Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor [Paperback]

George H. Ross (Author), Donald J. Trump (Foreword), Andrew James McLean (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 17, 2006

Trump Strategies for Real Estate offers unbeatable insider advice for every serious real estate investor—beginners and old pros alike. For more than twenty-five years, author George Ross has been one of Donald Trump’s chief advisors and intimately involved with many of Trump’s biggest real estate deals. Now, Ross teams up with bestselling real estate author Andrew McLean to present Trump’s real estate investment strategies so that even small investors can invest like Trump. You’ll learn how Trump identifies potential properties and how he finances, negotiates, and markets his big deals. Not everyone has Trump’s money or name, but everyone, even you, can use his tactics and strategies to win big in real estate.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Ready for more? Pick up Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor. Written by George H. Ross, best known as one of Donald Trump's sidekicks on "The Apprentice," this book will help you move into the bigger leagues of real estate investing. Ross gives some tips that seem to come right from the popular television show—Be Distinctive: Add Sizzle to Your Property and Understand Your Buyer's Lifestyle, for example—but he also throws in a tremendous number of funny and fascinating stories culled from years in the business. A lawyer by training and practice, Ross has watched and shared Trump's real estate magic for more than 25 years. Now, with Trump's blessing, he shares the secrets he's learned with all of us. Trump Strategies for Real Estate is a kick of a book because it offers insight into Trump as well as into the true nature of real estate investing. This is definitely a primer for anyone who wants to add sizzle to his or her personal style. It's also a great how-to book from an associate of the glitziest and most interesting personality in the real estate business. (BookPage, April 2005)

George Ross, Donald Trump's sidekick on "The Apprentice" (and his longtime real-estate lawyer), offers up a mini-biography of the Donald's best "gets," detailing the negotiations behind Trump World Tower at United Nations, Mar-a-Lago, Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and other illustrious acquisitions.
But even average Joes can take Trump's strategies and apply them to their own real-estate investments, says Ross. Like Trump, Ross' suggestions are bold: For example, be willing to overpay for a prime location (it will bring in affluent tenants), don't let anyone else negotiate for you (Trump always negotiates face-to-face), and always try to add that distinctive Trump "sizzle" (like expensive touches in the lobby of your building).
The behind-the-scenes gossip is even better than Ross' advice.
For instance, when Trump bought Mar-a-Largo, he purchased all the antique furniture in the estate. Trump promptly sold all the furniture, made more money than he paid for the estate, and then replicated each piece of the original furnishings for the club.
Geared toward the ambitious investor, "Trump Strategies" is an inspiring read for anyone hoping to be the next Donald. (The New York Post, March 19, 2005) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

For twenty-five years, George Ross has advised Donald Trump on many of his biggest and most profitable real estate deals. If anyone understands the investment strategies and negotiation tactics that have made Trump the most famous real estate baron in the world, it's Ross. This is the first book that explains the investment principles that made Trump a fortune.

How can Trump's billionaire strategies help the average investor? Ross explains that the same basic rules of thumb that make Trump's Manhattan skyscrapers so profitable still apply to every investor, no matter the size of their property. Even if you can't afford the kind of luxury extras Trump offers his elite customers, you can still add Trump-style glamour to any property—and charge tenants or buyers a hefty premium for it.

Success in real estate requires not just smart strategies but also an ability to project the personal qualities that inspire confidence in others—like Trump's endless enthusiasm, showmanship, and never-say-die tenacity. With dramatic examples—such as Trump's Commodore/Hyatt Hotel deal on 42nd Street in Manhattan, which netted Trump over $85 million—Ross shows you how these personal qualities can help you negotiate better deals and dramatically increase profits.

You'll learn how to create an aura of exclusivity; Trump's secret sources of negotiation power; the value of the "invested time" principle; and even how to use deadlocks and deadlines to your advantage. And once you've zeroed in your property, Ross gives seasoned advice on retaining the best help and conducting a dynamic maketing campaign.

For experienced and novice investors alike, Trump Strategies for Real Estate presents an in-depth, insightful look at what it takes to achieve Trump-sized success in real estate. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (February 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471774340
• ISBN-13: 978-0471774341
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Business & Investing > Real Estate > Investments

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for real estate investors-- or wanna be's!, March 11, 2005

By 

Manager from New Jersey (Summit, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor (Hardcover)

No one knows Donald Trump better than George Ross, his right hand man for over 20 years. I wasn't sure what I was going to get from this book-- I picked it up because of Donald Trump's track record, and none of his other books really goes into real estate investing specifics. This book was a pleasant suprise with a lot of good investing tips. The best part of the book (and worth the $17 bucks) was the chapter on negotiation-- George Ross tells us how to make a good deal, great by using negotiation as a key tool. I can't wait to put this book to use.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Be The Donald, August 25, 2005

By 

Michael Bond (Shawnee, OK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor (Hardcover)

Donald Trump, multi-billionaire real estate investor is unashamedly big on self promotion. His name is predominate on the book jacket. But that is not inappropriate as he is the focus of the book. His major deals and properties are the center of attention and make the book worth reading.

George H. Ross, successful New York City real estate attorney, long-time associate of Trump and apparantly player in the Trump reality show, The Apprentice, is the major contributer to the book. His name is next. Mr. Ross has been in the business a very long time and also lectures on the skill of negotiation.

At the bottom of the page we find the author, Andrew James McLean, who has written several books on real estate investing.

This book is interesting, if simple. The anecdotes about Donald Trump make it worth reading. The details of the Trump Tower, Mar-A-Lago, and the GM Building, for example are very interesting. There is also quite a bit of chest thumping and self-congratulations in this short book, but who can argue with success?

The advice given in this book is very good, but neither new nor Earth-shaking. Anyone who is making it in the real estate world probably already knows this, but it never hurts to have it reenforced. The point that hit me the most was to avoid the tendancy to focus on the property more than the customers. There are tips on negotiation, how to find and treat customers, how to handle difficult people and how to stay out of trouble. This is not a how-to book, but has some excellent pointers.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars pleasant surprise, June 11, 2006

By 

M. Epstein (La Jolla) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor (Paperback)

Phenomenal investment insight from one of the worlds leading Real Estate gurus. I have been in the business for 10+ years and I could have saved myself a lot of time and aggravation of "cutting my teeth" in the business if I had this book as a resource early on in my career. This is with out a doubt the real world MBA of Real Estate Investment. Mr. Ross does an unbelievable job of relating he and Trumps world class Real Estate Investment empire in a way that is understandable and applicable to any size investor. I can assure yo the tricks and methods he describes in this book are the way it "really" works out there. No classroom can prepare you in the way that this book lays it all on the line. The subtleties existing in the business world and Real Estate dealings in particular make the diffence to your success. Mr. Ross almost divulges too much information by un-locking the Billion dollar secrets that only hard core experience and proven success over many years and Real Estate cycles could foster. If you want to know how to do Real Estate Investment RIGHT...read this book!