Complete Idiot's Guide to Real Estate Investing [Paperback]

Stewart Rider (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide | Publication Date: October 27, 2000

If you are interested in home renovation, setting up a small business, or delving into commercial real estate development, this book will give you straight answers to the questions you need to ask. It explains the basics of real estate, how development deals work, how to research property, how to buy land, and how to check out the background of a potential partner. It is a comprehensive guide to the ins and outs of real estate investment.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

If you are interested in home renovation, setting up a small business, or delving into commercial real estate development, this book will give you straight answers to the questions you need to ask. It explains the basics of real estate, how development deals work, how to research property, how to buy land, and how to check out the background of a potential partner. It is a comprehensive guide to the ins and outs of real estate investment.

About the Author

Stuart Rider is a commercial real estate developer and commercial general contractor. He is the author From Dirt to Dollars: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Commercial Real Estate Development and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fixer-Uppers. He also teaches seminars in real estate investment and development. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 343 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 1 edition (October 27, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028639766
• ISBN-13: 978-0028639765
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

170 of 172 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Be sure that this is really the book for you., August 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Complete Idiot's Guide to Real Estate Investing (Paperback)

It is entirely possible that this really is a great book, as some of the reviewers suggest. But it wasn't what I was looking for.
I am in the "study" stage of a plan to accumulate residential properties for income. I have read a few real estate books so far, and some of them have been very helpful.
This book, however, was not designed for me. This book seems more designed for people who are planning major investments in sizeable properties or commercial real estate. It also would be good for people interested in becoming developers. Despite the information presented about the book, this is not a book for someone who is starting out in the early stages of real estate investing in small residential properties for supplemental income. However, it might be good if you have a lot of money to get started and are planning a career switch towards commercial development or large properties. Since I'm not interested or able to do that, I am not qualified to advise you if that is what you need. But if you are like me, you may want to start with some other books, like the "Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing" or other books like it.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For Office & Retail Investors Only, May 2, 2003

By 

Omega Wolf (CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Complete Idiot's Guide to Real Estate Investing (Paperback)

I was looking for a book on residential real estate investment, especially something on apartment buildings and how to figure value, such as using gross rent multipliers. I was disappointed. I needed to know current tax law on capital gains and some info on exchanges. The word 1031 is not found in this book. I was glad to see LLCs were included, but the information was vague since it had to apply to all states. Be warned: This book deals only with office and retail real estate investment. You will not find any information on apartments or single family rentals. If that is your interest, you definitely need a different book.

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Having invested in multiple properties, I Love This Book !, April 4, 2001

By 

Tiffany C. King "Doug King" (Tropical Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Idiot's Guide to Real Estate Investing (Paperback)

Very, Very, Very good. Written by someone who knows what they are talking about. When the top land appraiser in my county and another local real estate expert told me I HAD to get this book I had to go see it for myself. The appraiser said he had to buy it after looking at it and this guy has something like 18 years experience and is THE land expert in my county of over a million people. This book is a slam dunk. I am so tired of all that fairy tale pie in the sky nothing down late-night infomercial garbage. This is what you want to get, real information by people who have been there and are not trying to sell you a $200 get-rich-quick course.