Real Estate Investing for Dummies

Table of Contents:

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Real Estate Investing. 5

Chapter 1: Evaluating Real Estate as an Investment 7

Chapter 2: Covering Common Real Estate Investments 25

Chapter 3: Considering Foreclosures, REOs, Probate Sales, and More 47

Chapter 4: Taking the Passive Approach 65

Chapter 5: Fast Money: Small Down Payments and Property Flips 83

Chapter 6: Building Your Team 93

Part 2: How to Get the Money: Raising Capital and Financing 111

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Capital 113

Chapter 8: Financing Your Property Purchases 125

Chapter 9: Securing the Best Mortgage Terms 145

Part 3: Finding and Evaluating Properties 155

Chapter 10: Location, Location, Value 157

Chapter 11: Understanding Leases and Property Valuation 193

Chapter 12: Valuing Property through Number Crunching 207

Chapter 13: Preparing and Making an Offer 235

Chapter 14: Due Diligence, Property Inspections, and Closing 255

Part 4: Operating the Property 295

Chapter 15: Landlording 101 297

Chapter 16: Protecting Your Investment 335

Chapter 17: Recordkeeping and Accounting 347

Chapter 18: Looking at Tax Considerations and Exit Strategies 363

Part 5: The Part of Tens 393

Chapter 19: Ten (Plus One) Ways to Increase a Property's Value 395

Chapter 20: Ten Steps to Real Estate Investing Success 407

Index 417

Eric Tyson, MBA, has shared his financial expertise in bestselling books like Personal Finance For Dummies and Home Buying Kit For Dummies. Robert S. Griswold, MSBA, CRE, CPM, is a successful real estate investor and property manager. He's authored Property Management For Dummies and coauthored Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies.

Build wealth and income in real estate

Real estate is a growth asset with unique complexities. This book offers the essentials for executing a strategy designed to grow wealth through real estate investment. Find the right properties, finance your purchase, and protect your investment--this book has you covered with all the basics. You'll also find pro tips on crunching the numbers to get a good mortgage deal and boost your income. Add value through renovation, find trustworthy tenants, know when to sell, and work toward real estate investing success--the easy way.

Inside...

• Determining if real estate investment is right for you
• Factoring in insurance and taxes
• Finding foreclosures, probate sales, and other good deals
• Becoming a good landlord
• Reviewing financing options
• Increasing property values

Make smart decisions in any real estate market

Real estate is always on the radar of investors looking for growth opportunities. Real Estate Investing For Dummies is your no-nonsense guide to adding real estate to your own portfolio. Considered one of the most desirable investment types, real estate is a great way to build wealth--if you know how to navigate the challenges. This book teaches you how to enhance your income by buying investment properties. It includes help with building a plan for raising capital, finding properties with promise, and becoming a successful property manager. With tips on increasing property value and creating a real estate portfolio that matches your goals, this guide is a must for any would-be real-estate investor.

• Understand the different types of real estate investment and build a team that will help you succeed
• Finance your investments and locate properties that generate income
• Learn how to research real estate investment opportunities and sell at the right time
• Increase the value of your assets and become a property manager

This book is designed for real estate investing beginners who are eager to purchase property for the purpose of building wealth. Experienced investors will also love the portfolio-enhancing advice inside.