Book Review: Fix Em Up Rent Em Out

BOOK REVIEW: Fix Em Up Rent Em Out by Terry Spouse

I found this book to be loaded with sound advice. I was able to gleam much information based on the authors actual experience in the rental property business. Not only was his experience appreciated but I also appreciated the fact that he was able to start this venture while still keeping his current job.

In chapter two, Terry covered some of the reasons our family has gotten started into the buying and fixing up of rental properties. Retirement and concerns with the current state of the economy ranked high for us. As we approached the age of 40 we were looking for a better way to secure our future retirement years. Since my husbands work field is in home building & remodeling it seemed foolish not to use our knowledge and skills to work for us. This book helps us learn the areas of the rental business we are not so familiar with.

I think anyone reading this book would feel confident to try the rental property business. In Terry's book he covers the best way to learn, by watching and than doing it yourself. He also supplies plenty of tips about what to watch for when considering a property you want to purchase. Not all properties will work in our favor. Terry makes several points as to some of the things you need to watch out for. All very good and needed advice for anyone starting out.

Let's face it we all wish we had a bag of extra money lying around so we can buy our first property. We didn't! This is a big challenge for many people who wish to get started. Terry discusses different types of financing so you can consider what would work best in your situation. Terry also suggests his favorite method of starting out which allows you to take advantage of the
1997 Taxpayer Relief Act. This is valuable information.

My favorite chapters included Terry's wise advice on how to keep track of items for tax purposes and how to handle problems with tenants. With 6 children, I especially appreciated his understanding on how to involve children in the process. I have read several real estate books and none have ever touched on this topic.

I highly recommend this book to anyone curious about the rental property business. Not only is it easy to read and understand but it is also ideal for anyone wanting to start out fixing up homes or for anyone already involved in the rental property business. We all have so much to share about our experiences and Terry does just that, he shares his experience with a great outlook to the future that others can follow so that they to can succeed.

This is a book I know I will want to reread and share with others.