Need a Good Read? Here Are 8 Great Books for Real Estate Investing
Real estate investing is a great way to build wealth and create passive income, but it can also be challenging for both new and seasoned investors (at times). Fortunately, there are many books available that can help real estate agents navigate the world of investing and make informed decisions. If you're looking to hit the books and learn some new knowledge, gain experience, and hear the best insights from experts in the real estate space, read on — we've got you covered! Here are eight of the best books for investing in real estate: 1. The Intelligent Investor, by Benjamin Graham Anyone who is serious about investing in real estate should read this classic book, which is regarded as the bible of investing. The book offers a thorough guide to investing in stocks, bonds, and real estate and was written by Benjamin Graham, considered the father of value investing. It covers all aspects of investing, from the fundamentals to more complex ideas like risk management and market analysis. 2. The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, by Gary Keller The co-founder of Keller Williams Realty, one of the biggest real estate firms in the world, is the author of this book. Keller offers his advice on how to find the best deals and finance your investments as well as other tips on how to become wealthy through real estate investing. Additionally, he offers thorough examples of how to evaluate potential investments and write a strong business plan. 3. Real Estate Riches, by Dolf de Roos A successful real estate developer and investor shares his insider tips for making money in real estate in this book. He discusses everything, including how to choose the best properties, manage your investments, and create a real estate empire. Additionally, he offers thorough case studies of his own profitable real estate transactions. 4. Real Estate Investing for Dummies, by Eric Tyson and Robert Griswold For new investors who are only now learning about real estate investing, this book is a great resource. The fundamentals of real estate investing are covered, such as how to locate and assess properties, how to finance purchases, and how to manage and market your properties. It also offers advice and practical hints for avoiding common blunders. 5. The Book on Rental Property Investing, by Brandon Turner The author of this book is a seasoned real estate investor with a focus on rental homes. He describes in it how he finds, finances, and oversees rental properties for long-term cash flow and wealth accumulation. Additionally, he offers in-depth case studies of his own profitable rental property transactions. 6. The Real Estate Game: The Intelligent Guide to Decision-making and Investment, by William J. Poorvu The fundamentals of real estate investing are covered in this book by a Harvard Business School professor, including how to analyze and evaluate potential assets. Additionally, he presents thorough case studies of real estate transactions that were successful as well as advice on how to negotiate the real estate market. 7. The Real Estate Rehab Investing Bible: A Proven-Profit System for Finding, Funding, Fixing, and Flipping Houses, by Paul Esajian An experienced real estate investor who specializes in house flipping wrote this book. He reveals his methods for locating, financing, and improving properties for profit in it. Additionally, he presents thorough case studies of his own profitable flips, along with pointers and guidance for avoiding common blunders. 8. Build a Commercial Real Estate Empire, by Mark Ferguson An experienced real estate investor and landlord explains his methods for locating, financing, and overseeing properties for long-term cash flow and wealth creation in this book. Additionally, he offers thorough case studies of his own profitable real estate transactions, detailing how he earned millions of dollars by investing in rental homes and flipping houses. The book provides a step-by-step manual for profitable real estate investing, including topics like how to choose the finest opportunities, finance your investments, and draft a strong business strategy. It also offers pointers and guidance on how to maximize gains and steer clear of common blunders. In conclusion, these books are a great resource for real estate agents and investors to understand the real estate market. Each of these books provides a unique perspective on the real estate market and investing strategies. From the classic The Intelligent Investor to the specific focus on rental properties in The Book on Rental Property Investing and flipping in The Real Estate Rehab Investing Bible, these books can help real estate agents to make informed decisions and navigate the world of real estate investing. It is essential to read and understand the books before investing in real estate to minimize the risk and increase the chances of success. To view the original article, visit the Transactly blog.

Multi-Family ROI Analysis in RPR Commercial
RPR (Realtors Property Resources) offers commercial practitioners access to an array of business-building tools: Site Selection and Trade Area Reports that utilize Esri consumer segmentation data, and recently added commercial comps from CompStak. Not to mention 846K listings, 57 million off-market properties, traffic data, points of interest and climate risk assessment. However, one capability is flying a bit under the radar: BOTE (back of the envelope) ROI analysis for multi-family properties. This helpful resource enables commercial specialists to quickly vet and qualify multi-family investment opportunities before undertaking a full, detailed analysis. The ability to evaluate a project's potential in minutes rather than hours is a time-saving, efficient move. Here's how to do it in RPR… RPR BOTE: Back of the envelope ballparking and guesstimating Before we dive into the walkthrough, and in case you're not familiar with the term, here's the definition of Back of the envelope: a rough calculation, typically jotted down on any available scrap of paper such as an envelope. It is more than a guess, but less than an accurate calculation or mathematical proof. It's basically a ballpark figure, based on some starting numbers, that when run through a quick formula, lets agents and investors know if a project or purchase is worth the investment. To find the BOTE assessment calculator in RPR, go to the site, toggle to Commercial, and search for a property. Once you have your property, you will see the commercial Property Details and Property Information for that address. Scroll down a bit to find the Additional Resources section on the right hand side of the page. Then click Valuate® to Analyze investment potential, and then the continue button. An RPR/Valuate®/BOTE walkthrough The numbers for your potential deal are actually crunched using Valuate®, one of RPR's service and data partners. Note: When clicking over to the Valuate® site, you are leaving RPR and accessing Valutate® as a third party additional resource. Therefore, there is an important disclaimer that Valuate® is provided as a free benefit to RPR users. RPR is not responsible for information or conclusions that may be reached using the tool. Also note that RPR passes through to Valuate® only the data needed to perform this analysis. Once you're in Valuate®, you can assess a commercial investment in land development for multi-family dwellings or buildings. To get to the back of the envelope calculators, you will want to hover over the File tab, then the option of New, and finally click on BOTE, which stands for Back of the Envelope. There are multiple options for you to choose from, including Office, Apartment, Condo and Industrial Developments. The quick load screen will change slightly based on your selection, but they all function the same way. Make your choice based on your chosen property, then enter in the property name, scenario, and basic details of the development, such as the number of units, square footage, income and expenses from the property, etc. Be sure to plug in any areas necessary. Then select Submit. Back of the envelope calculator You'll be redirected to the calculator where you can fill in the rest of your assumptions. Build out your timelines, use of funds, project cash flows, as well as expenses, and ultimately determine what the current stabilized Net Operating Income Yield on Cost is for your potential development. The analysis also reveals the cap rate, and the cash on cash rate. (You typically want your cash on cash rate to be higher than your cap rate.) You can play with the numbers to find out where your purchase price needs to be to get right side up on your deal, etc. If you want to take it to the next step, you can also look at profit ratios should you sell this development project once it is fully leased and is creating a stable cash flow by filling in the fields in the Analysis for Sale upon stabilization section with your projections. BOTE note Quick back of the envelope run throughs are great for preliminary research and opportunity quests. You can basically rule out a potential investment before you commit too much brain power to a more thorough analysis or a fully developed pitch to an investor. Take advantage of RPR Commercial and its partnership with Valuate® by plugging in some rough estimates to see if your multi-family property opportunity gets a thumbs up or a thumbs down. And if you have time, watch this video for a demonstration: Investment Analysis With Valuate®. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

[Podcast] Real Talk, with Realtors: House Hacking, with Marcus Norman
Marcus Norman is a serial entrepreneur, Navy veteran, and the founder and CEO of Mark's Real Estate Holding Company. He has several businesses he operates and invests in. In this episode of Real Talk, with Realtors, hear what house hacking is, how to expand to multiple properties, become a stronger investor, invest in REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts), and how real estate agents can benefit from house hacking. This episode covers everything from house hacking to modern investing. Here's a small sample of what you will hear in this episode: How did Marcus get into house hacking? Is Dalip house hacking? Were there any conflicts among the house guests? Where does Marcus go for crowdfunding? What are the risks with real estate investing? How do you acquire your first house hacking property? What was Marcus's evolution with house hacking? How do you profit with house hacking? Connect with Marcus at the GentleMan Style Podcast and on social media. Listen on: Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Visit the episode homepage for show notes and more detail.

Are You Ready for Real Estate Investing?
Real estate investing is among the oldest and most rewarding asset classes. It's a great way of building wealth and can be one of the more reliable types of investment. New investors are usually aware of these benefits, but some are not aware of the several different categories of real estate investments available. For a savvy investor, focusing your efforts on a specific niche can be the first step in succeeding in your pursuit of financial independence and the benefit of a passive income. What do you need to know about the best types of real estate investment opportunities for your needs? Let's find out. Types of Real Estate Investing In 2020, the revenue from the property management field reached an unprecedented $88.4 billion in the U.S. If you're a prospective investor determined to develop, acquire, own or flip real estate, you should first understand the industry by dividing property investment into its various categories. Residential Based on US Census Bureau records, renter-occupied housing units accounted for about 30.4% of the overall inventory during the fourth quarter of 2020. Renting just makes sense for a large portion of the population, even if they have a choice to rent or own a property. These properties include houses, apartment buildings, vacation houses, and townhouses where individuals or families pay you to reside in the property. Details about their length of stay are stated in the rental or lease agreement. Pros: short leases (due for renewal every 6-12 months) allowing you to capitalize on any positive adjustments in the market conditions. Commercial Office buildings and skyscrapers basically constitute commercial buildings. Property owners lease out these spaces to companies or small business owners, who then pay rent to use the property. Commercial real estate prices have been on an upward trend. This statistics indicates this category has a considerable ROI in the long term. Pros: Benefit of longer leases, usually multi-year. Typically, this approach helps generate greater stability in cash flow and often cushions you as the property owner from rental rates decline. Cons: Markets fluctuate, and its possible rental rates may increase rapidly within a short period. Due to the dated agreements, a property owner may not have the flexibility to increase the rent to match the competitive market rates. Industrial These properties generate income from customers who frequent properties such as industrial warehouses, storage units, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and other purpose-built properties. As a real estate investor, you charge significant fees and earn service revenue as a means to increase your return on investment. Retail Retail properties include shopping malls, strip malls, retail storefronts, among others. Depending on the agreement type, property owners can also receive a portion of sales generated by the stores alongside a base rent. This strategy helps create an incentive for them to maintain the property in remarkable condition and attract shoppers. Mixed-Use Typically, mixed-use properties blend any of the above classifications into one project. This catch-all category of real estate investments is attractive for those with considerable assets since they offer a level of built-in diversification that helps control risk. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) REITs have risen in popularity in the real estate investment community as an alternative way to invest in real estate. They are popular with investors who don't want the responsibility of overseeing the management of an investment property. But what's a REIT? This real estate investing strategy involves investment in shares of a corporation dealing or owning real estate properties and allocating a considerable amount of its earnings as dividends. Cons: tax complexities. Dividends don't enjoy the same favorably low tax rates common stocks attract. But REITs can be an excellent addition to your investment portfolio, preferably when you buy them at the right value—with an adequate margin of safety. Besides, you can also opt for more esoteric areas like tax lien certificates. As a rule of thumb, lending money for real estate is regarded as real estate investing and can also be accounted for as a fixed-income investment. Akin to investing in bonds, you generate your returns by lending money in favor of interest income. Investing in a real estate/building and later leasing it back to a tenant, for instance, as a restaurant, is at par with fixed income investing instead of an actual real estate investment. In this case, you're simply financing a property—but this somewhat hedges between investing and financing. Overall, you technically own the building and have a claim to its appreciation and profits. Getting Started in Real Estate Investing Every kind of investment has its share of potential benefits and shortcomings, and real estate investing is no different. Smart investors minimize their risks by anticipating the twists in cash flow cycles, economic cycles, potential for natural disasters, and changes in lending traditions. So, it's best to analyze and weigh the opportunities very thoroughly before deciding if real estate investing is the right choice for you. Real estate investing can carry many rewards with benefits potentially lasting a lifetime. If you apply due diligence, you can capitalize on the available opportunities in what can be a fun and lucrative path. To view the original article, visit the iHomeFinder blog.

Reasons to Invest in Real Estate as a Real Estate Agent
Are you making the most out of your involvement in the real estate industry? As an agent, you are in the perfect position to become a profitable investor in the industry. There are many reasons to invest in real estate as a real estate agent and at least one is sure to grab your attention. It is understandable you may not want to feel like your life is completely consumed by the real estate industry. With your existing knowledge, though, and skill related to the industry, you are only missing out if you aren't investing in it.

Foreign Real Estate Investing: How Much Do You Know?
I hear so much about foreign investors in the real estate industry; some agents run scared, some agents embrace foreign investors and most just don't have a clue and don't understand that part of the business. I am one of those who had no clue about foreign investors, visas, the IRS and many other questions. Where I live in Central Florida is apparently a hot bed for foreign investors, so I decided to look around for help so all of us understand more about foreign investors and what opportunities a Realtor might have.

How to: 3 Steps to Investing in your Real Estate Business this Year
This is a new year, which means all the more reason to hit the reset button and start prioritizing. If you haven't already done so, you may ponder the thought of refreshing, re-evaluating or even starting your real estate business, and this is the perfect year to do so. But the question is, how do you start investing in your real estate business and where do you start? The solution is an easy one and we have a few tips that may help you out.

Market Investment Properties to Get Ahead During the Off-Peak Season
Now that the summer rush of selling homes is over, how can you bolster sales during off-peak times? One great way is to advertise investment properties to real estate investors. Many buyers are looking for a new income stream as well as properties that will appreciate in value over time. To start, you will want to make sure your clients understand the time required to manage the property and the associated costs. Investors are interested in the pros and cons of different types of retail property and you can help educate them.

The Hidden Cost of Paper Transactions
Are the tools and processes you use in your real estate business giving you the maximum return on your investment? If you're still battling through mountains of paperwork, there may be room for improvement. Examining the Hard Costs of Paper Depending on what state you live in, a single real estate transaction can require signatures on anywhere from 10 to 100 documents. The cost of all this paperwork makes a significant impact on your bottom line. Let's take a quick look at where these expenses lie: Printing - On a standard office printer, a single black-and-white page costs $0.03. With color, the cost jumps to $0.08. Delivery - The cost of postage and courier fees adds up quick. For documents that can be signed locally, factor in the time and expense of travel, as well as the hassle of coordinating meeting times that are convenient for all parties. Storage - Storing and managing paper documents costs over 50 times as much as electronic records, thanks to necessities like filing cabinets, boxes, folders, and more. Not only will you need more space as time goes on, but there are special considerations that paper archives need, like temperature, humidity, and fireproofing. Document loss and reproduction - Whether lost in transit or just lost in the shuffle, paper documents are always at risk of going missing. When this happens, you re-incur the costs of printing these documents again.