The Book on Rental Property Investing

by Brandon Turner

Read Date

February 2020

Reading Time

8 hours

★★★★☆

4/5

Real EstateInvesting

Summary

Brandon Turner provides a comprehensive guide to building wealth through rental properties, covering everything from finding deals to managing tenants. The book emphasizes the "BRRRR" strategy (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) and offers practical frameworks for analyzing property cash flow. Unlike generic real estate advice, Turner focuses on sustainable wealth-building through systems and scale.

Updated for modern investors, the book includes strategies for remote landlording, working with property managers, and leveraging technology. The "Four Square Method" for evaluating deals and detailed mortgage calculations make this particularly valuable for avoiding common investment pitfalls.

Key Takeaways

1. Deal Analysis Fundamentals
• 1% Rule: Monthly rent should be 1% of purchase price
• 50% Rule: 50% of income goes to operating expenses

2. Scaling Strategies
• BRRRR Method: Recycled capital for continuous investing
• House Hacking: Live-in multifamily properties

3. Risk Management
• Vacancy Reserves: 6-8% of gross income
• CapEx Budgeting: 10-20% of rent for maintenance

4. Modern Landlording
• Automated Screening: AI tenant verification tools
• Remote Management: Digital lease agreements

Favorite Quotes

"Rental properties are like printing machines for cash flow - if you feed them properly."

"The best investment property is the one someone else manages but you profit from."

"Real estate wealth isn't made in the buying, but in the buying right."

Personal Reflection

Applying the BRRRR strategy helped me acquire 3 properties with 75% recycled capital within 18 months. The 1% Rule prevented 2 bad purchases that seemed attractive superficially. However, Turner's maintenance estimates proved low in high-cost areas - adjusting CapEx to 25% preserved cash flow.

Implementing automated rent collection reduced late payments by 90%, but the suggested screening criteria rejected 80% of applicants in competitive markets. Balancing Turner's systems with local market nuances proved essential for success.

Who Should Read This

Essential for:

First-time real estate investors
House hackers seeking multifamily units
Stock investors diversifying into tangible assets
Retirees building passive income streams
Agents transitioning to investing