Real Estate Investing From A to Z : The Most Comprehensive, Practical, and Readable Guide to Investing Profitably in Real Estate [Paperback]

William Pivar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2003

Investors rocked by today's stock market woes are increasingly turning to real estate. Real Estate Investing from A to Z has become recognized in previous editions for explaining this potentially lucrative field in no-nonsense, easy-to-understand terms, while at the same time providing detailed information suitable for more seasoned investors. Substantially revised and updated chapters include discussions of REITs, risk reduction, the investment potential of single-family homes, group investments and joint ownership, and more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The Original Straight-Talking, No-Nonsense Guide to Building Wealth in Real Estate

Despite what many books and seminars will have you believe, there are no "easy street" secrets to becoming a successful real estate investor. Quite the contrary, it requires a tremendous commitment of both time and energy. But ask any real estate millionaire if he or she would have done anything differently on their road to wealth and the reply will always be the same ...

"I only wish I'd have started sooner!"

Real Estate Investing from A to Z is the only guidebook you will need to start--and start today--to build a successful portfolio of real estate properties. A bestseller in two previous editions, this classic how-to-do-it book has been comprehensively updated to reflect the realities of today's real estate market. Look here for the latest information on:

• Creative financing strategies tailor-made for investors looking to buy their first property
• Lesser-known areas where exceptional capital growth opportunities are still available
• How today's state and federal tax laws encourage--and reward--real estate investors

Praise for previous editions of Real Estate Investing from A to Z:

"At last, a real estate investment book that makes sense, is easy to read and applicable to any market situation. Real Estate Investing from A to Z is truly a guidebook for riches that anyone can use. Kudos to the author."

--Robert J. Bruss

Syndicated Real Estate Columnist

About the Author

William H. Pivar has authored more than 30 real estate books, including The Real Estate Exam Guide, and is an attorney and professor emeritus of business education.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 3 edition (September 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071416242
• ISBN-13: 978-0071416245
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,475,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Do you really want "A to Z" information?, November 26, 2000

By 

"mrquality" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Real Estate Investing From A To Z: Revised Edition (Paperback)

The problem with a comprehensive "A to Z" book like this one is that it likely contains more information than the reader really needs. If you are interested in all aspects of real estate investing - commercial, residential and land - having to sort through the material for just one of these won't be an issue for you. But my interest is in single-family residential houses for investing and rental. The book is not organized so that I could read appropriate chapters to get the information I wanted. These three subjects are interspersed, often under the same section heading. Admittedly, there are many commonalities between the three types, but often it was difficult to discern which type was being written about or if it applied to all three. If you're mainly interested in residential real estate, check the reviews for "Rental Houses for the Successful Small Investor" by Suzanne P. Thomas. Also, just as I was beginning to get annoyed at the number of success stories about clever tactics for making "a killing" in real estate, Pivar finally wrote about a few failures - with post-mortem analysis - which helped to point out the risks in this type of investing. Perhaps because the book is about four years old now, it doesn't talk about on-line searches and some of the tax information may be not be accurate now.

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A shallow survey, March 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Real Estate Investing From A To Z: Revised Edition (Paperback)

This is a great book if you want to get excited about real estate investments. The first chapters give one the impression that there is minimal risk in real estate compared to a vast upside potential.

The rest of the book surveys all the various kinds of real estate investments but does not cover them in depth. If you are looking for a book to help you evaluate a real estate transaction from a numbers standpoint, this book is not for you. I would turn to "The Real Estate Game" by Poorvu as a beginner's guide for evaluating real estate transactions.

68 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars INFORMATIVE, EASY TO READ OUTLINE OF REAL ESTATE INVESTING., July 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Real Estate Investing From A To Z: Revised Edition (Paperback)

THIS WAS AN EASY TO READ, VERY INFORMATIVE BOOK ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF REAL ESTATE INVESTING...JUST LIKE IT SAYS...FROM A TO Z. IT OUTLINED INVESTING AND FINANCING TECHNIQUES FROM THE SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT FOREWARD TO MORE COMPLEX. GIVES INSPIRING EXAMPLES, NOT UNREALISTIC SUNSHINE AND B.S.! I WOULD BUY IT AGAIN.