Hey everyone, I’m new to real estate investing and just getting started here in the Dallas (Irving) area. I’ve been reading and listening to a lot of BiggerPockets content lately, but I’d love to hear directly from experienced investors — What are your top 2–3 books that every beginner must read to really understand real estate investing — not just the theory, but how deals actually work in real life? It could be about: • 1. Understanding numbers and analysis • 2. Mindset and strategy • 3. Scaling from your first deal • 4. Financing and creative methods 1. Understanding numbers and analysis 2. Mindset and strategy 3. Scaling from your first deal 4. Financing and creative methods Would love to know which books helped you personally the most when you started and why. Thanks in advance — I’m looking forward to building a strong foundation and learning from this community! — Shahab

How I Turned $1,000 into $5 Million by William Nickerson Landlording by Leigh Robinson Buy and Hold by David Shumacher I was fortunate to meet two of the above and have dinner with one.

Shahab, start with these three that turn theory into action fast: 1) The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner for clear numbers, deal anatomy, and beginner-friendly frameworks; 2) Real Estate by the Numbers by J Scott and Dave Meyer to level up underwriting, sensitivity checks, and real-world decision rules; 3) The One Thing by Gary Keller to lock your focus so you actually execute your first deal instead of dabbling. Read, run 100 reps of deal analysis in your market, then make one offer within 30 days. You’ve got this.

Good morning, A non-related party can certainly function as a qualified intermediary, but you need to be very careful. The funds in this case were likely held in their individual name, and a death, bankruptcy, or other could affect the ability to close out and complete the 1031 exchange. The safety and protection of exchange funds should be of utmost importance, which is why you should always work with a qualified intermediary that has some sort of regulatory oversight; not just an internal audit or something, but real regulatory oversight with an outside, independent regulatory audit. Someone that ensures the qualified intermediary is operating in a safe and sound manner.

When I had dinner with Leigh Robinson, it was at a real estate conference and I invited him to dinner at the hotel, one on one just to ask him a bunch of questions. I had already read his 500 page book, so naturally we talked about renting and tenants. He told me he was branching out into mini storage, which I then had more questions, as I never met an operator in that space. We also talked about Section 1031 exchanges. He told me of somebody we both knew, who used his neighbor as his Qualified Intermediary. There are lots of restrictions on who CANNOT be your QI; but there is no license, no bonding, or other restrictions. This person used his TRUSTED neighbor as his QI and then also became the QI for that same neighbor. I would have never thought of that on my own.

That’s really interesting, David — those sound like classics! I’m curious, since you actually met a couple of those authors, did they share any insider tips or perspectives that stuck with you? What did they know or emphasize that most beginners usually overlook? Thanks for sharing — I’d love to hear more about that experience.

Thanks so much, Elealeh — that’s a great list! I’ve heard a lot about Brandon Turner’s book but hadn’t come across Real Estate by the Numbers yet — that sounds exactly like what I need right now. I really like the 30-day challenge idea too. I’ll start with those three and focus on analyzing 100 deals here in DFW to build that muscle. Appreciate the clarity and motivation!

Updated 1 day ago on 10/16/2025. Most recent reply

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Shahab Ahmed Qasim SmoqiPoster

New to Real Estate
Irving TX

General Real Estate Investing

What Are Your Favorite Books for Beginner Real Estate Investors?

Shahab Ahmed Qasim SmoqiPoster

New to Real Estate
Irving TX

Posted October 15, 2025 03:39

Hey everyone,

I’m new to real estate investing and just getting started here in the Dallas (Irving) area. I’ve been reading and listening to a lot of BiggerPockets content lately, but I’d love to hear directly from experienced investors —

What are your top 2–3 books that every beginner must read to really understand real estate investing — not just the theory, but how deals actually work in real life?

It could be about:

1. Understanding numbers and analysis
2. Mindset and strategy
3. Scaling from your first deal
4. Financing and creative methods

Would love to know which books helped you personally the most when you started and why.

Thanks in advance — I’m looking forward to building a strong foundation and learning from this community!

— Shahab

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