top real estate investment books

[kdhastedt]

As Rich predicted, "trustpro" is no longer with us...

For those of you that are new to town, trustpro was actuall Gary Mialocq, AKA "mtnwizard" and had been previously banned from this (and apparently several other) site, not completely for his relentless and unwaivering support for trusts as the only way plausible to buy and hold RE but for his attacks on other users here and the constant upsell of the trust concept.

Keith

[4444]

He also sent me the link in a personal message just so you know. Either way I have been reading what every real estate investor needs to know about cashflow by frank Gallinelli. It is a lot like propertymanager's website because it is very mathmatical. Right now I am looking for books on figuring out how to decide the value of certain properties based on mathmatical equations, not market value. I am also a newbie so the last sentence might not make sense but to my understanding there is a difference between market value and real value based off of revenues.  correct? Thanks a lot for everybody's help. Sorr  I didnt understand what shocker meant. I work during the day so it might take me a few hours sometimes to go back and read my questions.

[jparkx1]

How did you guys find out who trustpro originally was?

[Rich_in_CT]

How did you guys find out who trustpro originally was?

See my above post.  He posted his website in his signature and the domain name is registered in his name. 

[Dave T]

Mike,

I think you missed my point. 

Trustpro posted a link to a free ebook that could be downloaded from Bill Gatten's website.  Trustpro is not Bill Gatten.  As near as I can tell, trustpro does not profit from his referral. 

I can post links to the IRS website where you can download a free copy of an IRS publication, and my post is not censored at all. 

I don't see the difference.  Why can I post a link to an external site where a free download can be obtained and trustpro cannot?

You may want to argue that the IRS website is free and no one profits from a referral, so referrals are allowed.  Because the Gatten site is operated for profit, referrals are deemed to be advertisements and are censored.  If so, then why weren't all the referrals to your product that you sell at your website also censored?

If you extend the argument a little further, I have seen posts on this site that suggest a book that is available at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.  These posts aren't deleted or censored, but aren't they also advertisements in the context of this argument? 

Trustpro seems to be a stong proponent of the equity holding trust and Gatten's PACTrust.  Why can't he be allowed to inform the community about a solution that may address the DOSC issues and equitable interest issues that are inherent in Lease/Option and Subject To transactions? 

I think there is a genuine bias against trustpro that has resulted in deleting or censoring references to Bill Gatten's site.   It appears to me that there is a double standard in play here and I was just calling Keith on it.

[kdhastedt]

You can 'call Keith on it' if you choose...Gary Mailocq was banned from this site for cause.  He created a new identity and broke the rules some more.  He has been banned again under this User ID (trustpro).

Gary Mialocq is an agent for Bill Gatten and his 'trust program'...Mr. Gatten profits from Mr. Mialocq's activities and vice versa.  There is a definite, direct, and and provable financial tie between the two individuals.  Advertising is not permitted within the Forums for individuals or for those that have direct financial ties. 

Many 'iffy' ties are left alone.  This was not iffy and not a gray area.  It was black and white.  We don't let individuals advertise for Nouveau Riche and the like either, not because we have vendettas against the individuals but because it gets out of hand and there is a direct financial tie between the individual and the organization.

Dave T, I've read enough of your posts to know that you are an intelligent and reasonable guy.   But in this case, you're wrong and you've argued past the point of the 'reasonable man' test.  You cannot seriously tell me that you see no difference between you posting a link to the IRS (a publically funded, federal government entity) and the Mr. Mialocq posting a link to the website for his boss, for the profit of both?  Please tell me that this is not your thinking.  If you can prove that a poster is in the employ of Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Borders, etc. and has  direct, provable financial ties and/or are profitting from the post, please bring it on.

Just to go on record, Mr. Mailocq was not censored.  The name and author of the book are still available within the content of his post.  Only the link to Mr. Gatten's website was removed.  Anyone with enough computer skills to find this site can easily find Mr. Gatten's site with a quick Google search.

Keith

[Dave T]

I can post a link to a government website where you can download a product for free.  I can not post a link to a commercial website where you can download a product for free.  There is no profit in either case -- the product is free.  I don't get it, but I am willing to accept it if this is a correct interpretation of the rules.

I can put a link to a commercial website in my signature without calling it advertising and without being a paid advertiser.  I can't post a link to a commercial website in a topic response because that is advertising.  Again, I don't get it, but I am willing to accept it if this is a correct interpretation of the rules.

Maybe the rules could be revisited and clarified.

[$Cash$]

Dave T,

Since we go back aways, here are my thoughts about the word Free.  To me Free means without cost or obligation and I believe this is a fair assessment of the word.

So if someone said you can download a Free e-book and I went to the link, clicked on it, but the first thing that came up was:

First Name *   
Last Name *   
Email *   
Street Address1 *   
City *   
State *   
Postal Code *

this is the obligation part where all of this has to be filled out before a person can receive their Free e-book.  I would say someone is board hustling for email addresses so they can bombard the recipient with sales material from the promoter of the Free e-book. 

"I can post a link to a government website where you can download a product for free.  I can not post a link to a commercial website where you can download a product for free. There is no profit in either case -- the product is free."  Not always in my opinion.

Gary was originally banned for sending private messages to those who opposed his method of investing, these messages were derogatory by nature and on another creative discussion board he was banned for the same reason.  He was pulled on another discussion board and was told to post only on certain forums.

Many things are weighed before a person is banned from this site, but coming back after being banned, nothing else really needs to be considered about what they said or did once they are found out.  They were banned for a reason the first time and should not be allowed to come back.

Dave, if I am not mistaken you were invited to become a Moderator here, because of your excellent posts to help others and knowledge of our great industry, sometimes we as Moderators have to bite the bullet and make our best judgment call.

John $Cash$ Locke

[CMB]

Book suggestions...anyone???

[BLL]

"The Richest Man in Babylon" by George Samuel Clason. It's not a book on real estate, but the concepts will help any investor succeed.

I second the recommendation for "Think and Grow Rich" by Napolean Hill and also recommend "Magic Bullets in Real Estate" by Dan Auito.

A good primer for learning about asset protection and entities is "Asset Protection: Concepts and Strategies" by Jay Adkinson and Chris Riser.

For anyone who wants to rent property, "Landloding" Leigh Robinson and "The New Landlords Kit" by Jeffrye Taylor are excellent resources.

Another good book for landords is "Stupid Mistakes of a Self-Made Millionaire Landlord" by Dan Arnold.

This isn't a book, but Al Aeillo's Goldmine of Tax Strategies program will pay for itself many times over.

[CPOJoe]

Rich Dad's Advisors®: The ABC's of Real Estate Investing: The Secrets of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss (Rich Dad's Advisors) by Ken McElroy.

After reading Rich Dad/Poor Dad, I found most of the other Kiyosaki books repetitive -- but this one was very good.  It's mostly about commercial properties; but provides some good advice, tools and formulas to help evaluate properties, cash flow potential, etc.

Also, I just checked out "How to invest in real estate with your IRA and 401k and pay little or no taxes" from the library.  Author is Hubert Bromma.  It's about self-directed IRAs and seems to be a good source of info on what I consider to be a convoluted, but beneficial topic.  I haven't made it all the way thru yet -- but it's on my list of books to buy so that I have a copy on my desk when I'm ready to go "self-directed".

[wallacehobbs]

The Power of Concentration

 By Theron Q. Dumont

Is a must read for everyone