By Gregg Cohen, CEO

Part of the wealth that you will earn from being a real estate investor has little to do with money. The smartest investors are some of the most successful investors for a good reason. The reason is good information. Knowledge in investing is more than just power. Continuing your education can take you places that you have only dreamed about if you make smart decisions using the information you have learned. There are good books and bad books about how to buy investment property. Here are 5 real estate books you should read before you decide to invest in rental properties that will give you a well-rounded education.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyokaksi

If you go to a real estate conference and ask the audience which book has been impactful to their real estate success, you will always get one answer – Rich Dad, Poor Dad.  This book teaches the concepts of investing in assets that pay for themselves and go up on in value over time.  It is my favorite real estate book of all time and I re-read it over and over again.

Building Wealth One House At A Time – John W. Schaub

This book may be close to 10 years old, but the information is still very useful. A solid foundation is built in this relaxed approached of building financial freedom.

The Definitive Guide To Turnkey Real Estate Investing – Gregg Cohen

Forgive me for a little shameless self-promotion, but how could I not recommend something that I’ve written on the subject!  This guide focuses specifically on a niche of rental property investing called “turnkey.”  This niche is a great way to build a portfolio of rental properties that can provide positive cash flow while a “turnkey” company will do all the acquisitions, renovations and property management for you.  Make sure you read this guide before taking action as not all “turnkey” companies are created equal.  You’ll learn the questions to ask and see specific case studies on how this investment model can become a source of consistent, predictable income within your overall financial portfolio.  Just click here to request a copy of JWB’s Passive Income Information Kit and we’ll include The Definitive Guide To Turnkey Real Estate Investing along with 2 other books we’ve written specifically on turnkey real estate investing.

Every Landlord’s Tax Deduction Guideby Stephen Fishman J.D.

A complete guide to learning how rental properties are taxed and what you should know as a landlord. Every deduction that you can make as a landlord is included in this informative book.

The Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investingby Spencer Strauss

This book teaches you how to take a modest sum of money and invest in one property at a time to build a real estate portfolio. This book is often regarded as the best beginner’s guide to buying investment properties.