This Page will be updated regularly to add new book recommendations.
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Here you will find a list of books and other blogs or Financial resources that I have personally read and found useful. I am not necessarily a person who likes to read. But as I started learning more about Financial Independence, Investing, and Real Estate, I had to read a lot and discovered that I love reading about this material. I have read a lot, and some I did not really like even though they were highly suggested by others. I will include a brief description of the book and what I thought of it.
Personal Finance tools:
One of the most important things you should do if you are seeking Financial Independence is track your net worth. It is a motivating factor when you see your net worth going up. One of the easiest and best ways to do that is by using Personal Capital. They are a great resource where you can link all of your accounts to one place and they provide great looking reports and let you know when you spent more or less that the previous time period. It is totally free to use. As an added benefit, you can use this link to sign up and they will give you a $20 Amazon gift card. Click here to sign up! The only thing that will happen to get that $20 is that they will want to schedule a call to discuss your retirement options. You can take that call and politely decline their management services and that’s it. I took the call and told them my plans to use Real Estate as my primary source so for the time being I had no interest in outside management and they totally understood that. About a day or two later I got an email with the gift card code. Easy Money! So go ahead and sign up. It may take some time to get everything linked. It all depends on how many accounts you have. I have a lot so it took a lot of time for me to get all my logins and put it all in but it was worth the effort. Here is the link again, it doesn’t cost you anything more than a few moments of your time and you get $20!
BOOKS – I will try to divide these into different categories, but some may fit into multiples but I will put them where I feel they have the most influence.
Real Estate: Want to invest in Real Estate? Read some of these books to learn how and help you feel more comfortable and get motivated
The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller : This was the first real estate book I read. It was what got me thinking and wanting to get involved with real estate investing. I read it when we lived in Omaha at a time when home values were incredibly low after the market crash of 2008-2009. The principles are solid and the writing is easy to follow and understand. The downside for me was at that time I still didn’t think it would be possible. Every example in the book uses 20-25% down payment. I found a way around that though. See my recent post My Story – Massive Debt to Financial Freedom.
The Book on Managing Rental Properties by Brandon Turner and Heather Turner : I read this book while I was in process of closing on my first rental property. It is excellent. Definitely one of my most recommended books. Filled with tips and ideas and first-hand accounts of dealing with some problem tenants. Also includes ways to market your rentals and screen tenants. I love this book. Can’t say that I have any cons. It is easy to follow.
The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner : In a way very similar to the content in the Book on Managing Rental Properties. I enjoyed reading it as well but the Managing one had a much bigger impact on me personally. I did read this one before the Book on Managing but the Managing one had basically the same info plus a lot more needed for what to do after you find and buy a property
Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat by David Greene : Great book if you want to learn the BRRRR strategy. I highly recommend this one. This is a method to acquire properties basically with no money down after you refinance. A very popular strategy in today’s market. Like doing a flip but you keep it for a rental and get your money invested back so you can keep doing it over and over with the same money. A great way to build your real estate empire quickly.
Long Distance Real Estate Investing by David Greene : Great book. Kind of a mindset book as well. This will help get over the fear of investing out of state. It definitely helped me in not being afraid to buy my first out of state rental without ever going there in person.
Real Estate Note Investing by Dave Van Horn : Another way to diversify within Real Estate. Be the Bank! And buy properties under market value and not have to maintain it.
The ABCs of Real Estate Investing: The Secrets of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss by Ken McElroy : A great book in the Rich Dad series library. Learn basics of smart ways to invest in Real Estate to get yourself in the correct cash flow quadrant to not just be an employee.
Crushing It in Apartments and Commercial Real Estate: How a Small Investor Can Make It Big by Brian Murray : If you want to learn how to invest in large multi-family apartment buildings, this is the book you need. Great information to help you make it happen from someone who has done it.
The Best Ever Apartment Syndication Book by Joe Fairless : This one should be literally called a Textbook. That way the acronyn could be the BEAST. This is a superb instruction book to know everything there is to know about apartment syndications. It is a big book with a bit higher price point, but well worth the price for the treasure trove of information available. Whether you want to be a syndicator or not, if you plan to even invest in a syndication or even learn real estate investing terminology, this is the book you need to read.
Passive Investing Made Simple by Anthony Vicino and Dan Krueger : This book is specifically designed for those who want to passively invest in apartment syndications. It teaches what that means and what to look for to vet operators to make sure you are keeping your money safe. Very great book and excellent stories included.
Mindset : If you don’t change your way of thinking, you may not ever be able to succeed since you will still see and think about things the same way as the general public and therefore never make the necessary steps to change your life
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki : This is probably the biggest, most influential book that has literally changed the lives of millions. It is the most recommended book on multiple podcasts and blogs. It is technically related to real estate as well but for me it is more of a mindset book because it helps you think in a different way. For me personally it can make me doze off at times. And I know others who have felt the same. But nonetheless it has had a major impact in our society and one that is worth reading. And it is fairly inexpensive!
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill : This one I enjoyed about the first half. The second half seemed to drag on for me and was hard to finish. This book however is also one of the most influential books around. It was written in the early 1900’s but the principles haven’t changed. I did enjoy the history lesson included in it to hear the actual words from such people as Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford, for example, was very interesting and to learn more about how those early wealthy people made their money.
Money and Finance : General items about ways to invest or control budgets, anything that isn’t specifically Real Estate or Mindset
Choose FI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence by Chris Mamula, Brad Barrett, and Jonathan Mendonsa : Both a Finance and Mindset book so I put it at the top of the list here between the two groups. I actually have a signed copy by Chris Mamula at a book signing event when it came out. I love the podcast and the book is excellent as well especially for those just starting on the path to Financial Independence. Easy to follow.
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey : For people that struggle to control their expenses, this is a good place to start. Focus is on getting out of debt. Good principles, I don’t necessarily agree with it all. He pushes that any debt is bad. I do believe there is good debt as described in many of my blog posts in regards to using debt to leverage money for Real Estate or business purposes. There is also a workbook to go with it if you want.
The Simple Path to Wealth by J.L. Collins : Excellent book explaining the power of investing in index funds rather than stock picking. A major influential book in the FIRE community. An easy way to start investing if you have little money or a low tolerance for risk but want to get started.
Playing with FIRE by Scott Rieckens : The book that follows the documentary. The Playing with FIRE documentary was released in 2019 and this book chronicles the journey and the stories in the film. I had pushed to get the film shown in my local theater but we were short of the required number of pre-sale tickets to get it shown. Look for it on some of your favorite digital viewing sites.
The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason : This is honestly one of my favorite books. It is a short, easy read but it is packed with superb lessons about money, investing, business, debt, just about every money or business lesson you can think of. It is told in a very entertaining manner set in the time of ancient Babylon. There is also a child version called The Richest Kid in Babylon that I read with my son. Much simpler lessons using a lemonade stand as the business lesson.
Tax Advice : Learn proven ways to increase your wealth by saving thousands in taxes.
Tax-Free Wealth by Tom Wheelwright, CPA : I LOVE this book! Very well written and easy to understand. This is the updated edition to include all the tax changes that took place starting 2019. Use the tax law to your advantage. This isn’t just a boring tax book, it is a guidebook for any business or real estate investor. Even if you have a good CPA you trust, you should still have some understanding of the laws. Who knows, your CPA may not know the things in this book which could cost you thousands.
The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor by Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland : Another great book on taxes. Easy to follow with simple ways to save money on taxes and tips to make your vacations tax deductible. This was the first book I read when I started investing in Real Estate.
The Book on Advanced Tax Strategies: Cracking the Code for Savvy Real Estate Investors : When it comes to taxes, it’s not about how much money you make―but how much money you actually keep. In this comprehensive follow-up the authors and CPAs Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland bring you more strategies to slash your taxes and turn your real estate investments into a tax-saving machine.
Digital or Audio books
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