Customer Reviews

How to Succeed and Make Money with Your First Rental House

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

 

 

I have read about 10 real estate investment books within the last 6 months, and despite the Amazon.com user reviews, this book probably was the least informative, least well written, and least organized of the lot. The author refers to his real estate investment experience several times throughout the book, yet he discusses only the single property he has purchased, disqualifying him as a mentor in my mind. He write without technicality, and fills much of the book quoting other "real estate gurus" and citing summaries of text he has read. I am really surprised that this book was rates so highly on this site, because it really has been a disappointment and waste of time. By the way, some of the best books I have read have been written by Dolf De Roos. Best of luck to you all.

Cute, fun, great place to start for someone who is contemplating investing in rental housing. It was an easy read and an entertaining story about how one person got started. It wasn't a "how to" guide, however. I read it, loaned it to a friend, and haven't missed it. I have since purchased books that are more useful as reference material, if not as entertaining to read. If you're wondering if buying and rental properties is for you - this book is interesting. If you've decided to take the plunge and do it, you're going to need some more serious material.

I can't count the books I bought and did not finish reading. I just finished this one. Doug is a common guy, just like most of the rest of us. He quit studying and got in the game, and he "hit a stand-up-double" on his first at bat! No home runs, No strike outs, No sugar coating, No tales of how he made millions in real estate, or learned how, but did not do it after CPA school. Doug tells the things he did right that you may want to copy. He tells the mistakes he made and how you can avoid them. Doug writes from a perspective that the guy with 10 rental houses already forgot. If you don't have a rental house yet, but you want one, there is no better place to start. If you already have five rental houses and want fifteen, buy a different book. This author gives practical advice and writes in a manner anybody can understand. Sideline critics are a dime a dozen - and they will scare you into staying on the sideline with them. Buy Dougs book and get in the game.

A very informative book on the practical ways to begin a career in real estate investing. Doug documents his methods and techniques with great clarity and shows step by step how he leveraged one property to successfully acquire others through equity lines of credit and refinancings. He also describes in detail the markets to focus on, and what one should look for in properties that will make them the most desirable, both for appreciation and from the tenants perspective. His cost analysis approach for determining cash flow and purchase prices has also been crucial to my success. And even more importantly, I found Doug is one of the most accessible authors to email with questions from anyone as they begin their real estate career. Doug answers all questions in a timely and sincere manner and this alone is worth much more than the low price of his book. His direct advice to my emails has been irreplaceable in my progress as a real estate investor. I have never seen such fast, honest and quick responses with such good information to guide me through my real estate career. Both the information in Doug's book and his email accessibility have been irreplaceable to me and I would highly recommend his book to anyone - both real estate novices and seasoned professionals alike.
WKS

This book basically tells the story of buying and renting a single family rental. It takes you through the day-to-day process of getting financing, finding a house, repairing it, marketing it, qualifing a tenant, getting paid. Basically it tells you what to expect, the ups and downs. The problem is that it seriously lacks in details and good insights. It reads like a beginner REI book written by a beginner. Another tip-off is the author keeps mentioning Carton Sheets (Mr. Get Rich Infomercial) and Robert Kiyosaki (author of the vapid "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" book series) two scam artist that give real estate investing a black eye. If you are looking for a great beginner investor book read "Rental Houses for the Successful Small Investor".

This book is a good start for potential investors. It gives a brief overview of all of the essentials. However, one criticism is that it focuses on the Georgia real estate market. If you are looking for a more national perspective, you may want to keep searching.

Get this book today! When I bought this book I already had three houses. The information applies to the beginner and even has some important tips for those who are already on their way. The book is written by a real guy who is eager to share his trials and tribulations that we all have in this process. There are a ton of books out there on this subject but this one seems to relate more to the real person and what you can and should expect in the "real world." Plus, I have communicated with the author via email after I read the book and he is very accessible. It is nice to have someone in the business to bounce ideas off of who has been there!

I am starting to get in to the Rental property business and I have read several books on the subject, by far, this is the best book I've read.
Doug walks you through every step of the process from planning to getting your tenant. I was very impressed with the writing, he wrote the book on my level (A first time investor)not above me. He has lots of web sites that he has investigated as reference material along with his own personal web site in which you are able to contact Doug with questions.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to break into the rental property business.

Buy this book. It is worth every penny. The information offered in this book is very useful whether you are a first time or experienced real estate invester. I even bought copies for family members.

Wouldn't rate the book high for technical merit or depth of knowledge but as a new investor gives glimse of what is involved in rental property. Good job Doug