Customer Reviews

First-Time Landlord: Your Guide to Renting out a Single-Family Home (USA Today/Nolo Series)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've reviewed three Nolo books now and all three have done a wonderful job of translating complicated legal mumbo-jumbo into readable material regular folks can understand. They may not replace the advice of a lawyer in my opinion, but perhaps I'm just a wimp. I was a little apprehensive of a book publisher of this caliber teaming up with USA Today as I consider their newspaper the sort of thing people read when they don't want to learn anything. Still, in a strange way, the combination works rather well. Nolo provides the information and the pages are sprinkled with interesting factoids or Snapshot Pictures to keep the material from getting too dry and putting you to sleep. It makes the entire book reader-friendly while still providing a valuable source of info.

Here are the different chapters:
1. Is Owning Rental Property for You?
2. Landlording with Family or Friends
3. Preparing and Marketing Your Rental Property
4. Screening and Choosing Good Tenants
5. Preparing a Lease and Getting the Tenant Moved In
6. Manage Your Rental Income to Maximize Tax Deductions
7. Keeping Things Shipshape: Repairs and Maintenance
8. Landlord Liability for Injuries, Crimes, and More
9. Dealing with Difficult Tenants
10. Hiring a Property Manager
11. Exiting the Rental Property Business

Each chapter has subchapters with specific topics that are easily referenced via the table of contents if you are searching for something specific.

Like other Nolo books, First-Time Landlord provides a step-by-step guide to the process of purchasing an investment property from start to finish. UNLIKE other Nolo books, First-Time Landlord does not provide a reference guide containing the various laws in the 50 different states that will impact you. Instead, you will frequently get phrases like, "check state law", that tend to get annoying. Even worse, they often don't provide suggestions as to which state department or authority we should talk to. Those blue pages in the phone book get larger every year and it's difficult to play the runaround game with state workers when we don't know where to begin. It's a significant omission and I hope it's updated in future editions, but it's my only gripe. Otherwise, any potential landlord will want to read this book first and I'm still giving them five stars for the info and layout. Nice job, Nolo.

This easy-to-read book goes over the basics of renting out a single family home. Most of it is easy to understand and reading the book will provide one with a good base of information.

I was disappointed that this book didn't mention anything specifically related to renting out a part of owner-occupied property and how that situation might be similar to or different from renting out an entire house. Also, the discussion on depreciation of investments and what impact that will have at the time of sale was not well explained.

This is a good book to read for some initial information, but you'll probably need to consult other sources as well.

I bought this book when starting a rental business. This book is eye-opening, really. I surprised my real estate agent. It gives many hands on details as well as resource for further learning. It is a small book so don't expect it to help you make million dollar decision, however, for a small rental business in initial stage, this is pretty much all you need. This book also helped me avoid a few costly mistakes. It is also very easy to read.
What can be a better compliment than simply saying: I read it and I am making money following it's advice!

This is an excellent book, but be aware that it serves as an "advertisement" for other NOLO books. It would be nice if it contained more legal information instead of recommending (repeatedly) the purchase of additional books from the same publisher.

Nonetheless, it points out many useful ideas about being a first time landlord.

Much of this book is common sense, but coming in at almost 300 pages plus the index, there is a wealth of information in here.

USA Today, in a joint effort with NOLO takes readers by the hand and explains in simple language the business of becoming a landlord. The graphics were well-placed, interesting, and informative.

Some of the things in the book appeared to be silly & unnecessary (such as don't hit your tenant, page 199). Other information was very valuable, such as providing accommodation for disabled persons, checking tenants credit (it says you don't need their permission!), and checking the sex offenders database. I also liked the staging checklist, but the book is full of checklists and bulleted lists that help to ensure you are covering your bases.

Overall, it was a very informative read and should be useful for new landlords.

This is one of the NOLO series of real estate self-help paperback books, arranged in conjunction with USA Today.

In 300 paperback pages, this book covers all the basics of being a first-time landlord, from making that initial decision to rent out the property---the pro's and con's---, to marketing the property for rental, and then to the actual landlord activities. These include tenant screening, the rental agreement paperwork, tax deductions applicable to renting property, legal issues such as landlord liability and insurance, and also the problems in dealing with maintenance and repairs, and then, dealing with the "difficult tenant". It includes a chapter on the pro's and con's of hiring a property manager, and even the possibility of eventually deciding to stop renting and the process of readying to sell the property.

The book is filled with actual anecdotes of specific problem situations, as well as side-bars/boxes with additional points of interest or points of note, as well as "USA Today Snapshots" of statistical information, which help emphasize specific and sometimes cautionary messages, and enable the book to function in a more "user-friendly" fashion.

A list of additional resources of information, including on-line services and references, would have been a good addition.

Overall I found the coverage of each topic to be quite useful, and especially strongest in the legal section.

The only drawback is in the maintenance/repair section, where a more detailed run down of potential problems and how they can be dealt with, with greater specificity, would have been better. But that however would have entailed a much longer book...

Overall, this is recommended as a useful guide to anyone contemplating starting up as a new landlord, and also useful for filling-in the gaps in knowledge (especially the legal pitfalls) for the experienced landlord.

If you are planning,thinking about or already have started on having rental property then you need this book. It provides insight into potentially serious pitfalls and mistakes you can make which can get you into trouble.

The first 1/4 of the book deals with thinking about having a rental property and wasn't much use to me as we've already started the process. But the remainder of the book deals with all aspects of renting out a property with the exception of the tax implications.

One area that is deals with quite well are the laws regarding discrimination. Another is thoroughly researching your potential tenants and the pitfalls if you do not.

Overall, a bargain for the information value it provides.

Our son is in college. We decided to take the plunge and buy a 3 bedroom townhome for his housing and rent the other two bedrooms to other students. This book really helped us get started. A great book for a first-timer!

Invaluable and timely guide for those considering renting out their property in the troubled housing market of mid-2009. Though we are not yet renting our property, this book made us much more confident about our decision to rent and what would be involved. Special attention is given to "first timers" so the text is not overly complicated or full of intimidating jargon. After you have digested this one, pick up "real estate investing for dummies". A bit more in depth and a good follow up to the "first time landlord".

I've been meaning to move closer to my work for years; with the collapse of real estate prices, buying a second property and keeping my current house as a rental has become a viable option, but I know nothing about being a landlord, so I was quite intrigued to find this book.

I was expecting a painfully dry and boring read, so I was very surprised to find out a very pleasant, friendly primer on the benefits, risks and responsibilities of being a landlord.
The book is logically organized into a dozen sections addressing all aspects of owning rental property such as preparing a lease, picking the right tenant, dealing with difficult ones, hiring a property manager, etc... and features a full index. The layout is airy and attractive, and the writing simple and easy to understand.

I'm still worried about this new venture, but at least now that I've read this book, I feel prepared. Although it certainly does not contain all the details and information you could possibly want, it teaches you the basics so that you know where to go for further information. It's not only thorough, but also pleasant to read, and that's quite a feat considering the topic. Very highly recommended.