Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Understanding Real Estate as an Investment 7

Chapter 1: Stacking Up Real Estate Against Other Investments 9

Chapter 2: Covering the Landscape of Common Real Estate Investments 27

Chapter 3: Opportunities in Real Estate 45

Chapter 4: Building Your Team 63

Part II: Financing: Raising Capital and Sourcing Loans 85

Chapter 5: Sources of Capital 87

Chapter 6: Financing Your Property Purchases 105

Chapter 7: Shopping for and Securing the Best Mortgage Terms 123

Chapter 8: Property in Self-Managed Super Funds 141

Chapter 9: The Ongoing Costs of Real Estate 163

Part III: Finding and Evaluating Properties 177

Chapter 10: Location, Location, Value 179

Chapter 11: Preparing to Bid or Make an Offer 215

Chapter 12: Signing the Contract, Inspecting the Property and Settling 245

Part IV: Operating the Property 263

Chapter 13: Landlording 101 265

Chapter 14: Protecting Your Investment: Insurance and Risk Management 287

Chapter 15: Record Keeping and Accounting 301

Chapter 16: Tax Considerations and Exit Strategies 309

Chapter 17: Building a Portfolio 333

Part V: The Part of Tens 349

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Increase a Property’s Return 351

Chapter 19: Ten Steps to a Real Estate Fortune (Or a Great Second Income) 359

Appendix: Sample Property Condition Report 371

Index 379

About the Author

Bruce Brammall is a licensed financial adviser and mortgage broker, experienced business journalist, finance columnist, best-selling author and successful property investor. He is the principal adviser and mortgage broker with Castellan Financial Consulting and Castellan Lending. Eric Tyson and Robert S. Griswold have written several titles on personal finance, investing and property management, and are independently successful investors.