Customer Reviews

Making Money in Commercial Real Estate

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

 

 

I am relatively new to the commercial real estate industry, having purchased my first commercial lot just a few years ago. I was looking to increase my knowledge and learn from others mistakes so I wouldn't have to find out what works and what doesn't the hard way. Overall the book had some good concepts, nothing great. The book looks as if the author just used a generic image from Microsoft Word and printed it out at home. I've prepared better-looking papers in college. If you are interested in the real estate industry try looking somewhere else. I think friends of the author must have written the other reviews.

I have to say I was extremely disappointed when I received this book. It is anecdotal and appears to be photocopied and bound at a Kinkos. It is not 'instructional'. Reading it is like listening to your uncle rant about the few real estate deals he once closed.

"Drive around the property before buying it." and templates of lists of questions to ask real estate agents (such as "has the property been inspected?") and other useless and frustrating text left me with a bad taste in my mouth regarding this purchase.

Buyer beware.

I give this one star only because Amazon does not provide an option for a lower rating. It was a TOTAL waste of money for me. Nothing but a bunch of feel-good anecdotes about how this guy made a lot of money years ago. I wanted something to tell me how to close a deal to buy a shopping center and to manage that property after that. This was one of the get-rich-quick lectures of no help whatsoever.

The inexperienced, as well as the very experienced may not appreciate the full benefit of this book. I feel the review criticizing the book and Amazon is a serious deterrent to others who wish to get started and make money in this field. As a beginner and after speaking with a professional developer and real estate person to whom I loaned the book, I found it extremely interesting and felt it contained many novel ways to make money with little or no risk capital. Those opinions were good enough for me. The book is constructed in an antidotal form to avoid giving the reader direct advice. There is no formula, exact method or given format in real estate investments. It is a creative field and without an optimistic personal outlook, it becomes obvious that any person with a negative and 'sour grapes' attitude would not be able to digest the material. Without this book, I never would have taken those first steps into what has become an interesting and profitable field. I highly recommend it to the expert as well as the layman. Any one suggestion can make thousands and thousands of dollars.

My goal is to be conversant with commercial real estate purchases and sales. The book outlines those formulas that makes it all clear and easy to follow when it comes to 'how to do it.' As far as I'm concerned, it turned a complex field into something I can understand and relate to as a novice. I never thought working in the commercial area of real estate could be made simple, but these methods clearly set forth all the elements needed to do it. It appears the results should be very gratifying indeed. Anyone who invests or intends to invest in real estate should read and re-read how it's done by another successful investor willing to share his knowledge.

Making Money in Commercial Real Estate should be of great interest to anyone involved in commercial property. It draws upon Mr. Vivian's successful experience in Florida which has one of the most dynamic real estate markets in the world, full of dangers and chances for profits. Emphasis is placed upon how to obtain useful information, conduct insightful analyses, and structure sound agreements and where creative ideas are necessary in any deal. Guiding check lists and useful forms should be of interest to the most sophisticated real estate expert as well as reminders of how to engage outside professionals such as attorneys and accountants in structuring and closing successful real estate transactions. Above all, it is refreshing for a seasoned real estate developer to repeat the necessity for honesty and full disclosure as an essential part of creating commercial real estate profits.

The book contains extremely important information for anyone wanting to buy or sell commercial property. I found it exciting and very worthwhile. My main thought was, only one tip, as set forth in the book, could easily lead me o a great deal of money. It showed me the way to operate without any fancy talk or far out expectations.