Successful investors never stop learning. Inertia doesn’t exist in the investment world. You’re either moving forward or backward. In this article, we will discuss some of the best books for real estate investors. Many of these books are recommended by top real estate investors working with MotivatedSellers.com. Some are classic books, while others are new, discussing BRRR, property management, lead generation, and other pressing topics in our industry. We will begin with the classics.
Some parts of this book might feel outdated, as it was published nearly a decade ago. However, this book has created more millionaires than one can mention. It has been recommended by countless successful people. Napoleon Hill’s success formula mentions setting a goal, eliminating fear, gaining specialized knowledge, and the power of mastermind groups, among other factors required for success. Today, it’s a widely accepted fact that joining a mastermind group brings more than financial fortune. Read this book if you haven’t done so already. Like any good book, if you can take away one practical tip from this classic, it will set you up for the rest of the year.
What's the definition of wealth? It's not about keeping up with what media has shown you. It’s about rising above peer pressure, avoiding liability-based debt, and spending on what truly matters. Most successful real estate investors don’t live flashy, Hollywood-style lives. They live a modest lifestyle, which allows them to build generational wealth.
At its heart, this book is about mastering capital discipline. Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko share a data-driven blueprint for how real wealth is built. The typical millionaire lives on a budget, invests strategically, and stays focused on long-term goals. This book is a reminder that time, energy, and money are limited resources. When used wisely, they can accelerate your path to wealth rather than drain it through unnecessary consumption.
Many real estate investors start out as solopreneurs, but success eventually hits a ceiling when you're working alone. You need team members who can help accelerate your growth. That might mean transitioning to real estate full-time or scaling your business to the next level. In our interviews with the nation’s top investors, we discovered that hiring is often a daunting step. You might not have a large budget, and it’s hard to know who will truly support your business. This book comes highly recommended because it offers a clear, step-by-step process for hiring the right people for your company. Written by Geoff Smart and Randy Street, this book introduces a systematic four-step method for identifying and recruiting top-performing employees. The method is reported to have a 90% success rate and includes:
Real estate professionals will find this approach relevant because your team (agents, property managers, and support staff) directly impacts lead generation, revenue, and client satisfaction.
By Gary Keller with Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan
The Millionaire Real Estate Investor combines theory and practical advice in a single book. It’s a New York Times bestseller authored by Gary Keller, co-founder of Keller Williams Realty, the fifth-largest real estate franchise system in North America. The book shares the collective wisdom and experience of over 100 millionaires who pursued and achieved financial independence.
It’s a must-read if you want to learn about the mindset, proven models, strategies, success criteria, and how to build your dream team. One of our favorite takeaways is that a real estate investor must have a large business model from the beginning to experience grand success. The book also covers fundamental concepts related to money—how you can make it and how it can be lost.
By Motivatedsellers.com
It takes 5–8 touches before a lead will convert. Many investors struggle at this crucial stage. You put in the effort and a lead reaches out to you, but your job is not finished before the closing. You must follow up consistently until the homeowner is ready to sell.
Many investors are solopreneurs and you might not have a dedicated team to curate email responses. This book is the answer. You will find ready-to-use follow-up emails for all situations in our industry. Whether you are talking to someone going through divorce or probate, this book will give you the exact words so you can convert more leads. The follow-up templates are ready to use nationwide, making it easy to start applying proven strategies immediately.
This book is a must-read if you want to increase your conversion rate while building a steady pipeline of motivated sellers.
Real estate investors don’t succeed solely because of ambition, motivation, or good luck. Success in this business is earned through careful analysis. Luck only favors those who are prepared. Frank’s book is one of the best tools for both new and seasoned investors who want to understand investment formulas and financial metrics. He injects humor into what is often a dry and technical subject.
If you want to succeed, you must understand the numbers and key metrics in your market. This book gives you a jumpstart by helping you understand concepts like cash-on-cash return, the time value of money, and how to capitalize on property appreciation while systematically paying down your mortgage.
The author also emphasizes the importance of understanding the fluctuating value of money over time, highlighting that a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow due to its investment potential. Key valuation techniques covered include:
This book is a strategic, step-by-step guide for starting your investing career. The author, Brandon Turner, has long been a host of the BiggerPockets podcast. He is an active real estate investor with more than 500 rental units and dozens of rehabs under his belt.
The book introduces proven methodologies, including the BRRRR strategy, for generating passive income and growing your purchasing power through evolving rental property practices. Throughout its 400 pages, you will find frameworks for identifying profitable opportunities while avoiding common pitfalls. You’ll learn how to create sustainable cash flow through intelligent property selection and efficient operational systems.
This book is a must-read, and the chances are high you may have already come across it.
Mike Butler was an undercover police detective in Louisville, KY. He started investing in fixer-uppers and renting them out for additional income. He soon realized that real estate investing was the key to financial freedom for him and his family. His investing career took off when he began buying 2–3 rental properties every week.
Not only that, but he managed those properties on his own while working a full-time job. He owned and managed 75 rental properties before getting part-time help.
Interestingly, Mike has never used bank loans, private funds, or hard money to buy his properties.
Landlording on Autopilot is a textbook used by landlords and property managers nationwide. Managing rental properties can be stressful, but this book shows how to transform that stress into a source of consistent, high profits and income. Many real estate investors start by investing in rental properties. If that’s you, this book comes highly recommended. Give it a read and implement the system to scale your rental property business.
Markets like New York are so competitive that newbie investors have to look somewhere else for off-market leads. You can’t make space in an overcrowded market without first spending tens of thousands. That’s where it helps to try long-distance investing in locations where opportunities exist.
Some markets are good for landlords, while others are not. The question is:
David Greene, host of the BiggerPockets podcast, has rehabbed and managed more than 35 single-family rentals. He owns shares in 3 large multifamily apartment complexes and has been a top real estate agent on the Keller Williams East County team. This book talks about systems and tips for remote investing nationwide.
You will read about vetting contractors and future employees. You will learn to assemble a remote team of agents, property managers, contractors, and lenders who will become your right hand in investing all over the country. You will even see sample letters for emailing/mailing potential agents and banks. The entire concept is to expand your portfolio so your wealth building potential is not limited to a single market only.
Success in real estate starts with the right leads. At MotivatedSellers.com, we provide the quality and consistency you need to close more deals.
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