Customer Reviews

Professional Real Estate Problem Solving Using the HP 12C

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this book from amazon recently; i liked it so much I called the author to see if he had any of his HP-17BII books in stock, which at the time he did not. then I learned that amazon was going to carry the HP-17BII real estate book again, so we ordered this book.
what intrigued me most was not only the depth of this book but as well we heard that the author will support his books, and when we had a sticking point on why the author did discounting in a certain way for inflation-adjusting I called him. I like to say that he took the time needed to teach me the concept; i felt like I was in a finance class with the absolitely most helpful and giving instructor imaginable.
If this were not enough, though it was, the author sent our office by fax additional materials that he felt could be helpful were one of our associates to take classes in finanacial planning calculations. The author told me that he did teach financial planning math calculations at one time.

The HP-12C book is directed at time value of money calculations in real estate, but I found that learning from this book expanded my understanding of some of the concepts that we were supposed to learn in my financial planning books.
overall, the value of the book and the value of the experience dealing with the author cannot be beat. I understand vividy what Mr. Wallace was saying in his comment on this book and the author.
A very satisfied customer.

From the author, John A. Tirone. I address the "inconsistency" that a reviewer perceives in my book. Let me please try to clear this up.
1. Yes, I did use 144 months in a problem and probably somewhere else I used 12 years! This is INTENTIONAL! Part of the approach of this book is to get us all (and I do mean, all, and that includes me!) to think a little about this field. 12 years is easily converted to 144 months by the HP-12C if you plan to analyze something with monthly payments or cash-flows. Indeed, I wanted to show that one can simply input 144 months or alternatively have the HP-12C convert 12 years into 144 months (time periods). I had hoped to do this without "making a "Federal Case" of it by having to write a huge explanation.
2. Yes! I do use "f CLX" all over the book and in a few instances I use "f FIN"! Sorry if this causes any troubles BUT the keystrokes are INDICATED based on the problem we are doing in the book! Look: "f CLX" clears ALL registers, the 10 storage registers and the FINANCIAL REGISTERS plus some "stuff" I won't bore you with in this "mini brief"! So, if you want to ONLY clear the FINANCIAL REGISTERS (being "n", "i", "PV", "PMT" and "FV") and want to retain the data--if any--stored in any of the 10 memory storage registers, you would not type "f CLX" because this will clear all this data out. So, you would type "f FIN"! Yes, nothing is totally easy in life my friends! There is admittedly some "brain power"/effort needed even to learn the HP-12C and this will be the case unless and until HP or someone else comes up with a device that can read our minds. However, you will find this book easy to use and learn from, to say the least.
I am the last one to try to sell anything! However, let me say I know you will get a real education out of this book, an education that frankly I would have preferred that someone else provide all of us. However, nothing like this book was ever done before and thus I tackled the project. This book project fit nicely with my admitted love of numbers and accuracy, my enjoyment of the TVM field and the calculator, and indeed my teaching real estate problem solving seminars are real estate transactions classes.
3. Yes; admitted! There is no fluff or silly or fancy diagrams or cartoons or entertainment or such other nonsense in this book! The camera ready manuscript for this book--and my HP-17BII counterpart book--was very carefully prepared with TWELVE (12) character per inch type: NO PROPORTIONAL SPACING! Why? Simply put, students are much more comfortable with straightforward 12 character per inch type (at least in my experience in having around 5,000+ in my seminars and classes). Proportional spacing, I submit, is much more threatening ("scary", if you like!) for most of us, at least I have been told by hundreds of students.
Note as well that I use GBC combs to bind this book. That allows the book to LAY FLAT, thus making your life much easier when reading the book and working out the problems on your HP-12C ("Gold Case" or "Platinum"!).
The thrust of this book is to give the reader a first rate education in the field; no hustle; no "bustle"; a totally genuine/giving, competent and helpful presentation of a field that admittedly has give all of us "fits" in college or in real estate or financial education courses/programs.
John A. Tirone
Macomb Township, Michigan 48042

This book is an exceptional value. it absolutely cannot be beat. best real estate calculations book I have ever seen and when you figure the support that Mr. Tirone gives with his books this book is almost a High Level real estate designation in and of itself. The book contains enough of the basics to get everyone comfortable with what most of us would use the HP12C for in real estate or finance in general. Then, the author launches into some really wonderful areas, HOME BUYER INCOME QUALIFICATION, ANNUITIES, LEASING and lots on Appraisal income capitalization routines and techniques.
I believe one reviewer commented that this book must have taken a long time to develop. I second that! The book is incredible, and truth be told, as an Instructor in real estate, this book is both a necessary addition to the field and it is to me humbling/wish I could have developed it, but I could not, time being the biggest constraint and I doubt that I would have had the patience to do all the derivations that were necessary to do the HP-12C computer programs.
Exceptional value. None better. Bravo to the author. Bravo.
Phil Levy

This book is excellent; best book I have seen on using any calculator, HP or any other, in real estate calculations. Our firm has pretty much every calculator book published in the last 25 or so years and Mr. Tirone's book just shines above all others; it is a class work, useful, well written, and dedicated to those who are serious about studying time value of money and using the technology in the field.
The home buyer qualification software alone is worth more than the book. Our firm's agents use this feature regularly, though we get an equal bang for the buck out of similar materials in the author's excellent "Professional Real Estate Problem Solving using the HP-17BII".
It was stated in past reviews of this title that the author provides excellent support for his books. We were skeptical of this but after calling Mr. Tirone to answer a question all I can say is that his advice was clear, accurate and totally in the interest of the caller (one of my managers at our real estate company).
A totally professional and dedicated book from a dedicated author/real estate instructor.
We await any other real estate books Mr. Tirone should write.

Aron

This exceptionally well thought out book truly is worth much more than its cost. I had the author as a seminar instructor in a class I took for CPAs (it was a computations class) when I was in Michigan. The author/presenter--unlike most of the hucksters in the field!--never promoted his books or seminars in class: all Mr. Tirone did was give us a totally first-rate presentation of the computational topics generally needed by accountants and finance people. Our office purchased John's book after the class. The book was passed around to several real estate and appraisal firm clients. Their opinion--bolstered by ours--was that the book is totally representative of the caliber and character of this truly hard working and giving instructor: the work contains many many times more info than any other book in the field, and to compare THIS book on a value basis (re: the comment to the effect that it is "pricey" or something to that effect?) to other HP-12C titles carried by amazon is absurd, speaking to either a lack of understanding of what is in this title or an underhanded attempt to undermine this valuable work of real estate calculations on the HP12C.
The author supports his books; one call to him will satisfy the cost of the book. The author's advice and help with the calculator in real estate Time value of money is invaluable, genuine, and sincere. Enough said.

just a few word response to the reviewer--I appreciate the review, incidentally!--who feels that my book does not cover enough of the calculator, etc. simply put, no book, no author (or indeed "author"!) can or should try to cover it "all" in any book, especially so one dedicated to devices as comprehensive as the HP Financial Calculators.
Where do you start the study of this field? My book? HP's manuals? Chris Coffin's "Easy Course"s? Where? To me, every source is a pretty good source, your manual being your first line of defense.
To the reviewer who wanted more on the calculator itself, I applaud his analysis, but I urge all of you to read/review the title to my book: "Professional Real Estate Problem Solving...". Yes, it is dedicated to real estate, and obviously this book (nor any other!) cannot and should not attempt to cover it all (even if the author "felt" he or she knew it all, which, for sure, none of us does!), be it home buyer income qualification, underwriting, leasing, name it! But, pound-for-pound, you should find this book informative and worth the money. And, you can call or mail me with questions: I am happy to try to share with you and I well know how difficult it is for all of us to be able to turn to experts in the field for help! In my case I had to learn what I know of this field through many many hours (and indeed years) of study, though I concede counsel from several, like Professor Elbert Greynolds, SMU. Also, I have learned from the writings of many, especially from the works of Ellwood, Akerson, Fisher, Greynolds, and Kinnard.
Start your study of this wonderful field someplace; dont quibble over whose book or books you use. start with your manual and grow from there.

This is an excellent book. My partner purchased it several months ago and we just started to use it in preparation of several agents and appraiser candidates for their studies. what is most intriguing about this book is that it really is more so a textbook and a course, a course with actuall support and backup from the author, Mr. Tirone. Yes, I read about this from others who posted on amazon's site, but I was of course skeptical as well. But, the author does support his book, which makes the book the absolutely best deal ever in anything I have seen throughout my real estate professional preparation career (CCIM, etc.!).
On one agent's call to the author she asked him as to real estate books he would recomend along with his books. What was intriguing was that Mr. Tirone is very conservative and has the best interest of his customers and clients set above any interest he may have in selling a book. His advice was above all ethical, conservative, and his book recommendations for real estate finance and the like were in my opinion truly on the money.
We are ordering one additional book for our firm.

I am a beginner in the Real Estate industry. I am interested in building my own investment portfolio. I believe that this book will give me a solid foundation for my goals. Quantitative analysis is fundamental in the world of real estate investments. This book has helped me, as a beginner, develop the tools and build an understanding of those quantitative items that are important for investment analysis. This book could be used as an excellent major or additional textbook for a class on Real Estate Finance, Investments, or Valuation. My knowledge of real estate, not only investments, has greatly increased by working through this book. Even though there are computer programs available to do the calculations in this book, going through this book will give you an increased understanding of the material covered. If you are a beginner, please go through your owner's manual before you go through this book. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Real Estate; and, would like to learn some of the quantitative aspects by using an HP-12C

This book is more than worth its price many times over. If you work in real estate, appraisal or are a student of the field, including those who are working on their GRI, CCIM, CFA and appraisal certifications, you will be pleasantly surprised by this easy to read book. However, what pushes Mr Tirones book well over the 'top' is that he supports the book. In this area several in our office have called the author over the past few months with questions. Mr. Tirone was courteous and extremely helpful; his support made the price of this excellent book a steal!
I recommend the book for users of the HP-12C, be they students in college or professionals working on various certifications or designations.

This book is the definitive summary for real estate calculations using the HP-12C. With this book you don't waste time reinventing the wheel. The author has done all the work. You solve your problem quickly and easily and move on. I teach a course in how to pass the Florida Contractors exam (http://www.brevardcontractorsschool.com), and in as much as construction results in real estate I advise all my students to buy an HP-12C for financial calculations and to buy this book. - John Beasley - Brevard Contractor School -