9 Best Books for Beginner Real Estate Investors - SmartAsset (2024)

The saying “knowledge is power” is especially true when it comes to investing in real estate. The world of real estate has its own risks and it pays to be educated before stepping in. Taking the initiative and teaching yourself is a great way to familiarize yourself with real estate investing before you get over your head. But with so many resources, where do you start? Lucky for you, here’s a list of nine of the best books for beginner real estate investors.

1. “How to Invest in Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started” by Brandon Turner and Josh Dorkin

Topping our list of best books for beginner real estate investors, this book by Brandon Turner and Josh Dorkin gives a great overview of the basics of the real estate investing space. This is a great place to start if you want to get familiar with your options when investing in real estate.

How to Invest in Real Estatedoesn’t give you one method — it shows you the multiple paths you can take. Whether that’s flipping, investing as a side hustle or full-on property management, Turner and Dorkin highlight more than 40 different stories from successful, modern real estate investors.

2. “The ABCs of Real Estate Investing” by Ken McElroy

McElroy’sThe ABCs of Real Estate Investingmakes the list of best books for beginner real estate investors because of its emphasis on knowing the market, negotiating deals and maintaining cash flow. Unlike the first book on the list, The ABCs of Real Estate Investingfocuses on larger investments, like apartments, condos and town homes.

This book lays out clear strategies for finding these bigger investment properties, including how to effectively team up with other real estate investors to make larger purchases. Once you own them, you need to keep them profitable. Along with teaching you how to find, evaluate and purchase property,The ABCs of Real Estate Investingalso gives you reliable property management tools.

3. “The Book on Rental Property Investing” by Brandon Turner

The third spot on our list of best books for beginner real estate investors, and the second one where Brandon Turner authors. It’s no coincidence that the co-founded of The Bigger Pockets podcast and author of multiple best-selling real estate investment books has some prevalence on this list.

The Book on Rental Property Investinggives you four different strategies to start building passive income through real estate. The book covers everything from financing new investments to finding deals and deferring or avoiding taxes. If you want to start investing in rental property, this is a must to read.

4. “What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow” by Frank Gallinelli

If you want to maximize your real estate investments you need to calculate cash flow. In this book, Gallinelli focuses heavily on the numbers. It makes our list of best books for beginner real estate investors because of its focus on math. Whether math is your strength or a challenge for you, Gallinelli lays out how to make it work for you.

This book teaches you the critical measurements you need to make wise investment decisions. Measurements like net present value, discounted cash flow, return on equity, and more will help take you from a beginning investor to a serious pro.

5. “The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down” by Brandon Turner

This book makes the list of our best books for beginner real estate investors because of its emphasis on maximizing investments with little cash. The book focuses on strategies for leveraging credit to purchase real estate investments. Whether it’s looking for private money or lenders, this book by Turner gives you creative ways to get your investment funded while avoiding different funding pitfalls.

6. “Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat” by David M. Greene

Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat — aka the BRRRR Method — is a real estate investment strategy where you gradually grow your investment portfolio from just one property. This book outlines the details of this plan, outlining how you can make the most of each step. Learn how to negotiate sales, what remodels add the most value, when to flip and how to use your investment property equity.

7. “The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor” by Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland

Tax strategies may seem advanced, but taxes are definitely something you should be concerned with as a real estate investor. Things like capital gains tax can really eat into your investment income. That’s why this book lands on the list of best books for beginner real estate investors.

This book will show you how you can deduct more, invest better and ultimately, pay fewer taxes. All the while, its tips and insights will prepare you for tax season. You can use this book to learn how you can make the most of your taxes.

8. “Real Estate Investing Gone Bad: 21 True Stories of What NOT to Do When Investing in Real Estate and Flipping Houses” by Phil Pustejovsky

Sometimes it’s just as helpful to learn what not to do. With this book, you can avoid many of the major mistakes real estate investors and house flippers make.Learn the lessons from these investors without putting millions on the line. This is an invaluable resource for beginners because you can be aware of the risks without actually taking them. Remember, some people paid a fortune for these lessons. You can learn them with just a purchase of the book.

9. “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” byRobert T. Kiyosaki

While this isn’t a real estate-specific investing book, it’s a smart book for any fledgling investor to read. WhatRich Dad, Poor Dad teaches is the mindset you need to have to make your money work for you. You don’t need a lot of money to invest and have your money grow. The principles here have stood the test of time and are a great place to start for any new investor.

Bottom Line

These best books for beginner real estate investors cover a wide range of topics, but overall, they show that with care and effort, anyone can be a successful real estate investor. All that’s needed to start is the knowledge, the mindset and a little capital. You can do it while maintaining your day job, or you can grow your real estate investment into a full-time property management career.

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