Top 10 Real Estate Investing Books for Beginners (2024)

Real estate investing is a great way to build wealth and passive income. It’s no wonder that people choose to invest in real estate over investing in the stock market. However, most beginners are clueless on how to get started. Like most real estate investors, I got my start simply by renting out my first home. Almost overnight, I became a landlord with a tenant.

However, my second real estate investment was much more intentional, out-of-state and purchased strictly for the cash flow it could provide for my business. I found reading about real estate investing and talking to other successful investors was a powerful way to learn. This action also helped me avoid costly mistakes.

Check out this list of the best books on real estate investing. Use this list to get started and learn before you dive into investing for yourself.

Best Real Estate Investing Books Published by Bigger Pockets

Bigger Pockets is a huge player in the real estate investing space. This online platform is a community of aspiring and experienced investors. Bigger Pockets also provides resources, education, forums and books to help you dive into real estate investing with ease. Therefore, it’s no surprise that they have three of the best real estate investing books for beginners.

1. How to Invest in Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started

by Brandon Turner & Joshua Dorkin

This book is great for new real estate investors because it offers more than 40 real-life stories and advice you can learn from immediately. Turner and Dorkin are two of the biggest names in real estate, which is why they are credited with having written many of the top real estate investing books. In this book, they outline the first steps you can take to start investing in real estate.

The insight these two authors provide will help you learn about the various real estate investing niches and strategies. That way you can pick the best one for you and your goals. This book covers investing in real estate while working a 9 to 5 job, business entities to start your own business, getting your spouse on board, building wealth through real estate and more.

2. The Book on Rental Property Investing

by Brandon Turner

Bigger Pockets has sold over 350,000 copies of this comprehensive guide of real estate investing strategies, tips and techniques. Warning, this is a long read, with over 400 pages of in-depth advice (it’s best read in parts). Don’t be afraid to revisit chapters as you explore your real estate investing options.

Use this book to build your real estate investing plan, find incredible deals, analyze properties, build your A-team, learn how to finance your rentals and more. In the book, Brandon Turner shares why real estate investors fail so you can avoid the same mistakes and succeed. Plus, tax strategies help you learn how to keep your hard-earned wealth by deferring or eliminating taxes.

3. The Book on Flipping Houses

by J. Scott

Making money by flipping houses has been made popular thanks to shows on HGTV. In this book, author J. Scott helps you understand the basics behind house flipping. He outlines how to find great investment properties, fix them up and make a profit.

Scott’s step-by-step guide is great for new or experienced investors. He details everything from renovations to financing your deal. Follow Scott’s blueprint and you’ll build profit and wealth with every flip. Learn where to invest, how to find and hire contractors, and sell a property quickly for the most money.

4. The Book on Investing In Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down

by Brandon Turner

If a lack of cash has been holding you back from investing in real estate, this is the book for you. Brandon Turner shares real strategies used by real estate investors all over the world to fund their deals. He teaches you how to get creative when investing.

Turner’s advice will help you find money from private investors, lenders, partners and other sources. He even teaches you the downsides of each investing strategy mentioned in the book and provides solutions if you encounter any challenges.

Other Top Real Estate Investing Books

5. The Millionaire Real Estate Investor

by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan and Dave Jenks

The authors did their research before writing this book. They interviewed over 100 millionaire real estate investors who built wealth through real estate. The goal of the book is to get readers to think like millionaire investors.

This book is easy to read and a no-nonsense guide to get started and build real wealth. Keller, Papasan and Jenks want you to read this book and then immediately start investing. That’s why they include proven strategies, dispel myths about money and share criteria for analyzing a deal.

The authors also focus on tips for building your team. You don’t have to know everything about real estate investing to invest in real estate. Surround yourself with experts to help you.

6. The Intelligent REIT Investor

by Stephanie Krewson-Kelly and R. Brad Thomas

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are a great way to invest in real estate and earn 100% passive income. When you invest in REITs, you don’t chase tenants, fix toilets or do any renovations. You invest money and every quarter or month the dividends come to you.

The Intelligent REIT Investor is your guide to investing in REITs. Krewson-Kelly and Thomas do a great job explaining how REITs work. It’s a great resource for real estate investors, financial planners, or anyone who wants to build more passive income through this real estate investing niche. This book is for the investor prioritizing dividends over the hands-on investing experience.

7. The ABCs of Real Estate Investing

by Ken McElroy

In this book, Ken McElroy helps investors see the profits other investors missed. Readers will learn how to earn cash flow through real estate investing, calculate the potential income from investments, discover tips to negotiate a deal and understand how to evaluate a property based on the price, neighborhood and condition of the property.

This book also dives into the value of partnerships and how splitting costs can give you partial ownership in more properties. McElroy also discusses property management. Read this book and investing will seem achievable when you’re done.

8. Long-Distance Real Estate Investing

by David Greene

In this book, the author, David Greene, focuses on the benefits of investing in out-of-state real estate properties. He unmasks the myth that you should only invest in real estate where you live. This is a great read for real estate investors who want to expand their real estate portfolio or invest away from home.

If you live in an expensive market where the cost to dive into real estate is well outside of your budget, read this real estate investing book. Although some locations provide incredible returns, others may make it almost impossible to find a property that produces profits.

Greene is not only a real estate investor but also a police officer who built a multi-million dollar portfolio through buying, flipping and managing over 20 out-of-state properties. In some cases, he never saw the property in person. Learn from Greene and avoid common real estate investing mistakes. He teaches you how to find the deals, rehab from afar for the least amount of money and how to pick good neighborhoods.

9. What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow

by Frank Gallinelli

This book by Frank Gallinelli is another best selling real estate investing book. Gallinelli really teaches investors how to calculate the return for an investment property like a professional. He focuses on helping readers understand how to evaluate a property’s value and long-term returns.

Case studies are included to provide detailed information about real estate investment deals. If you read this book, you will better understand important real estate investing terms like capitalization rate, net operating income, return on equity, profitability index and more. Learn the lingo and come out ready to invest like a pro.

10. Investing in Rental Properties for Beginners: Buy Low, Rent High

by Lisa Phillips

I saved this awesome book by author Lisa Phillips for last. In her book, Phillips explains how investing in rental properties can be easy and stress-free. She highlights the benefits of investing in lower-priced properties that cost around $30,000 rather than investing in more costly or even overpriced properties. The goal is to pursue affordable properties and build wealth with multiple cash flowing units.

Phillips helps you design an investment strategy that fits your budget so you don’t have to borrow money or take risks investing other people’s money. Her strategy is to invest in modest neighborhoods that offer high rents. Phillips has used her techniques to help over 550 people build their income and dive into real estate investing. Follow her advice and you may be able to achieve financial freedom with just a few properties.

These are just a few great real estate investing books for beginners. Remember, when learning something new, it’s ok to read a book once and revisit it a thousand times. Learn from these authors for less than it would cost if you made the same mistakes yourself and build wealth in the process, too.

Did I leave one of your favorite real estate investing books off my list? Add your top reads in the comments below. I would love to hear from you and expand my list.

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