Business Money Books

A nice introduction to wall street if you were raised on Mars. For people who want to do investing for a living this is a waste of time

I think this book did a great job in helping me understand the universe of money and investing beyong the scope of stock. I have been trading for 1 year and wanted to buy a small book that gave me a general education on the subject. Although much more can be written on each topic covered it is good for beginning to understand the whole picture.

Although this isn't the largest book in the world, I really enjoyed reading it. I thought that I was pretty savvy as far as the way things worked, but this book definitely enlightened me. I also appreciated the pictures that made things clearer.

If you're a beginner, interested in investing, this is a very decent primer to start with. Buy it with Eric Tyson's Investing for Dummies, and you'll be fully set!

Most of the book is a great intro to money, stocks, bonds and mutual funds. But the last section, on Futures & Options, seems really rushed and lacks the clarity of the earlier sections (especially the material on options). For example, the authors do not define "calling" or "putting" options; and there is a blatant error on page 150 wherein a description of an option table is laughably out of sync with the table it is trying to describe.

Overall, the book is very good -- just beware of the shortcomings of its last section.

Very informative and easy to read information. Good job on research and the materials revieled.

I thought it would be very difficult to understand real estate investing. But after I found this book I can understand the steps to get started.

Making Big Money Investing in Real Estate written by Peter Conti is a straight forward guide into the competitive market of real estate. Peter Conti explores innovative solutions that are financially astute and enterprising.

This book is an up- to-date and insightful collection of information that is truthful and discerning for the real estate investor!!!

I have read lot's of books and information throughout the years about real estate investing,most of what i read is just words filling up spaces on pages just so someone can make a buck off of you.my situation:last year i thought i was a real estate investor of something because i bought a brand new house to rent out with 100%financing,the market went down but my mortgage payments as you know stayed the same.i rented the house for $1,750 a month.a year later the house right next to mine rented for $1,400 a month,my renter moved out.my mortgage is $2,050 a month.WHAT A NEG!of cash out of my pocket and now i must lower my rent even more to be competitive?I THOUGHT I WAS STUCK.i found Peters book,read it and did it.now i get $2,075 a month rent with $5,000 in my pocket.all said and done,it was a $70,000 DOLLAR DEAL for me.i love to read how some say these things won't work "IN THE REAL WORLD"i'm on my third deal now.by the way if you need a house sold or leased even if you have no equity i'm sure i can help you so you can GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE.email me kelly at:newideas@skopeocorporation.com

I really, liked this book and I've read dozens and dozens of real estate investing book. Conti and Finkel cover strategies, negotiating techniques, and selling for top dollar. I especially liked the fact that there are ample real-world examples of successful deals that were put together using the strategies and techniques being taught. I would rate this as one of the top-ten books on lease-option investing available.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that I am an attorney, real estate broker, investor, trainer, and author of another unique and highly readable book on the topic that can also be found here on Amazon -- The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth Buying Houses: The Foolproof Roadmap to Real Estate Riches Without the Risks and Hassles of Landlording. Unlike many real estate investing books, it is written to be a genuine "How To" book that "takes you by the hand" and walks you through a step-by-step process for getting started in real estate investing -- investors across the country are giving it rave reviews. The book also includes sample leases, forms, and checklists, so that you can actually go out and implement the investing strategy it teaches as soon as you're done reading. You might want to check out the companion CD too -- The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth Buying Houses (Combo Audio/Data CD): Author's Audio Commentary Plus Downloadable 32-page Marketing Manual, Checklists, Spreadsheets, and Forms.

A related program that's well worth checking out is:

The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Personal Wealth Creation (Combo Audio/Data CD): Audio Seminar With Downloadable 40-Page Action Manual and Active Link Library.

I believe that Conti & Finkel have written an informative book that's worthy of your time. Buy it if you are serious about making a success of lease-option real estate investing.

This book is an example of how mathematics is intelligently used in economics, and the understanding of the latter is thereby enhanced. Only basic algebra is used, yet the authors are able to make non-trivial explanation about economic phenomena, from why money must exist to inflation to payment system. The text is mathematical and abstract, but as I read it, my frame of mind remains firmly that of an economist, and not of a mathematician (which is as it should be). The text is carefully written, flowing and anticipative of difficulties that a reader may have.

This is not an introductory text to economics, and I reject the idea that those with strong mathematical background should be introduced to economics in a different way from others. Any beginner, mathematical or not, should read Samuelson and the like first.

This book is a very good introduction to quantative monetary theories. Readers with science or engineering background can especially benefit from authors' concise mathematical expressions. It gives a clear and academic view about fundamental theories, so don't expect to see a lot of economical data or "stories".

Economists have a responsiblity to communicate as simply as possible. Too often complex mathematics are an egotistic tool of the economist that merely frustrates the reader. Champ and Freeman's Modeling Monetary Economies is a wonderful volume that explains tough issues in monetary economics by building upon Wallace and Bryant's overlapping generations (OLG) model.

The OLG framework is a very simple framework that has its limitations, yet it is a powerful explanatory device. Champ and Freeman apply it to the following exercises:
* Introduce money into an economy--any grad student of economics (as I once was) will tell you this is no simple task! We take money for granted, of course, but mathematical models tend to imply that money is unnecessary! Just getting money into an economic model without unreasonable assumptions is itself an accomplishment.

* Inflation--again, not easy to do in other mathematical models of money--and anticipated inflation

* International currency exchange and the indeterminancy of the exchange rate

* Central banking and changes to the money supply

* Banks and lending

* Deficits and the national debt

* The interaction of all of the above

The book also has exercises in it that apply and extend the models introduced in each chapter.

RECOMMENDATION
I recommend this book for advanced year undergrads (in mathematical econ programs) and graduate students. It really is a great book that builds a conceptual knowledge of the interaction of the various components of monetary economics. This is useful for understanding more complicated dynamic optimization models. And it provides models that are useful in their own right and relevant as the basis for further (ie., dissertation) research.

"Please Send Money" has saved me so much time and money! Secrets and habits of living in our material world solved... or at least explained so that we can benefit from others experiences before finding ourselves upside down in the financial world. Before learning how to drive a car, shouldn't we learn how to purchase one? Before spending four years in college shouldn't we learn how student loans and credit card debt will effect our lives? Shouldn't we know what salaries are available for each profession before we head that direction? It's all here.

If Money were no object or an easy topic to discuss with friends and family we would all share this knowledge early in life. Unfortunately, the stakes are high and those in the know have the advantage. Get that advantage for yourself, family and friends by reading and discussing this book with young adults and those of us who could use an easy to follow, interesting and engaging refresher. Learn for yourself many of life's most valuable financial secrets.

This is not only a very informative book but a neccesity for college bound teens. I have bought several to pass on to nieces, nephews and friends children headed to college.

I've been giving out the first edition of this book for years and I'm glad it's been updated and made fresh again. This is a great gift for High School, or any grade, graduation to help young people learn how to be smart about their money. The book has so much terrific advice that even parents, coaches, aunts and uncles, or friends of teens can learn from some of the horror stories to help protect and prepare the young people in their lives financially.

TO: Mr. John Rubino/Mr. James Turk BRAVO on your tour de force book that lays out the Truth, unencumbered, and with sobering and simple recommendations on how to save ones self from financial ruin in the next couple of years, and now for that matter.

The comparisons of other empires that have economically collapsed (due to fiat currencies, fractional reserve banking, etc), most mighty nations in history, is an invaluable inclusion to the beginning of the book to give unaware readers perspective at how close to the edge the United States is.

Since 2000, this is what I have been telling people and you both are the first ones I have really seen to make the case in clear terms and dire warnings, with simple steps to protect ones self.. You guys are the best and your book has been a GOLD mine, literally... You guys strike at the heart of the Truth and expose it good, bad, ugly..
This book is small enough, inexpensive enough, and valuable enough to buy a dozen copies and hand them out to relatives, good friends, and those you care about... Simple enough for the economic laymen (most of Americans) to wake up to! People with HUNDREDS of thousand's of USD$$$ in stocks, bonds, over leveraged homes/real estate, etc etc.. This book and information is vital to their future. They could save themselves but unfortunately many will choose not to and will bury their heads and follow the herd of "mainstream" money managers...

I will keep on tyring to wake people up and inform them of the peril ahead, though sadly few have listened to me since I was recommending gold at $320 in 2001 or so... Silver at $5 back then too... Sometimes I am ashamed to be American because of my fellow Americans who have lost their critical thinking skills, independent thought, discernment, and a healthy ongoing distrust of government and Elites... to be and STAY free and economically sound, as an individual, family, or nation, we MUST be informed, vigilant, and critical of all orthodox information and mainstream opinion and most of all, government promises...

You guys are the bright spots of Truth in American economics! BRAVO!

Oh Wow.. Every one should get this Bible. Amazing; it gives you deep details how to profit from precious metals, and gold on top of them. A question to all; who created Gold? Answer is "God." Now who created Dollar? Answer is "Human." In the end Who will win God or human? Answer is left to all of you!!

For anyone interested in the dynamics of our falling dollar, this book: "The Collapse of the Dollar and How to Profit from It" is a must read. I was led to it after reading the author's: "How to Profit from the Coming Real Estate Bust." I was delighted to find: "The Collapse of the Dollar's" paperback version updated (containing 2007 numbers)! It's amazing how visionary the author has been. Morover, the book is easy to read/understand. I highly recommend...

Right now this book is sold out, and I'm not shocked. It seems to have been written in the future because it is all coming true. Gold is a great investment. Always has been. Always will be. I know a lof og groups are down on investing capital in gold, but usually those are the people who just don't get it. People who would rather put faith in "ideas" over real things.

For people who are unsure about gold investing, this is the best book to get. It groups together the gold investment and makes a lot of sense. I really think it was a good book for beginners.

I bought the book when it first came out. More importantly, I ACTED on the book's advice. I bought gold, silver, Goldcorp(GG) and a lot more. Goldcorp was selling for about $12 per share at the time. Gold hadn't gone beyond about $430 per ounce. The dollar was trading much higher than it is now. Goldcorp is now at about $40 per share. Gold is near $950 per ounce. Silver is at $18 per ounce. Suffice it to say that if I ever have the chance to meet Mssrs Turk and Rubino in person, I will pick up the tab for dinner!
I had to smile when I read some of the reviews which have been posted on this site. I guess that some people still do not "get it" when it comes to the role of gold in protecting assets and purchasing power. Although the book's title speaks of making a fortune by investing in gold and hard assets, this book is not really a get rich quick book. It is a survival book. With everything that has been happening in the financial sector, the most important thing for all of us is to protect what we have!

Epstein gives a fascinating account of the rise of Hollywood in the early part of the 20th century, focusing on the role intellectual property law played in the that development (the fact that patents in technology related to the making and showing of movies were controlled by the Edison Trust, located on the East coast, forced would-be movie moguls to relocate to the West coast away from courts sympathetic to the Edison Trust). He also explains how historical and legal developments (studio ownership of the means of production and the resulting anti-trust lawsuit brought by the federal government) led to the rise and fall of the studio system by the 1950s, and how federal legislation made it impossible for television networks to produce their own shows in the 1970s, a void the movie studios rushed to fill. Epstein details of the creative accounting methods and other legalisms that the six major movie studios use to maximize profit in the modern world of movie finance, where licensing revenue and home video sales far outweigh box office receipts.

jeffbrownlegal@gmail.com

Edward Jay Epstein's book provides an excellent overview of how business has changed in Hollywood since the 1970s. The book will give the reader a chance to think about how the industry moderates its relentless pursuit of money occasionally in order to pursue loftier goals. The book is particular strong in identifying key industry leaders, such as Lew Wasserman, who were able to respond quickly to changing circumstances and to rebuild the studio system in a new form after the rise of television. For a more complete history of the studio system, see Douglas Gomery's recently published book. But this one is a good read and it does a good job of recounting the recent history of the industry.

This is a good book about the evolution and the workings of the modern Hollywood system. (For summaries, see the other reviews.) I enjoyed the first third of the book a lot, but then it became more and more repetitive. A lot of the information contained in Part 4 ("The Economic Logic of Hollywood"), Part 5 ("Social Logic"), and Part 6 ("Political Logic") had been already presented in the preceeding parts. For example, I don't know how many times Epstein mentions the 29 million USD Arnold Schwarzenegger received for "Terminator 3" - it sure seems like a million times. In the end, you get the impression that the author had access to more detailed information about a limited number of movies (T3, Gone in 60 seconds) and then used them as examples for each and every point he is trying to make. All in all, some serios editing would have turned this really good book into an excellent one.

If you want to understand how Hollywood became what it is today then this book ticks all the boxes: it tracks Hollywood from its beginnings in the early-20th century and the early part of the book focusses on the development of the big six media corporations in the world and who runs them and why TV and DVD are now far more important to the bottom line than straight theatrical release.

Some of the real examples of Hollywood's incredible loss-making ability are startling: one studio's 'greatest success' actually lost over US$60m, and you learn that the drivers of money and power are not the strong but actually it all boils down to children: what they want and don't want fuels the whole industry.

Fascinating stuff and very easy to read...five stars, no questions asked.

Hollywood quality controlled by the bottom line? Gee, what an original concept. The question is, does Tinseltown point its checkbook any which way new media outlet winds blow or does it take a moral philosophical stance in a chaotic evil-is-hip era defined by a fantasy video game role playing culture of death?

Do most films today suck because they're only made for kids? And should it not matter because they're an easy target audience? That's a cop out. In the days of old Hollywood, moguls created demand across a wide demographic spectrum. Only advances in home media in the past 30 years have disaffected the issue of quality.

Epstein's new age filmic disorder tome basically applies cold harsh statistical reality to a cultural traffic accident and doesn't make a reasonable value judgment on what's happening. He's too busy dotting his is and crossing his ts with stat data to care. His beef is to say that's the way it is. Tough cookies.

As such, stating the facts and stressing the obvious is not rocket science when the largest demographic of Americans in 40 somethings are left out in the cold in ageist exclusion. Mature adults would rather stay at home because suits have decided only kids are worth making movies for. So they fear good filmmaking.

Any entertainment consumer with a clue is staying away in droves because the current generation of talent have no brains, style, taste or creativity for anything except that which will appeal to the lowest common denominator. And when the dream machine's quality control chicken is its egg, apathy becomes its own vice.

So don't blame the the demise of Americana on the rise of home video. Instead, blame the missing vision and low IQ of modern media decision makers and end users. Generations X and Y rule the roost. At the end of the alphabet, only Z is left. Does this signal our end days? Take in the latest 50 Cent flick to decide.

If we live in a world where movies and music contain no more important civil messages and merely serve as escapist pastime and we experience societal downfall as a result, soon there will be no bottom line to speak of. A show business peddling dreck to kids while good will falls to ruin doesn't deserve to survive.

The only useful thing this book has to say is that corporate entities make most of their profits in direct home DVD sales. So if you're making a movie, bypass bohemian green lighters who set the substandards and go straight to digital video. Not only is quality old hat these days. Film itself is an endangered species.

I'm giving this book 3 stars because its cover is misleading. The majority of the book is about starting a business - any business. It also fails to adequately address law. For example, non payment is prevalent in contracting. But the book doesn't mention bond agents, licenses, waivers, releases, etc.

If you are looking to tighten your operation, learn more about a specific topic or ensure collection, this is not the right book.

This book covers everything you need to know as a self-employed contractor through hiring your first employee.

The straightforward language of this book explains the business side of being a professional tradesperson, and shows the benefits of doing things properly. It is backed by many examples of what has worked and not worked for others.

The book also shows how to plan for your retirement and balance your business and personal life.

Whether you are just thinking about going out on your own, or you've been running things by the seat of your pants, this book will help.

Good solid information on the accounting, legal and business details of a construction company.

For beginners only. Written as if you don't know anything about the business, so if you don't then buy it. It will not open your eyes to anything new if you're in the business.

This was an interesting book. I kind of liked it. It was certainly clear and straightforward. And I think it probably can be helpful to some contractors who are clueless as to how to run a business. There is a lot of practical advice provided here. The funny thing, at least to me, is that it comes across as preaching the same fluff that bar associations sell in the form of CLE booklets for young lawyers to buy who want to start there own law practice. Not much original content is included in this book.

Those CLE booklets all talk about the billable hour and how it is how to price your services. While I agree that all business people should price their company's goods and services so the owner has a certain amount of taxable income at year-end, it is very short sighted to worry about profit margins on each hour worked PER PROJECT. You will want to factor minimum hourly rates for time into your bid, but you should ALWAYS quote what the market will bear. And this amount is higher than what this book tells you to charge.

The biggest problem I had with this book is that it fails to talk about the importance of having a written business plan. A sound 25-35-page business plan would be the contractor's roadmap to success. And it covers all the things mentioned in this book and more. It would include financial reports, i.e., balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. And if the contractor fails to do business the way the plan dictates, then the contractor could evaluate why his company is coming up short and take corrective action.

Besides a chapter on why a business plan should be researched and written, I think the book should have had a nuts and bolts chapter on how to put a business plan together. And I didn't particularly like the outline of this book. I would have liked it lots better if it had been broken into four parts as follows:

I. Choice of Entity
6. Sizing up your options: Corporations, Partnerships, Employees

II. Financial
4. Managing the paper chase
5. Drawing the line: Business vs personal finances
7. Taxes: Plain and simple

III. Operations and Marketing
1. Money matters: Pricing, billing and collecting
2. Contracts and beyond: Protecting your business
12. Your first year in business
3. Running and growing a business

IV. Risk Management
8. Insurance: Money well spent
9. Medical insurance: How to live with it
10. Disability: Anticipating the solution
11. Retirement planning: Never too early

Ideally the first part of the book would be retitled "Business Plans" and Chapter 6A (Why You Need a Business Plan) and Chapter 6B (How to Write a Business Plan) would be added. I think Chapter 5 should have made some mention of QuickBooks Pro bookkeeping software. And I think Chapter 7 should have made some mention of TurboTax software. More could have been written about rainmaking (growing the business) in Chapter 3. My favorite chapter in the book was Chapter 2. I just think the author did a very nice job with it.

I think the chapters I label as risk management above were a little too involved for a general business book for contractors. There was so much more that could have been covered in parts 1 through 3 that I felt as though Part 4 was just too thorough. As a result, the book did not have an "even" feel to it for me. There are books that talk just about risk management and retirement planning. Why not just refer the reader to some of those books? 3 stars!

This book is written in laymens terms and easily understandable. If your pupose is to have a few ideas about how to handle sudden wealth I reccommend this book, but the buck should not stop here, do your research and gather further information rather than use friends and family. You have to know you and how you handle money. Investing for Dummies might be another great resource if your looking to quickly grasp ideas which you can apply to real world life and finances. One of the key features is learing how to manage your emotions, which I think is perhaps the most important tool. For further reccomendations one should probably see a psychologist or psychiatrist with expertise. The ideas here are not groundbreaking but insightful.

Found the book to be extremely useful and informative. Would highly recommend it for anyone finding themselves the recipient of a windfall of cash.

Sudden Money is very helpful and easy to read. Everyone should read this book!

I am a fee-only Certified Financial Planner that has heard Susan Bradley and read her book. Susan's book provides a good introductory overview of the issue that seems to be quite useful for those receiving smaller inheritances (<$3-4 million). So many people receive inheritances of $500K to $1 million and think they are rich. Susan's book helps them put things in perspective. Unfortunately many come to me after they have the money and have already started making the mistakes she discusses.

She does not have an axe to grind nor pushes any particular method of settlement--as each situation determines the method.

I like her approach of (1) don't do anything initially- Decision Free Zone(2) understand the emotions--a huge item(3) get some professional advice (3) lay out a plan (4)move deliberately. Consequently, I recommend or give a copy of her book to those getting or have just gotten an inheritance or a large sudden influx of money.

Great book from a nice person.

This book is nothing more than a piece of self-promotional fluff --a marketing tool for the author's seminars and speaking gigs.

It offers little of substance either in the way of managing your finances or handling the emotional reactions to a windfall. It has all the depth of a sound bite. My sense is that Bradley is the type of person who believes her own PR.

If the author does as poor a job managing her clients' money as she did in writing this book, I suspect they'll experience 'sudden poverty'.

This is one of the best real estate books that I have read. The reason is that it is a "follow the steps" book and works perfectly for beginners and would probably be equally as good for experienced investors.

Making Money in Real Estate, by Dolf De Roos & Diane Kennedy

Between 2000 and 2004 my partner and I purchased over 30 buildings. I remember clearly it was around the end of 2000 and I went to see Dolf in NYC, and it just so happened that I was meeting a prospective silent partner who would be putting up all the money for our 5th building. As luck would have it I had a P&L to show our prospective partner and during the seminar, Dolf asked if anyone could share some numbers on a prospective deal they are looking at. I did one better, I pulled the P&L out and Dolf went over the numbers in front of the several hundred attendees. His response was, "You guys would have to nuts not to do this deal". I am also the author of a real estate book, "A 20,000% Gain in Real Estate" (and this particular deal is explained in detail in it).

(Dolf was very informative and motivational by the way)

In the first chapter of Dolf's book are three concepts that jumped out at me; and if you can always remember them I'd say you have a great shot at making some real money in real estate. They are:

-Life is about priorities.
-Investing in real estate is all about the numbers.
-"Just Do It"

This one is so true, I just never heard it put like this:
"Every property has cash flow. The question really is, "Which way is the flowing?"

While discussing the concept delegating or hiring other people to do some of the tasks that would free you up to do deals he says, "...the three most expensive words in the English language are (Do it yourself)."

By Kevin Kingston, author of: A 20,000% Gain in Real Estate

I purchased both this title and "The Insider's Guide to Real Estate Investing Loopholes" (same authors).

I have two primary complaints. The authors talk down to the reader, constantly making snarky comments that imply that if one doesn't act NOW, the reader is lazy, or paralyzed, or is somehow inept when it comes to business. That's not just annoying -- it's weird, and it made me suspicious of the authors' motives.

That brings me to my second complaint. The book lacks balance. I'm not saying that all of the strategies can't work -- just that it requires an ideal set of market conditions for them to work. We need to see low or declining interest rates, quickly rising tenant incomes, improving neighborhoods, distressed or at least disinterested sellers, few other investors, low insurance costs, and a plethora of service providers (such as roofers) who do great work at a low price very quickly. I can tell you that we don't have any of those factors at work now.

What we do have, at least in areas like mine, where appreciation has outpaced incomes, is a market turned on its head. Sellers will not sell because they are sitting on huge profits for the most part, and don't have to sell. Or, they believe that prices will appreciate at the same ridiculous rate that they did from 2001-2005. Numerous Dolf-inspired investors have flooded the market and bid prices up beyond all reason. Workers are in debt and don't have much money for rent. Neighborhoods where deals are affordable aren't improving, so the idea of refinancing because you painted and put up a new mailbox won't help you. Easy mortgage money has gotten anyone with a pulse into homes. Interest rates are rising, not falling. Insurance is costly and the coverage stinks. And most importantly, rents do not provide positive cash flow for most small real estate investors. I know several who actually consider themselves to be successful and the news is not good. They are carrying their properties, their properties are not carrying them! I know, it's hard to believe that this is success. But in the past few years, appreciation has bailed them out. Put that kind of leverage into effect and you are leveraging a negative, which only means you go broke faster.

A few observations: First, if making untold riches were this simple and this obvious, then so many people would attempt to do so that it would suck the potential profit from such deals down until the actual profit is more equivalent to the amount of work involved. (More about this in a moment -- because I believe that this is actually occuring in part due to all of the real estate evangelism going on.)

As they say on Wall Street: "When enough people find the key to the market, someone changes the lock!" I believe that most people reading this review are smart enough to know that markets are dynamic. Outrageous profits bring in a flood of new entrants, dramatically reducing the profit potential. If a whole bunch of new wannabe real estate tycoons start lining up to bid on properties, then the prices for those properties will rise, as will the price for the money (the financing charges in the form of interest rates). Even without a lot of new entrants, if enough people start using the same financial techniques of leverage, cost-benefit analysis, or tax strategies, then the advantages to be gained will be reduced commensurately. Common sense and basic real-world economics dictate that costs will rise and potential profits will fall. And so it is in the real estate world.

Economies of scale and technological advancements have changed many industries and wiped out others. The ability for a small business person to get a competitive bid on anything is severely limited, whether you are talking about insurance, waste collection, land, communication services, landscaping, or anything else. Big players have the advantage in negotiations and will consistently be able to lower their costs below that a single investor. They can offer their tenants more amenities and constantly remodel and update their units at a far lower cost than you or me. I can't start a profitable shipbuilding company or TV network, nor can I jump into owning large buidings over which I can spread my costs enough to justify what is increasingly becoming break-even or negative cash flow from tenants.

I am not saying that there will never again be opportunities for small real estate investors to use leverage and tax advantages to make decent money. Just that, with so many of your fellow investors looking to do the same thing, you are not going to find (DEEP BREATH HERE!): underpriced positive cash-flowing properties in undervalued neighborhoods with great potential on which you can quickly close at a dynamite interest rate that result in quickly-rented units with stable, high-earning tenants who are happy to stick around so you can quickly refinance at "massively increased property valuation" (Dolf's expression) so you can pay yourself and your investors back, raise rents even higher and go on to the next property with similar ideal parameters, plunk 10% down and do the same thing.

And no, I'm not an unmotivated individual who works harder than I have to, doesn't understand the value of money, or doesn't want financial freedom. We all want that. In Dolf's world, there are numerous individuals who can't wait to to sell you $100 for $50. My question is, if he knows how to get people to do that, why he is telling us about it? I think we all know the answer to this question.

Don't get me wrong: Eventually, the property marketplace will right itself and investment properties will come up that offer opportunity to even small investors, even with the odds stacked against you. However, it won't unlock some kind of magical door to riches. It will simply be one of many investments that helps you build LONG-TERM wealth. Real estate is just another business that goes through cycles and isn't necessarily any more of a path to fabulous riches than owning a chain of gas stations or making molded plastic products.

By the way, the most successful real estate investment firms in America have had a total return about 23% annually for the past five years through March 31, 2006. That includes dividends and share price appreciation. If that's the BEST they can do, (and I'm not saying it's bad...it's actually an amazing performance!), it's because that's the BEST anyone can hope to do, including you and me. Remember, these firms use all the leverage they can muster and have tremendous economies of scale, and the smartest tax accountants and attorneys working on their behalf. We are highly unlikely to see this performance repeated in real estate for the next five years or possibly, ever.

Footnote: I recently studied single family homes in Broward County and Palm Beach County, Florida. Over the past thirty-five years, not including taxes of any kind, residential properties have enjoyed an average annual return of 9.25% per year. Short-run performance tends to regress towards the mean. Therefore, we are virtually assured that real estate will come nowhere close to its recent performance over the next several years, particularly in a higher-interest rate environment with lots of new supply. Buyer beware!

I first learned of Dolf De Roos a few years ago from reading one of his first books that was released through the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series. I have read every one of his books and find his comments about real estate to be "right on the money". He shows you why real estate is the best place to invest and also how you can increase your profits by looking for unique situations. Very valid advice and a very good read. I highly recommend this book.

By Lex Levinrad, author of "What I Learned On Wall Street:Why Real Estate Is the Best Investment".

This Dolf de Roos book is no different from his other books, owning one is the same as owning all. Writes about same topics and ideas. Good author, trying to sell more books by using different titles.

If you don't own any of his books, worth the $20 or so for the book. However, if you do...don't waste your money/positive cash flow


Happy investing

At last, there is a book for the nonfinancially astute that discusses money matters in such a clear, understandable way that it motivates people to apply some of the 101 tips to their own situations and look forward to a richer future. In GROW YOUR MONEY 101 EASY TIPS TO PLAN, SAVE, and INVEST, Jonathan D. Pond covers every aspect of handling income from first allowances to honoring heirs in estate planning. The book is a fluent reading of investment topics sprinkled with humor and illustrated with basic arithmetic. Points are well formulated, inarguable, and easy to implement. They give hope to everyone, no matter what stage in life nor how many resources to squeeze for more value. Besides the book itself, the author maintains a website for readers to get most up-to-date information for individual needs.

Everyone has to think about how they will manage money, but it is difficult to find uncomplicated material for advice. And, as the author points out, financial experts give confusing explanations that can be biased in a way that will "grow more money" for themselves from fees, sales, and/or commissions. Best objective advice is in this book. I was particularly impressed with advantageous tax savings I can take and would not have known about. I also was relieved to learn how to make affordable sound investments with a limited budget and without the risk or difficulty I previously imagined.

This is a book that will benefit everyone. It is a "must have" for every household, basic for a secure financial future.

Before you give it as a gift, take the time to read it yourself and mark half a dozen pages that you consider are of special value to the recipient. It may stimulate them to read more. Oh yes, and don't forget to buy yourself a book also.

This is a wonderful educational book on numerous areas of personal finance. It includes topics such as:

Buying and Maintaining a Home
Profiting from a Fabulous Career
Reducing Taxes
Investing in Stocks, Bonds and Real Estate
Retirement Planning
Estate Planning and Insurance
Educating Children about Money and Personal Finance

This is the most comprehensive finance book I've read and it's easy to read with some humor thrown in here and there. The author uses numerous detailed examples to illustrate his points which really help the reader understand the ideas. The book also has a companion website where the reader can go for more information or more up-to-date information as this book ages.

This is not a book that has to be read cover-to-cover. I did that, but if you want to find topics relevant to you, the author includes an age-based checklist in the front. I also really like that the end of the book includes a checklist by month of the things you should be doing throughout the year. It makes keeping up with your finances look less daunting!

The author made it easy for me to come away from the book with my own "To-Do" list, so I definitely got something out of reading this book! I also gained some new perspectives on certain areas - for example, it's a good idea to plan for early retirement because some people plan to retire later, but end up having to retire early. (You don't want to run out of money) I think the author has good insight and great ideas and I agree with his financial strategies.

Great book for all to read!

I really like the tips in this book. They work for all ages from someone just getting into learning about money to retirement. It is easy to read and you can skip around as you need to. I only give it a 4 because I wish a few tips had some more detail or at least suggestions of where to get more detail.