538461/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=peddicord&qid=1566915295&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072ST7M1J/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

https://www.amazon.com/How-Buy-Real-Estate-Overseas/dp/1118518594/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

Check out this book if you want to do stuff with mobile homes. https://www.amazon.com/Deals-wheels-finance-mobile-profits/dp/B0006S1ZJG

I keep recommending it to my stepbrother because it would be perfect for him but I don’t think he likes to read :-(

Weirdly, I found a book on this very subject while browsing Amazon the other day: http://www.amazon.com/The-Abandoned-Property-Investors-Kit-ebook/dp/B001JKV8D8
From what I can gather: You move in, pay the property taxes and then try to convince authorities to sign the deed over to you.
Not sure that would work here in New Zealand, though.

>How much work would I be looking at?

Quite a bit. That's 8 rooms I'm assuming? If you have a full-time job, then you are going to be having a lot of work on your plate. Expect problems like a sink being backed up quite frequently, especially if you have college kids in there. The main halls would have to be cleaned frequently. Any landscaping? That's all your responsibility or you could pay someone to do it, which will cut into your profits. Then there's collecting the rent every month, getting new tenants and evicting deadbeat tenants. You could pay a property management company, but again, that will cut into your profits.

>Teach me everything.

Commercial property isn't that simple. It can't be taught in a few paragraphs.

http://www.amazon.com/Multi-Family-Millions-Reposition-Apartments-Profits/dp/0470267607/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_T1?ie=UTF8&coliid=I18T4B88QO616J&colid=1ETOZ16L1GY7H

http://www.amazon.com/Investor-Flow-Financial-Measures-ebook/dp/B004BKIEUS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS?ie=UTF8&coliid=IHFWIUNLSDD2D&colid=1ETOZ16L1GY7H

These are both highly recommended books by most people. Read them first before you start dropping serious cash on property. BiggerPockets.com is also a great resource for information.

lol! You poor bastard! Real Estate is a long term money sink, it's a great place to hide money, clean money, and do various other things which are on the surface legitimate, but in reality are kinda sketchy.

If you want something to start with, I'd recommend one of John T Reeds classics called Fixers. https://johntreed.com/products/fixers

The basic points are covered in this post. https://johntreed.com/blogs/john-t-reed-s-real-estate-investment-blog/114371907-how-fixer-uppers-really-work

If you decide you want to get into small town home rentals, or flips, there's one indy book that been going around that has some potential. https://www.amazon.com/Scavenge-Your-Real-Estate-Riches/dp/0989599116

That one is about as hands on as you can get for a general market book. Things like how to find the financing, where to get cheaper contractors, materials, etc.

Not covered in either of those two, but needs looking into, would be overall risk assessment. Are the sewer mains and water lines 150 years old? Is the power grid rotten? This neighborhood is overrun by OLD Siberian Elms, and is prone to ice storms, that's a bad thing right? Oh, the local Zion Lutheran church is bringing in 1800 Sudanese refugees, that'd be good for local property values right?

And that's where you need to find some local landlords groups, even if you'll be doing something like land contracts where you might be able to dodge some of the local inspection requirements, you still have to know the eviction process, how to draw up a proper contract, and a bunch of other things you won't find out until too late. Like about how someone can be evicted one week, and it might not show up in the database of your background check place for 3 weeks, or several months, even worse for criminal convictions. However, Google search, will pop up something like "Mugshot townname tenantname" and you'll find out all sorts of crazy things about your tenant, or rent to own person. Oh, they were the passenger in a high speed chase, and their cousin overdosed 3 years ago, and died last week from CO poisoning along with 5 other junkies down the road. If you're doing a land contract for a house that's in pretty nice shape, I'd spring for the cost of a Lexis Nexis search.