For a relatively small outlay, the best books on property investment will help those who are wanting to invest in property, as well as those that already have done so, learn something to boost profitability.
Not every book will meet the reader’s ambition. However, most property investment books have been written by experts who are writing about their own experiences and they offer something to learn. These books will help you:
- Gain invaluable insights;
- Learn practical lessons.
So, whether you are new to investing in real estate or are looking to learn from others’ previous experiences, or whether you already have an established portfolio and want to keep abreast of other investors’ thoughts and tactics, these books are worth considering.
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Great property investment books to read
We have done the research (and a lot of reading!) to compile this helpful list of great property investment books to read.
#1: The Complete Guide to Property Investment: How to survive & thrive in the new world of buy-to-let
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The Complete Guide to Property Investment offers readers and investors an action plan to navigate the UK’s real estate landscape and come out as a winner. Using real-life examples and strategies to deliver the ways and means of achieving different investment goals. Readers will:
- Learn how to formulate an investment strategy;
- Understand everything about financing a property investment;
- Learn what they should invest in;
- How to manage an investment;
- Understand the property cycle and use it advantageously;
- Build a long-term profitable portfolio.
The author Rob Dix has penned several bestsellers and his output is aimed at helping British investors make a success of their buy to let investment. In this book, he tackles the changing tax landscape and rising prices and says that investors, now more than ever, need to get smarter, so they can succeed.
He adds that the investors who are underprepared and unwary well end up being squeezed from the property sector to leave strategic and educated investors to enjoy the best investment years yet.
- Dix, Rob (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 324 Pages - 01/19/2016 (Publication Date) - Team Incredible Publishing (Publisher)
#2: How To Be A Landlord: The Definitive Guide to Letting and Managing Your Rental Property
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It’s called the definitive guide to letting and managing a rental property and the author Robert Dix makes clear that the book only covers the letting and managing of a property that the investor already owns.
How to be a Landlord highlights the various pitfalls that many landlords fall into such as not providing documentation to a tenant that may mean the landlord cannot evict them as a consequence. He also explains how landlords should deal with tenant complaints, mysterious leaks, and broken boilers. Readers will learn:
- Everything you need to know about letting and managing a property;
- How to find perfect tenants;
- The essential checks to avoid nightmare tenants:
- Setting yourself up for success;
- Dealing with common maintenance issues and repairs;
- Tips from experienced landlords on how to keep tenants happy.
This latest version of How to be a Landlord has been fully updated for 2020. There are contributions from more than 50 experienced landlords to offer confidence on how to run a property investment successfully.
- Dix, Rob (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 318 Pages - 04/22/2017 (Publication Date) - Team Incredible Publishing (Publisher)
#3: The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to Create Wealth and Passive Income Through Intelligent Buy & Hold Real Estate Investing!
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Written by Brandon R Turner, this is an American offering but it does offer some excellent strategies to help investors succeed with property investment.
The author also runs a very popular real estate investment podcast, the ‘BiggerPockets Podcast’, and he’s built up years of experience. There are 400 pages of in-depth strategies and advice to help build a valuable portfolio. The book will:
- Establish how investors build an achievable plan of success;
- Strategies for finding incredible deals;
- How to pay for rental property.
There’s a lot to recommend Rental Property Investing and for many reasons, it is considered to be a ‘must read’ for those wanting to know how they can use rental homes to build wealth.
- Turner, Brandon R (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 362 Pages - 12/02/2015 (Publication Date) - BiggerPockets (Publisher)
#4: Property Magic: How to Buy Property Using Other People’s Time, Money and Experience
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Property Magic by Simon Zutshi is one of the bestselling property books and the latest offering is a special 10th-anniversary edition. As an experienced investor, Simon offers some of the secrets that he uses for his ‘Property Mastermind Programme’.
Readers will learn how they can build a successful portfolio by using other investor’s experiences. The author makes clear that the book is aimed at opening an investor’s mind so they can look afresh at some of the potential possibilities that are available in property investment. Readers will learn:
- Finding and helping a motivated seller;
- Building personal wealth by helping solve people’s problems;
- Using inspirational case studies to show what can be achieved.
One of the highlights for the book is that while it focuses on UK property market investment, it can be used in every market in the world.
- Zutshi, Simon (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 200 Pages - 02/08/2018 (Publication Date) - Panoma Press (Publisher)
#5 Extraordinary Profits from Ordinary Properties: How to Create the Life of Your Dreams with Just Five Properties
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Written by Wendy Whittaker-Large, this book spells out how investing can create long-term wealth and financial freedom.
The aim is to begin with owning assets and these assets deliver a cash flow to generate money every month.
However, the difference here is that the writer explains that the key to making the most amount of money from any property is to magnify the house’s value to its maximum.
The book then spells out how the strategies work – and how they can be achieved.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect for a property developer is the promise that with just five properties, or fewer, an investor can deliver a life-changing income so they can give up their job to do what they choose to do. You will learn:
- A five-step system to set up a successful property development business;
- Establishing solid foundations for that business;
- Understanding tax legislation and rules;
- How to understand the history and future of the housing market trends;
- Delivering a range of tools that make the journey easier.
- Whittaker-Large, Wendy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 251 Pages - 10/01/2019 (Publication Date) - Centre Round Publishing (Publisher)
#6: The Book on Flipping Houses: How to Buy, Rehab, and Resell Residential Properties
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This book is one of the all-time bestselling property investment books with more than 60,000 copies being sold. It has now been revised and updated and shows readers how to find an excellent investment opportunity and then how they can fix it up and walk away with a profit.
The author has years of experience as a real estate ‘fixer and flipper’. He offers a step-by-step plan to help investors succeed in their first, or even their next, house flipping project. Readers will learn:
- The ins and outs of flipping houses;
- How to finance house flipping;
- Offer strategies for creative financing;
- Learn how to evaluate deals quickly for profitability;
- Which types of property are worth investing in;
- How to identify the best investment locations.
Along with offering tips and advice on finding an investment property for flipping, there is step-by-step guidance on what investors should do to create added value and how a renovated home can sell quickly and at the best possible price.
- Scott, J (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 01/17/2019 (Publication Date) - Biggerpockets Publishing, LLC (Publisher)
#7: No Money Down: Property Investing
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There’s no doubt that No Money Down: Property Investing sounds like a tempting opportunity for most investors and the author offers a guide on how investors can get started.
He then helps explain how they can scale a property business quickly using little or none of their own money. He does this by showing real-life examples, along with case studies, and the techniques and tools necessary for turning an investment dream into a reality. Readers will learn:
- How to buy a property with little or none of the investor’s own money;
- The steps necessary to get a result in any negotiation;
- Where to invest and why investors should do so;
- Creating a portfolio for financial freedom.
One of the benefits of reading the book is that the author is a renowned expert in property investment in the UK. Moreover, has lots of experience in creating successful investment strategies.
As a result, he has a large portfolio that he began while in massive debt and the book explains how he went from being in debt to becoming a multimillionaire.
- How to buy property using little or none of your own money!
- The hidden secret of how the rich get and stay wealthy
- How to control and cash flow other people’s property to create your financial freedom
What is the best investment book for beginners?
The question, ‘What is the best investment book for beginners?’ is a difficult one to answer.
That’s because investors will have a range of reasons for investing and will have differing ambitions for their portfolio.
However, reading property investment books as a beginner is a great way to avoid making costly mistakes and help create an uneventful journey to financial success.
Along with those mentioned above, it’s worth considering ‘How to be a landlord’ by Rob Dix.
It’s also worth considering that while there is not a single book that will answer every question and deliver success, part of the research all investors should undertake is to read several books on the subject to ensure they are well-versed in terminology and how they can deliver profits.
Are property investment books worth reading?
Most certainly there are property investment books that are worth reading, but as mentioned previously, a lot depends on what your own financial ambitions are.
Whether you want to invest in a buy to let property or begin developing or renovating an old home to rent out, there’s a book to cover every niche question you may have.
The books also explain how you can navigate planning issues with local authorities, how you find a building for developing, and also how as a landlord, you can add value to an investment.
Essentially, property investment books will help fill in the gaps in your sector knowledge because you’ll be tapping into the experience and expertise of experts who have written books to help people like you.
Who are the best property investment authors?
While there are some very good real estate book authors, when it comes to finding the best property investment writers, it’s wise to check some of the bestseller lists.
It’s also worth checking out Angela Bryant, Carl Bayley, and John Howard who write extensively on property investment.
These authors have written more than one book and have established themselves as experts in their field. Not an easy feat when you consider how many property investment books are published in the UK every year.
Is property investment the same as property development?
This is a common people asked by people researching the best books on property investment. There is certainly some overlap between the two terms.
Some people use both ‘property investment’ and ‘property development’ as a broad term that encompasses all types of using houses and flats to make money (rather than as a home).
However, ‘property investment’ is often used a term for buying buildings as a landlord. In other words, buying real estate then renting it out. In this case, selling to make money is usually a long term strategy.
‘Property development’ is often used as a term to describe people buying run-down buildings, improving them, then selling them at a profit. This is usually a short-term strategy that is also referred to as ‘flipping’.
‘Property Development’ can also be used to describe building a new home from the ground up.
Most books on property investment focus on buying as a landlord. However, some will focus on, or at least dedicate some chapters to the practice of flipping houses.
