Top Real Estate Books for Investors and Brokers

03/12/2025

Industry Insights

Best Real Estate Investing Books

From building a rental portfolio to mastering complex commercial deals, these books cover the breadth of real estate investing. They offer both timeless principles and up-to-date tactics for investors at any scale.

The Book on Rental Property Investing – Brandon Turner

Author: Brandon Turner (BiggerPockets)

This modern classic lays out a comprehensive roadmap for building wealth through rental properties. Turner explains how to find promising rental houses or multifamily units, finance them, and manage them for maximum cash flow. Readers will learn about analyzing deals, screening tenants, and avoiding common landlord mistakes in a friendly, step-by-step manner. It’s packed with practical tips and “real world” strategies from a successful investor’s perspective. Buy on Amazon

The ABCs of Real Estate Investing – Ken McElroy

Author: Ken McElroy

Part of the Rich Dad Advisors series, this book teaches investors how to spot and unlock hidden profit opportunities in real estate. McElroy walks through finding properties with true potential, performing due diligence, and financing and negotiating deals. He also debunks common myths that often hold new investors back. From managing properties efficiently to increasing their value, the ABCs provide a solid foundation for achieving wealth and cash flow through real estate. Buy on Amazon

What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow – Frank Gallinelli

Author: Frank Gallinelli

This book is a must-read for the numbers-minded investor. Gallinelli demystifies the key financial metrics behind profitable real estate deals, from cap rates and ROI to NOI and IRR. In clear terms, he shows how to crunch the numbers like a pro so you can confidently evaluate any property’s investment potential. The updated edition includes 36 essential formulas and case studies, making it an excellent reference for analyzing deals, projecting returns, and removing guesswork from your investment decisions. Buy on Amazon

Best Ever Apartment Syndication Book – Joe Fairless & Theo Hicks

Authors: Joe Fairless and Theo Hicks

For those looking to scale up into apartment buildings and syndicated deals, this guide offers a proven step-by-step blueprint. Fairless (host of the “Best Ever” real estate podcast) shares how he went from scratch to controlling multi-million dollar apartment complexes using syndication. The book covers everything from finding and underwriting apartment deals, raising capital from investors, structuring the syndicate, to successfully closing and operating large apartments. It’s an in-depth playbook that can help you complete your first apartment syndication deal and build an apartment portfolio with other people’s money. Buy on Amazon

Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth – Avery Carl

Author: Avery Carl

Specializing in Airbnb and vacation rental investments, Avery Carl explains how to generate high cash flow from short-term rentals. This niche book guides readers on identifying the best markets for short-term rentals (including understanding tourism demand and local regulations), analyzing properties for Airbnb potential, and managing them efficiently (either remotely or with a team). It also covers scaling from one vacation rental to a portfolio of properties. For investors eyeing the booming home-sharing market, this guide provides a practical framework to turn short-term rentals into a long-term wealth engine. Buy on Amazon

The Millionaire Real Estate Investor – Gary Keller

Author: Gary Keller (with Dave Jenks & Jay Papasan)

Drawing on the wisdom of over 100 millionaire real estate investors, Keller’s book distills the fundamental truths of building wealth through properties. It’s not just about individual techniques, but about mindset and models – how to “think like a millionaire” and develop a plan to become one. The book covers strategies for finding deals, financing purchases, and growing from a single investment property to an extensive portfolio. Filled with real-life examples and inspirational stories, it encourages both novice and experienced investors to set big goals and follow proven models on the path to financial freedom. Buy on Amazon

Best Real Estate Brokerage and Agency Books

The Millionaire Real Estate Agent – Gary Keller

Author: Gary Keller (with Dave Jenks & Jay Papasan)

Nicknamed “MREA,” this is the ultimate business plan for real estate agents who want to take their practice to the highest levels. Keller breaks down the models and systems needed to transform what is essentially a sales job into a true million-dollar business. The book covers lead generation, budgeting, hiring admin and building a team, and how to systematically achieve high transaction volumes. Its famous principle “It’s not about the money… it’s about being the best you can be” underpins a focus on excellence. New and experienced agents alike can follow the actionable models (like the organizational model and economic model) to scale their income and create a sustainable, big business. Buy on Amazon

Shark Tales – Barbara Corcoran

Author: Barbara Corcoran (with Bruce Littlefield)

Barbara Corcoran, famed real estate mogul and “Shark Tank” investor, shares her inspiring journey from a $1,000 loan to building a billion-dollar real estate brokerage (The Corcoran Group). In this entertaining and candid memoir-turned-business guide, she recounts the lessons learned from her mother and how they guided her through business challenges. Each chapter delivers a story from Barbara’s life in real estate – from creative marketing tactics that put her firm on the map, to overcoming failures and turning them into opportunities. Shark Tales is equal parts heartwarming and insightful, leaving readers thinking “If she can do it, so can I!” and ready to implement her savvy advice in their own careers. Buy on Amazon

Sell It Like Serhant – Ryan Serhant

Author: Ryan Serhant

Written by one of the world’s most well-known real estate brokers (from Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing), this book is a high-energy masterclass in sales. Serhant shares how he went from a struggling NYC rental agent to a top broker closing multi-million dollar deals, and he does so with humor and actionable tips. The book is filled with strategies to build confidence, generate leads, and “work the deal” like a pro – from the initial cold call to closing. Serhant emphasizes personal branding, follow-up, and relentless positivity. Whether you’re selling a $200k condo or a $20M penthouse, the lessons in this “ultimate sales machine” playbook will help you sell more and earn more. Buy on Amazon

Brokers Who Dominate – Rod Santomassimo

Author: Rod Santomassimo

Focused on commercial real estate brokerage, Brokers Who Dominate analyzes what top-producing brokers do differently to stay ahead. Santomassimo identifies 8 key traits and delves into the strategies and tactics of elite brokers across various markets. Readers will learn about effective marketing approaches for listings, innovative prospecting methods to win clients, building support systems and teams, and how top brokers manage their time and pipelines. This book provides a blueprint for mid-career agents and brokers who want to break into the top tier of performance. It’s essentially a mentorship in print from the industry’s best, revealing how to dominate your brokerage niche through discipline, client focus, and continual improvement. Buy on Amazon

Exactly What to Say: For Real Estate Agents – Phil M. Jones, Chris Smith & Jimmy Mackin

Authors: Phil M. Jones, Chris Smith, and Jimmy Mackin

In the day-to-day life of an agent, knowing the right words can make all the difference. This popular book gives agents a cheat-sheet of proven phrases and scripts to use in critical conversations with clients. The authors present “30 Magic Words” tailored to real estate scenarios – from overcoming seller objections in a listing presentation to converting internet leads or calming anxious buyers. Each phrase comes with an explanation of why it works and examples of usage. This is a handy resource to help agents communicate more confidently and effectively, ultimately winning more business by saying the right thing at the right time. Buy on Amazon

Your First Year in Real Estate – Dirk Zeller

Author: Dirk Zeller

Perfect for new agents, this book serves as a survival guide for that challenging first year in the business. Zeller outlines what to expect and what to prioritize as you transition from real estate student to professional. Key topics include how to generate leads when you have no clients yet, time management for agents (so you don’t burn out working 24/7), scripts for common situations, and building a pipeline that will sustain you into your second year and beyond. Revised editions cover modern changes like online marketing and social media prospecting. With its step-by-step advice and practical solutions to rookie challenges, this book helps novices start off right and avoid the pitfalls that cause so many to leave the industry early. Buy on Amazon

By absorbing the wisdom in these brokerage-focused books, agents and brokers can refine their business practices—from lead generation and client communication to personal branding and negotiation. The guidance from industry veterans like Gary Keller and Barbara Corcoran can help you build a reputable brand and a loyal client base. And in today’s connected world, leveraging such knowledge on a platform like Brevitas can amplify results: imagine applying expert sales scripts while using Brevitas’s networking features to reach international investors, or implementing new marketing tactics on your Brevitas listings to attract more buyers. These books empower real estate professionals to not only do more deals, but to do them smarter and more efficiently.

Ready to put these insights into action? Brevitas offers the ideal platform to implement what you’ve learned, with a global marketplace and networking tools for real estate pros. Explore Investment Property Listings or Join Brevitas for Free today and connect with a world of opportunities.