Posted by JPiper on March 11, 2001 at 15:16:17:
That would be Zeckendorf…with a “K”.
JPiper
I have a research paper due. What do you know? - Posted by David L. Rosengarden
Posted by David L. Rosengarden on March 10, 2001 at 23:01:30:
Hi folks.
I have a research paper due in my Grammar & Composition II class. I have 5 weeks to do it and I think I’m already on my second week.
My topic: Successful Real Estate Investing: A History and How to.
I would like to show a brief summary of successful, creative real estate investors over the past 50 years or so and then complete the bulk of my paper with how to do it today.
Here’s what I need if any of you gurus can help:
Recommendations of books (at least 7) that will give me the resources necessary for proper research.
What kind of outline could I use? How should I present the paper? (History first then a how to? What steps in the how to would be the major points? Should they have a logical progression?)
Finally, I can also use interviews from respected sources of authority on the topic at hand. Considering my company on this site, who would be willing to be interviewed? (Most likely would be a questionaire sent by e-mail)
I appreciate all your help and advice in advance. Thanx!
Dave R
Be Careful - Posted by JPiper
Posted by JPiper on March 11, 2001 at 14:04:45:
The topic that you’ve evidently set forward for yourself is “Successful Real Estate Investing: A History and How to.” So with that, I’d like to caution you.
There’s a difference between “real estate gurus” and “real estate investors”. ?Real estate gurus? are people who sell information about ?how to invest? in real estate. ?Real estate investors? are people who INVEST in real estate. While certainly a real estate guru may also be a real estate investor, the chances are high that the guru is not a large investor. Chances are he makes his money teaching, as opposed to investing.
If YOUR goal is to write something about the history of real estate investment, then you need to focus on investors, and not gurus. For example, Russ Whitney above mentions Donald Trump. Certainly no modern article about real estate investment would be complete without mention of ?The Donald?. And lucky for you, there?s plenty written about him, to include some books he?s written himself.
Whitney also mentions Harry Helmsley, a one time owner of the Empire State building. Another good choice. I recall watching Helmsly on 60 Minutes once when he bragged that he had NEVER sold a piece of real estate?.interesting. And if memory serves, Harry was an innovator on syndication?another topic that you would want to include in your history.
A figure out of the past that I would certainly include if I were you would be William Zechendorf. I can recall reading a book about (or maybe by) this guy, I think called ?Zechendorf??a good read. If memory serves he developed the United Nations property. Was an innovator in selling things like ?air rights? in order to finance his deals.
Another name that you should definitely include in your study is the ?Grave Dancer?. Does that tell you a little about this guy? Sam Zell, the current Chairman of Equity Properties Trust?a real estate investment trust (REIT). I believe this guy may be the largest property owner in the US today(through his company). Lots of information around about him. He?s very well known.
Another guy who I think might be fun for you to include is Richard Rainwater. Rainwater is actually more of an ?investor? rather than just a real estate investor. A multibillionaire by the way. Rainwater for the last few years has believed that real estate was undervalued, and therefore has been a big buyer. I believe he currently operates through Crescent Properties (?), another REIT. I think he was just involved in some respect in the World Trade Center deal. This guy is reputed to be of near genius quality when it comes to investment?.he at one time advised the Bass Brothers in their investments. Should be lots of info around?and like Zell above you could get plenty of info about their companies since these are public companies and therefore you can get annual reports, 10Ks, etc.
I think these folks may be a good start for you on your topic. If you?re wanting to do a history of ?real estate gurus?, then the above names would be inappropriate.
JPiper
Re: I have a research paper due - Posted by Bob (Md)
Posted by Bob (Md) on March 11, 2001 at 09:03:15:
Robert G. Allen’s, “Nothing Down for the 90S” and “Creating Wealth”
Russ Whitney has a couple of books out - titles can be found in earlier posts (I don’t own them)
“The Five Magic Paths to Making a Fortune in Real Estate”, I think the author is Lumley.
Kevin Meyers has a good book on rehabs, and has a decent website. For some reason, the autocensor won’t let me post the URL ?!?!?, but it looks something like http://www.rehab@@wiz.com, but with the spurious characters missing. There are some good on-line articles on that site
If you are allowed to cite Internet sources, you would be well advised to use the articles on this site - there are three different groups of them, general, financing, and success stories. You could garner enough information for 10 research papers just in those articles alone.
Wish you well, I’m working on a couple of research papers of my own this weekend and have a book deadline that’s overdue. Back to work!
The book that got me started … - Posted by John J
Posted by John J on March 10, 2001 at 23:42:07:
was, “How You Can Become Financially Independent by Investing in Real Estate”, by Dr. Albert Lowry, published in 1977. Another book from that era that also described examples and techniques applicable back then is, “How I Turned $1,000 into Three Million in Real Estate - in My Spare Time”, by William Nickerson.