Value Investing in Real Estate

by Gary W. Eldred

Book Overview

Secure a Prosperous Future by Applying the Tried-and-True Techniques of Value Investing to Income Properties

Value Investing in Real Estate outlines a safe and rewarding way to plan for your retirement and increase your income without the risks so common to the stock market. You'll learn how to buy real estate properties using Ben Graham's time-tested methods for evaluating investments. It's a proven way to build assets and income-a big payoff...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471185205
• ISBN13: 9780471185208
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Outstanding comparison of value investing

As an investor with 11 years left to retirement(I hope), I greatly appreciated the detailed and thoughtful way this author compared and and contrasted various investments. I like to think of myself as a smart investor who is extremely concerned about asset allocation and this book truly fills that need. Also, the book doesn't "trash" stocks. It shows that based on yield and risk, stocks will subperform well-selected income properties. It does not allege that stocks always rank poorly, nor does it claim real estate is always a great investment. Instead, it gave me the knowledge to make more profitable investments--regardless of whether I buy stocks or property. The book is extraordinarily well researched and referenced (hundreds of notes at the end of the book) for serious investors. Personally, I enjoyed reading these notes as much as the book, itself. Lots of insight into how we got to where we are and where we're going. If you decide to only browse through the real estate-stock analysis, the latter 6 or 7 chapters that focus primarily on property will give you more than your money's worth.

Solid Value!

As a real estate appraiser for 20 years, I thought I knew about all there was to know about valuing properties. I generally pick up popular books on real estate just to see what kind of nonsense they're making up. Was I wrong about this one! Eldred taught me more than I had learned in a half-dozen courses I took with the Appraisal Institute. I now realize how narrowly we experts are trained (not educated). I guarantee that if you read this book, you'll know more than 95% of all real estate appraisers--and more than 99% of all real estate agents.

Want to get rich quick?

Then read Tyler Hicks or Carleton Sheets. You would be disappointed with this book because it doesn't promise a fast and easy path to riches. If, on the other hand, you're like me and want a clear, well-reasoned approach to buying (and improving) properties that will steadily increase in value, you should read this book. I also liked the rigorous way Eldred compared the risks and returns of stocks to real estate. Contrary to what the casual reader might conclude this book does not hype real estate as an "any time, any place, at any price" investment. Pricing and location are key. Fortunately, he covers those topics well. (P.S. I haven't read Eldred's other books, so I can't say which is best.) I can say, though, that you will learn that investing requires far more thought than you've been told. Anyone trying to save for retirement should at least read the first four chapters of this book. These chapters will open your eyes to the many fallacies that journalists and Wall Streeters spout out in sync.

Lower risk, higher returns

Were you disappointed with Rich Dad's Real Estate Riches? I was. But, here's what I was really looking for. This book fills in the details where Real Estate Riches glosses over with boring generalities. While you don't need to be a real number cruncher to understand the book's advice(the discussions read easily ), Eldred does go through the calculations to show that when you take account of all types of risks and returns, you can do much better with real estate--if you follow the principles of value investing. I also learned that to best choose your properties, you must forget the old cliche, " Buy below market", Instead, you need to focus on properties (locations) that stand the best chance of appreciating.Makes sense to me!