Are you interested in property investing? It offers the potential for financial gain and allows investors to take on exciting projects, transform properties, and build a diversified portfolio for long-term wealth creation.
But let’s be real, it’s not as easy as it may sound. Luckily, there are experts who have successfully navigated the market for decades and shared that experience and knowledge with the rest of us.
To save you some time, we’ve compiled a list of the eight best real estate books out there. Each of these books offers valuable insights into different aspects of the investment journey.
Whether you’re just beginning or are already active in the rental property market, our top pick is The Book on Rental Property Investing. It’s a comprehensive guide that covers everything from getting started to scaling up and even exit strategies.
So, check out our list and start your journey to becoming a successful property investor today.
A Table Of Contents For Real Estate Books
This is what you can expect to find in this article and the books that will be reviewed as the best real estate investing reads available today.
- Reviews: 8 Best Books on Real Estate Investing
- The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to Create Wealth with Intelligent Buying and Hold Real Estate Investing
- The Millionaire Real Estate Investor
- How to Invest in Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started
- The Book on Managing Rental Properties: A Proven System for Finding, Screening, and Managing Tenants with Fewer Headaches and Maximum Profits
- The Book on Flipping Houses: How to Buy, Rehab, and Resell Residential Properties
- The Book on Tax Strategies of the Savvy Real Estate Investor
- The ABCs of Real Estate Investing: the Secrets of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss
- Mastering the Art of Commercial Real Estate Investing: How to Successfully Build Wealth and Grow Passive Income from Your Rental Properties
- Real Estate Reading FAQs
- Get Reading on Real Estate Investing
Best Real Estate Investing Books – Quick Links
Want to start reading and learning right away? Follow the links below to add to your real estate investing library.
| Product | Features | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
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The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to Create Wealth with Intelligent Buying and Hold Real Estate Investing | Author: Brandon Turner
Year: 2015 Complete encyclopedic guide to investing in rental properties |
4.7 stars (5,080 ratings) |
 |
The Millionaire Real Estate Investor | Author: Gary Keller
Year: 2005 Change the way to think about money and investment with advice from millionaire property investors |
4.7 stars (2,885 reviews) |
 |
How to Invest in Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started | Author: Brandon Turner and Joshua Dorkin
Year: 2018 Accessible publication for real estate beginners |
4.7 stars (1,999 ratings) |
 |
The Book on Managing Rental Properties: A Proven System for Finding, Screening, and Managing Tenants with Fewer Headaches and Maximum Profits | 4.7 stars (1,888 ratings) | |
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The Book on Flipping Houses: How to By, Rehab, and Resell Residential Properties | Author: J Scott (Narrator: Randy Streu)
Year: 2019 How to manual for buying, improving, and reselling houses |
4.7 stars (1,769 ratings) |
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The Book on Tax Strategies of the Savvy Real Estate Investor | Author: Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland
Year: 2016 Make tax law work to your advantage when investing in property |
4.7 stars (1,306 reviews) |
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The ABCs of Real Estate Investing: the Secrets of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss | Author: Ken McElroy
Year: 2012 Advanced property investment in multi-unit properties |
4.6 stars (3,194 reviews) |
 |
Mastering the Art of Commercial Real Estate Investing: How to Successfully Build Wealth and Grow Passive Income from Your Rental Properties | Author: Douglas Marshall
Year: 2018 Break into and thrive in the commercial property market |
4.5 stars (222 ratings) |
Reviews: 8 Best Books On Real Estate Investing
Discover the authors and their experience, and what you can expect to learn from each publication.
The Book On Rental Property Investing: How To Create Wealth With Intelligent Buying And Hold Real Estate Investing
If you’re looking for your first book on investing in real estate as rental properties, or you plan to read only one book on the topic this year, make it this one. This 400-page tome covers every aspect of the rental property investment process from the beginning all the way to an exit strategy.
- Author: Brandon Turner
- Year: 2015
- Formats: Paperback or Kindle
The book is authored by Brandon Turner, who has perfected his engaging but informative tone as a co-host of the BiggerPockets Podcast.
The text takes you through everything you need to consider from the very beginning, such as where to invest in property and how to gather your team including lawyers and contractors. But, if you are already past that stage, you can dive into helpful sections such as handling rental property income streams, taxes, and common mistakes.
You will probably be thinking about expansion rather than exit strategy when you read this book, but that’s in there, too.
Read our guide to how to calculate rental rates.
The Millionaire Real Estate Investor
If you want to be the best, then take advice from the best. That’s the philosophy behind this book, which summarizes advice collected from more than 100 millionaire property investors.
- Author: Gary Keller
- Year: 2005
- Formats: Paperback or Kindle
This book aims to help you change your mindset when it comes to money, and give you practical things you can do today to take you further along your investment journey. There are also a few inspirational personal stories to motivate you.
The book can help you develop strategies such as criteria for quickly and effectively evaluating the profitability of a deal, generating leads for properties, and building the best support team.
Whether you’re investing big or small, this book will help you think like a millionaire.
How To Invest In Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To Getting Started
If you know absolutely nothing about the real estate market but are interested in dipping your toes in the water, then this is the book for you. It answers all those questions that you may be too embarrassed to ask—but which everyone new to the real estate market should.
- Authors: Brandon Turner and Joshua Dorkin
- Year: 2018
- Formats: Paperback or Kindle
This book is a collaboration between the co-hosts of the popular BiggerPockets Podcast. It’s accessible to anyone starting from scratch.
The book starts with mythbusting about real estate investment, and then goes into an in depth discussion of what is actually involved. It covers various approaches to making money through real estate rather than claiming to share silver bullet secrets.
Unexpected but useful sections include how to convince your spouse that real estate investment is a good idea, and how to build up funds to make the challenging initial investment.
The Book On Managing Rental Properties: A Proven System For Finding, Screening, And Managing Tenants With Fewer Headaches And Maximum Profits
Generating a profit through rental properties isn’t just about investing in the property itself, but also about having the right tenants. Learning how to find and keep good tenants is one of the most important factors in rental property investing.
- Author: Brandon and Heather Turner
- Year: 2015
- Formats: Paperback, Kindle, or Audiobook
Authors Brandon and Heather Turner teach how to find and retain good tenants, and avoid problematic occupants, sharing insights learned from their years of personal experience. They explain the mindshift they had to adopt to make their business a success.
The book will show you how to attract the right kind of tenants and also how to spot the tenants who look good on paper but who you should never rent to! You will also find helpful provisions that you should include in your leases to protect your investment.
The book also talks about how to work with tenant screen services such as RentPrep, to identify tenants who will pay on time and stay long term.
The Book On Flipping Houses: How To Buy, Rehab, And Resell Residential Properties
This is a revised edition of the bestselling book by fix-and-flipper J Scott, who shares his real life experience and advice based on his personal journey. This is the book to read if you like the idea of buying cheap and adding value.
- Author: J Scott (Narrator: Randy Streu)
- Year: 2019
- Formats: Paperback, Kindle, or Audiobook
Scott used to work in Silicon Valley and at a Fortune 500 company before he and his wife became full-time flippers. But he remembers his first flip and how they managed to finance the investment.
There are useful and detailed guides for important stages in the process including evaluating the profitability of a project, defining scope and budget-setting, choosing the type of property and location, and managing a schedule of work.
Many have described this book as “no fluff” and will appeal to people who just want answers, rather than discussions on the philosophy and economics of flipping.
Read suggestions for the most effective rental property upgrades.
The Book On Tax Strategies Of The Savvy Real Estate Investor
Getting into the real estate business comes with a lot of surprises, but one of the biggest can be just how complicated it makes your taxes. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can find yourself owing a lot. But this book will show you how to make the most of eligible deductions.
- Author: Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland
- Year: 2016
- Formats: Paperback or Kindle
Despite being written by two accountants, this is an engaging read as it mixes expert advice and real-world examples, making it easy to follow.
Expect to learn about what you can deduct from your taxes and how to get creative to maximize your deductions and minimize your IRS bill. You can write off things such as vacations, travel expenses, your home office, and more.
The book also covers smart ways that you can fund investments by using your retirement accounts and gives top tips for avoiding the headache of an IRS audit.
You can read tips for landLord tax deductions here.
The ABCs Of Real Estate Investing: The Secrets Of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss
This book is targeted at people who already have a bit of experience in real estate investing but want to take things to the next level, such as investing in multi-unit properties.
- Author: Ken McElroy
- Year: 2012
- Formats: Paperback or Kindle
While this is an older publication, it’s still the best when it comes to tips and tricks to maximize your investment. You need to know a little up front because this is not a step-by-step guide—it’s a treasure trove of useful advice, but you need to know how to apply it.
The author has more than 25 years of experience working with multifamily assets and multi-unit property management. He has an easy-to-read style that feels like you’re getting secrets from a well-informed friend.
Topics include maximizing cash flow, negotiating better deals based on the numbers, and increasing profit margins through intelligent property management.
Mastering The Art Of Commercial Real Estate Investing: How To Successfully Build Wealth And Grow Passive Income From Your Rental Properties
Commercial real estate is one of the most lucrative property investment niches but can also be one of the most challenging. This read takes a deep dive into what is involved and how you can invest while protecting against risk.
- Author: Douglas Marshall
- Year: 2018
- Formats: Paperback or Kindle
Author Douglas Marshall has more than 35 years of experience with commercial properties and is also the founder of Marshall Commercial Funding Inc, a mortgage brokerage for commercial real estate. So, he knows what he’s talking about.
The book is written for an audience that knows nothing about real estate investment, but is most useful for investors who want to focus on commercial real estate. It takes you through the “six laws” of commercial real estate investment that will allow you to grow your income while minimizing risk.
The book also talks about what kinds of loans to look for when buying commercial property and where to find them, plus when to buy and when not to buy. It also looks at managing commercial properties for greater income.
Real Estate Reading FAQs
Find answers to some of the questions most frequently asked by those looking for the best books about real estate.
What are the disadvantages of real estate investment?
Real estate transactions tend to be expensive, especially in terms of brokerage and legal fees. The process of buying and selling properties also tends to be lengthy, with lots of legal and financial issues that can undermine a deal. It can also be difficult to quickly liquidate wealth tied up in properties.
Are REITs a good investment?
Real estate investment trusts, or REITs, can be excellent investments if you’re looking to diversify your portfolio with long-term capital appreciation.
What type of property makes the most money?
Commercial properties, such as retail spaces and office spaces, and multi-occupancy real estate, such as apartment complexes, tend to make the most money. As they house more tenants, there is a higher rental income available per square meter. But they also tend to be more difficult and challenging to manage.
How much profit do most landlords make?
Return on investment for rental properties can be highly variable, but most landlords can expect a 7-8% ROI.
Get Reading On Real Estate Investing
In most areas of life, knowledge is power, and taking the time to learn can put you ahead in the game. This is very true when it comes to the real estate market. While many people think they know the ins and outs of real estate because they have invested in their own home, this experience just scratches the surface.
Investing in rental properties, flipping houses, and exploiting commercial properties can all feel like a dark art. But there are people who have been there before and are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you.
You will find some of the best knowledge presented in the most accessible and engaging ways in our picks for the eight best real estate investing books that you should add to your reading list, including our top pick, The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to Create Wealth with Intelligent Buying and Hold Real Estate Investing.