10 books on property investment you should read
Logo3 small

There are tonnes of books on properties in the market, but choosing the one that is best for a person is another matter. Below are some of the books that are helpful in guiding you when you decide to buy or invest in a property. Most of them are written by professionals in their particular fields.



Books for First-Time Buyer/Investor

(i) Everything You Need To Know But Forget To Ask When Buying or Selling Property by Mary Smits

Although this book was published about 12 years ago, its content is still relevant as it concerns selling and buying property. An interesting point to note, is that this book is written by a real estate agent. Mary Smits is an Australian-based author, trainer and consultant and her book is one best read property book in the market. Another unique point of this book is it offers readers practical advice and handy checklists that they can follow.

Apart from that, the author uses simple language to address the many issues that are of property sellers’ and buyers’ concern. Among the issues pointed out were how to prepare yourself to sell your property off, choosing to invest in a property or buying a home, how to choose a real estate agent and how to negotiate to save money. How to deal with the paperwork involved is also addressed. Did you know that there is a lot of paperwork involved when investing or buying a property? It’s not just signing all the documents, but also knowing your rights as a consumer, agreements involved as well as the laws related to it. This book also provides some pointers on how to avoid traps when buying or selling your property and how to search for properties online.


(ii) Keep Calm . . . It's Just Real Estate: Your No-Stress Guide to Buying a Home by Egypt Sherrod

This is not an ordinary property book as the author of this book is a well-known personality, author and realtor in the US. Her book Keep Calm… It’s Just Real Estate: Your No-Stress Guide to Buying a Home is an international best-selling property book. Every readers should get this book as its title is not just catchy but the contents are also reader-engaging. Although this book is relatively new as it was published in 2015, the author will lead you into the thrill of owning a home. You will be surprised with how she assists nervous prospective home-buyers, as she uses the same approach in her book as her property show called ‘Property Virgins’.

It is indeed a no-stress guide for readers as she uses her personality and experience and translates them into the book. Among the contents of the book are why you should never overlook the home inspection, the top ten things to consider before buying a home, what to do in a bidding war, how ticking with one agent works in your favour, as well as eight ways to be an attractive homebuyer on paper and ease the mortgage-approval process. Most of all, readers will gain invaluable information as the steps on ‘how to’ and ‘what to’ are simplified in layman’s language. Apart from that, this book also contains a glossary, a list of anecdotes and handy lists for readers to immerse themselves in and learn from it.



Books for Professionals

(i) Property Jewels by Renesial Leong

Dr. Renesial Leong is Asia’s Queen of Property. She has many titles under her belt, most of which are local bestseller awards. She is a well-known author, columnist and Master trainer. In Malaysia, she is one of the most sought-after property investor and trainer. Readers will get tips, advice and real-life experience by reading this book. 

Besides that, the book is written in a reader-friendly tone and you’ll feel excited while reading it. From feng shui, tips on property auctioning to dealing with lawyers and brokers, it is more than just a property book. It is a property guide for readers. What are you waiting for? Make your dream lifestyle come true. Apart from that, readers will learn about the whole process of property investment, from increasing the initial capital for paying down-payment to engaging with the tenants and choosing the ideal property.


(ii) Real Estate Agents: True Stories by Ho Chin Soon

From the title itself readers will notice that this book is a compilation of true stories by the author. It is another recommended property book for professionals and avid readers of property books likewise. If you have ambitions to be a real estate negotiator or property agent, then this book is for you. You will learn various tricks in the property field and acquire tips on real estate investing. More importantly, readers get to learn about how various real estate agents kickstart their business and what they have gone through to be a successful property realtor.


(iii) Next Station: MRT Line 1 Buying Condos & Apartments Along Sg Buloh to Kajang by Adrian Tan

This is another notable property guide but its focus is rather different from other property books in the market. Phase 1 of the MRT has been completed and Phase 2 will be completed by July 2017. This is definitely a guide for youngsters especially those commuting to work by MRT. The author has done a good job by compiling and listing down in this book all the high-rise residential properties located within the bounds of a total of 31 stations along the MRT line 1: Sungai Buloh – Kajang. Apart from that, readers will get useful information such as yields for individual units, layouts of properties, its prices as well as its sizes.


(iv) Property Investor's True Stories: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Over 100 Real Life Lessons for Everyone by Ishmael Ho

Yet another book on the true stories of property investing. Property Investor’s True Stories is written by a young author with a legal background. He is also a public speaker, author and also helps to run his father’s company, Ho Chin Soon Research. Readers get to learn and use some tips when investing or buying a property. This book is a compilation of life experiences of numerous property agents in the local scene and what they encountered along the way in their lives.


(v) Good Tenant Great Tenant: Untold Tenancy Stories (Real Life Lessons for Tenants and Landlords) by Alan Poon

Alan Poon is the founder of Superior Wealth Mastery, a boutique wealth education provider. He has numerous books under his belt and each of his titles targeted at different segments of the society. What is unique about this book is the real life stories that has never been published before. Among them are practical tenancy strategies, stories of real life tenants and landlords as well as lessons learnt from both parties. Readers will also get an insight on international properties too.



Books for The Gen-Y

(i) Start From 0! 3 Years to RM10 Million Property Portfolio by Dexter Lim and Kam W.T.

This book is worth reading and readers should give praise to the author too. It is written based on his personal experience. More importantly it is about the trial and tribulations of Dexter Lim, a student of another author, W.T. Kam. Just imagine a person, who is broke and full of debt rising to the occasion and secure a great property deal for himself. At first, he started with zero capital as he is bogged down by his struggling small business with a credit card debt amounting to RM10,000. If you read this book, you would not believe how he did it as he only had savings of RM2,400 then. Readers will also learn how this young guy multiplied his property portfolio each year after securing his first successful property deal. These events happened way back in 2008, during the global economic downturn.


(ii) Property Buying For Gen Y by Khalil Adis

Yet another notable author. Khalil Adis was formerly an editor with Property Report. The book is written specially for young Malaysians seeking to get their first home, but are not sure how to go about the complex Malaysian property market. The common dilemma faced by Gen Y property buyers is affordability. As can be seen in Malaysia, the prices of properties increases from time to time and it is not likely to come down. Property Buying for Gen Y is a book different from others in the market. It shows readers that there are still homes that are affordable. Apart from that, readers get to learn from the author’s personal experience when he bought his first home. As people say, learn from others and learn from experience. In addition to that, they will also get some strategies and tips on home renovation and basic financial calculations in regards to buying property.

 

(iii) WTF? 23 Properties by 30: A Story of What to Find? When to Find? Where to Find? by Faizul Ridzuan

The title of the book itself is enough to capture the attention of readers. At first glance, ordinary people like us will say it is impossible and the author is irrational but everything is possible in this world. To buy or own 23 properties by the time you are 30 is not a small feat. It needs proper planning, research, time and money. The author makes it look easy, and he also knows how to invest. In this book, readers will get to know how he does this with his personal experience. You will not believe that the author converted his seed capital of RM2,000 into a multi-million property portfolio, and he did just that in five years. Get this book and learn from the expert. Who knows, you might even own or buy more properties than he did.



Conclusion

Property investment or purchase is part and parcel of life. If you do not plan to do so now, the need will eventually come, not just for investment purposes but for you and your future generation to live in. The above list of books are just some recommendations as there are numerous other titles in the market, which you can also get for yourself. There are other noteworthy books in the market and you can also check them out.

See also: 5 Books Every Budding Investor Should Read

Can’t wait to get started on your journey to buying your first property? Join PropSocial to stay up to date with the latest properties, or join in the Discussions with our community of home owners, seasoned investors, and experienced real-estate negotiators who can provide answers to all of your questions!



(Written by: Adrian Chew, 6th July 2017)


SHARE THIS TOPIC

Chinese ad 4621 326x150 01

Img 5409 small

i bought majority of the local books, expect the 1st 2. 

Screen shot 2016 01 21 at 8.27.17 pm small

@6011_3531_5354 Wah Nic, were they any good? Which are the most useful u think?

Signature 28 logo  custom  small

Thanks all for sharing. I will make sure to check out the Magazines the next time i visit the library...

65648440 2406793556070448 9165628430648082432 o small

@admin_ps good sharing