Brand New Investor

[William Williams]

Hey all:

Just getting started in real estate investing and learning about investing. Looking for direction on where to start learning. I've read the intro to real estate investing book by BiggerPockets and Rich Dad Poor Dad, but I feel I am a bit farther along than the substance of those books. Looking for materials and other resources for learning how to evaluate and methods for evaluating different types of real estate investing (short term, long term, flipping, etc). Any advice and recommendations are much appreciated. 

[Melissa Justice]

@William Williams,
Great to have you here and awesome that you've already tackled the BiggerPockets intro book and Rich Dad Poor Dad! That means you're beyond the mindset phase and ready to dig into real strategy and deal analysis, which is where the real fun begins.

Here’s how to take your next steps depending on the investing paths you're exploring:

For Learning How to Evaluate Deals (All Strategies):
Books (More Advanced Level):
“The Book on Rental Property Investing” – Brandon Turner (BiggerPockets)

"What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow" – Frank Gallinelli (goes deep into metrics like IRR, ROI, cap rate, etc.)

“The Millionaire Real Estate Investor” – Gary Keller (very tactical with clear frameworks)

Online Tools & Calculators:
BiggerPockets Deal Calculators – great for analyzing long-term buy & holds, flips, BRRRRs
Rentometer – quick rent comps
Propstream / BatchLeads – for sourcing and evaluating off-market deals
AirDNA – if you're considering short-term rentals

Podcasts & YouTube (Strategy-Focused):
BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast – Episodes 100–300 are especially golden
BP Rookie Podcast – great for newer investors navigating real-world deals
James Dainard or Ryan Pineda on YouTube – great for flips, BRRRRs, and market breakdowns
The Real Estate Guys Radio Show – deeper dives into macro-level investing and asset types

Recommendations Based on Strategy:
Long-Term Buy & Hold: Learn to analyze markets (job growth, population, landlord laws) and master deal analysis
Flipping: Focus on rehab cost estimation, holding costs, and market timing
BRRRR: Mix of flip-level knowledge with buy & hold math
Short-Term Rentals: Research local regulations + seasonal demand (AirDNA and PriceLabs are key here)

Where to Go From Here:
Pick one or two strategies to focus on first (e.g. long-term + BRRRR)
Practice analyzing 1–2 deals per day (even if you’re not buying yet)
Join local or virtual investor meetups - connecting with others will help fast-track your learning

You’re in a perfect position - already out of the “intro” phase and hungry for action. Keep going! The more deals you analyze and the more conversations you have with other investors, the more confident you’ll get. Let me know if you want to walk through a sample deal - always here happy to help!

Best of luck,

Melissa