Read All About It: the 10 Best Real Estate Books of 2001

Excerpts from The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, CA; December 23, 2001; Robert Bruss

Today, we honor the top 10 real estate books of 2001.

Each year I get to read at least 52 new real estate books. Most are very good; a few are awful. This year was especially difficult to pick the best ones because so many superb books on the subject were published in 2001.

Each of these titles is available in stock or by special order at better bookstores and at Amazon.com.

Here are the top 10:

"Property Management for Dummies," by Robert Griswold (Hungry Minds Inc., New York), $21.99, 336 pages. Whether you own or are thinking of acquiring rental property, this great book explains professional property management techniques. Written by a pro with over 20 years experience managing more than 600 properties and more than 35,000 rentals, the author shares practical advice for landlords who want to avoid problems. Griswold, a San Diegan, is one of three advisers featured in the Union-Tribune's Rental Roundtable column.

"Home Buying for Dummies, Second Edition," by Eric Tyson and Ray Brown (Hungry Minds Inc., New York), $21.99, 306 pages. This "fun read" book for home buyers includes the important essentials, laced with humor and practical advice. The new material on Internet resources updates this classic "how to buy a home" book. Of the many books on this topic, this is by far the best.

"Real Estate A La Carte," by Julie Garton-Good (Dearborn-Kaplan Publishing Co., Chicago), $17.95, 250 pages. Aimed primarily at home sellers, but also highly useful for home buyers, this unique book explains how sellers and buyers can purchase just the reduced-cost professional services they need from real estate brokers. The highly respected author, a realty broker in three states, explains why savvy agents should offer fee-for-services to buyers and sellers who want less than full service.

"How to Sell Your Home Without A Broker, Third Edition," by Bill Carey, Chantal Howell Carey and Suzanne Kiffmann (John Wiley and Sons, New York), $19.95, 160 pages. Real estate agents have nothing to fear from this book. They should give a copy to every "for-sale- by-owner." It carefully details all the work do-it-yourself home sellers should anticipate when attempting to sell their homes without professional help. Most will give up and realize the benefits of hiring an agent.

"How to Get the Best Home Loan, Second Edition," by W. Frazier Bell (John Wiley and Sons, New York), $16.95, 200 pages. Especially timely during the current home-mortgage refinancing boom, this superb book explains how to locate the best home loan for your situation. From a mortgage banker's viewpoint, it emphasizes how some lenders take advantage of borrowers. The author reveals lenders' dirty little secrets so borrowers won't get ripped off.

"Find It, Buy It, Fix It, Second Edition," by Robert Irwin (Dearborn-Kaplan Publishing Co., Chicago), $15.95, 198 pages. Whether you want to buy your first home or an investment property, this book explains the pros and cons of buying profitable residential property that needs fix-up work. The prolific real estate author shares his many personal experiences of how to look for profitable improvements that can add value to property purchases.

"Investing in Real Estate, Third Edition," by Andrew McLean and Gary W. Eldred (John Wiley and Sons, New York), $19.95, 308 pages. This is the best of the 2001 real estate books for investors. It explains all the basics and is filled with many personal examples, emphasizing how to profit by acquiring profitable properties.

"Flipping Properties," by William Bronchick and Robert Dahlstorm (Dearborn-Kaplan Publishing Co., Chicago), $18.95, 154 pages. This unusual realty investment book recommends "flip and grow rich." It is about acquiring investment property at below-market prices, quickly fixing it up and then profitably reselling. The authors explain the three types of "flipper" properties and how to locate these bargains.

"Neighbor Law, Fourth Edition," by Cora Jordan (Nolo Press, Berkeley), $26.95, 254 pages. Whether you own a house, condo or rental property, this invaluable book answers virtually every question regarding fences, trees, boundaries, noises and other neighbor problems. This detailed "how-to" book explains practical and legal methods for resolving neighbor problems at minimum cost, usually without going to court.

Copyright Union-Tribune Publishing Co.

Back to 2001 Rental Roundtable Index

Robert Griswold and the Real Estate Today! radio show strongly support the intent and the letter of all federal and state fair housing laws. As a reminder to all owners and managers of real estate, note that all real estate advertised is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise "any preference, limitation, discrimination because of race, color, national origin or ancestry, religion, sex, physical disability, or familial status, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination." Additional state and/or local fair housing laws may also apply. Be sure to inform all persons that all dwellings offered or advertised are on an equal opportunity basis.

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Revised and Updated - Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Robert S. Griswold, CRE, CPM, CCIM, PCAM, GRI, ARM
Griswold Corporate Center
Griswold Real Estate Management, Inc.
5703 Oberlin Drive, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92121-1743
Phone: (858) 597-6100
Fax: (858) 597-6161
Email: rgriswold.ret@retodayradio.com