whats the oldest book on real estate investing you know of??

[natedog]

Hey guys, can anyone give me some ideas on where i can find old books entirely devoted to real estate investing. the earlier the better, lets make it a competition to see who can provide the earliest. title, author and publisher would be great. im thinking the state library would be a good place for me to look. has anyone else done this before? cheers all

 

[skater]

Why the need for old ones? Surely the newer books would be more relevant to today?

 

[The Y-man]

Well, back in the old days, real estate investing was done through conquest, so a book still available today would be Sun Tzu's "Art of War"?

Cheers,

The Y-man

 

[Peter Parker]

Why the need for old ones? Surely the newer books would be more relevant to today?

If one wanted a detailed recipe, then I'd agree.

But otherwise it's interesting reading old books to get a longer view.

Things sold today on the basis of their 'timeless appeal' may be nothing of the sort. There may have been an alternative set of things considered important many years ago, and most likely in the future as well. Old books add this sort of dimension.

Jan Somers refers to a book by Fred Johnson written 30 or 40 years ago.

Another, previously discussed here, is 'The Land Boomers' by Michael Cannon, published in 1966. Though it was a history of the 1880s boom, many of the techniques were eerily similar to that used by property spruikers and corporate crooks over a century later.

Rgds, Peter

 

[wish-ga]

what a great idea spiderman. Will be fascinating.

Please bullet point your most interesting findings on the boards for us!

 

[pieman]

yes i have a copy of the fred johnson book, its about 79ish but refers to a previous edition. Its a gem and has a chapter entitled along the lines of how to be a millionaire with property investing. Lets just say that if you folowed what this guy had said you would be worth far more than a million dollars now probably a 10mill+. It was the old formalua that I follow, borrow to the hilt (not applicable just at the moment) and keep buying with maybe the odd development along the way and wait.
It has some interesting figures like the median in syd,. was 68k or something and Fred says "believe it or not we predict the average price will be 120k by the end of the decade (80's)"...geez he wasnt wrong!!!
HT

 

[Kieran]

In my research of the topic of the property cycle I came across a book first printed in 1933 called "100 years of land values in Chicago" by Homer Hoyt. It is a detailed study of land values between 1833 and 1933!

He was the earliest writer on the topic that I could find. I refer to Homer Hoyt as the grandfather of the 'property cycle concept' in my own book on the property cycle (Grow rich with the property cycle) published recently.

In respect of it's relevance today, amazingly Homer identified the typical progression of the property cycle which can still be evidenced today (over 70 years later!)

 

[Peter Parker]

what a great idea spiderman. Will be fascinating.

Please bullet point your most interesting findings on the boards for us!

A discussion on The Land Boomers appears here:

http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16366

Rgds, Peter

 

[rossv]

hi,

Fred Johnson and Brendan whiting wrote a book called riches from real estate in 1980. However in the 10 yrs prior to this they also wrote How to get real estate rich, More riches from real estate, New ways to real estate wealth, New ways to real estate wealth in New Zealand and the way ahead to property wealth.
Fred johnson was i believe largely credited with introducing property trusts to australia from the US. He and his son brett formed quartile in 1992.
http://www.quartile.com.au/

Also around 1980 there two more i can think of .. Todays opportunities Tomorrows profits and How to win from real estate both by paul coombes.

All excellent books that truly foretold the future ....... if only.....



rossv

 

[natedog]

thanks guys for your ideas and titles, are any of these available at any libraries that anyone is aware of?

 

[natedog]

Pieman, what is the title of the fred johnson book and the publishers, id love to get a read of that one

 

[Gill Bates]

From
http://www.quartile.com.au/previouspublications.htm

also claims to allow to real latest book , online free, but have to give name and address. I have not looked at it.
============================

Previous Publications...

Previous books written and co-written by Fred Johnson on property and property investment.

Previous Publications

How To Get Real Estate Rich
More Riches From Real Estate
Increase Your Income Selling Real Estate

Books Co-written by Fred Johnson

The Way Ahead To Property Wealth
The Way Ahead To Property Wealth in New Zealand
New Ways to Property Wealth
Riches From Real Estate

Associated Publications

The Real Estate Analyst
The Johnson Report
The D.F Johnson Report



Click here to find out more about Fred's latest book on property investment, "The Wealth Power of Property"

 

[pieman]

natedog
its riches from realestate first edition 1980
printed by wb austin pty ltd, published by fredan pth ltf 80 chandos st st leonards nsw
some great chapters "always buy never sell" "how to become a millionaire from re in 10 years" "trends in property values" etc
all absoluteley spot on info, if you followed this guy in 1980 you would be worth millions now
pieman

 

[natedog]

Pieman, thanks for the info, look forward to finding it

 

[natedog]

Sorry Gill Bates, thanks to you also!!!

 

[asy]

Well, back in the old days, real estate investing was done through conquest, so a book still available today would be Sun Tzu's "Art of War"?

Agree, they may not be a how-to book on investing, but on the art of the deal, etc...

My 'earliest' pick would be my favourite book:

Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.

Can't wait for the new movie to come out, should be soon...

asy

 

[Aceyducey]

Wasn't the earliest book about property investing named 'The Old Testament'?

Of course they weren't as strict about vacant possession in those days...

Cheers,

Aceyducey

 

[asy]

Wasn't the earliest book about property investing named 'The Old Testament'?

Of course they weren't as strict about vacant possession in those days...

Cheers,

Aceyducey

Are you sure that was written before the Shakespeare?

asy ;D

 

[NigelW]

Hey guys, can anyone give me some ideas on where i can find old books entirely devoted to real estate investing. the earlier the better, lets make it a competition to see who can provide the earliest. title, author and publisher would be great. im thinking the state library would be a good place for me to look. has anyone else done this before? cheers all

How about the Richest Man in Babylon 1926?

Also I recall Geoff Doidge mentioning an out of print book by Bill Nickerson??? from the 70s with a title something like "how I turned $x into $1m in real estate in my spare time". A quick look on Amazon didn't turn up the exact book...

No doubt there's some good advice on money and property in the bible somewhere try Proverbs (ps that's not an endorsement of that work of historical fiction )

Cheers
N.

 

[Aceyducey]

No doubt there's some good advice on money and property in the bible somewhere try Proverbs (ps that's not an endorsement of that work of historical fiction )

Nigel,

You can start with the 'go out and multiply' bit - it's clearly an early attempt to describe the technique of buying, holding/renoing, refinancing & buying again....a multiplying technique.

Also some of the Ten Commandments are dead giveaways, such as the one about 'put no false idols before me' - clearly a double ententre discussing both the 'false' real estate gurus and the dangers of investing in other asset classes.

Finally, you have the passages on property management, such as the techniques the Israelites use to evict tenants in the land of Canaan.

Of course there are also parts in the New Testament which mention property investing, such as concerns over money lenders and the dangers of selecting partners who may not share your goals and simply want to sell out of their investment for 30 pieces of silver. However I reckon you can't go past the Old Testament for the bulk of the good advice.

Cheers,

Aceyducey