Long-Distance Real Estate Investing: How to Buy, Rehab, and Manage Out-of-State Rental Properties

I’ve listened to several real estate podcasts and read various real estate books for numerous years now, but I have always hesitated to invest. No matter how much information I heard or read, I was consumed by fear and analysis paralysis. Both of David’s books (Long Distance Real Estate Investing and BRRRR) have been gamechangers for me. They have equipped me with a plan and resolution to begin my real estate investing journey and purchase my first property in the next few weeks. Buying, reading, and applying the information in these books is easily one of the greatest investments in my life! Through his books, David stripped away every single one of my excuses and provided me with a fail-proof plan to execute. David has a big brain and a big heart. Not only is he a savvy investor with a wealth of knowledge and experiences (a true master in his craft); he is also a compassionate teacher with a servant’s heart (he knows exactly what it’s like to be in the shoes of a beginner). If you’re ready to be empowered with powerful analogies, real-life experiences, sage wisdom, practical tools, step-by-step guides, time-tested systems and models, scripts, tips and tricks, etc., you must read these books! I highly recommend them! I’m eagerly waiting for his upcoming book on systems!

If you're thinking about investing in real estate outside your local market, this book is a must-read. He does an excellent job breaking down the process of buying, rehabbing, and managing out-of-state rental properties. From finding the right markets to building a reliable team, the advice is practical and actionable. I especially appreciated the tips on managing properties remotely, he covers everything from vetting contractors to using technology for day to day management. This book gave me the confidence to start investing in markets I wouldn’t have considered before. Highly recommend for anyone looking to grow their real estate portfolio from a distance!

Pros: Mr. Greene explains key real estate concepts which all investors can benefit from hearing. 1. the core 4 to build a team in any market is a great framework for getting started before you jump in. In particular, his "how to" for managing contractors was particularly helpful as this is often the most challenging piece of any renovation. 2. In terms of lead generation for finding new properties, this is the most sound and actionable advice I have come across. Mr. Greene provides 4-5 concrete examples of how to find properties with opportunity which anyone can use. 3. Mr. Greene is a master of the metaphor and I appreciated his ability to simplify complex concepts at first from a high level perspective and next by unpacking each concept and getting in the weeds with his real life examples. Cons: As others have mentioned, there are times where the book could be more concise, however I had no problem reading the entire book in 2 days. Final Takeaway. Well worth the $18 as it will pay for itself many times over if you put in to practice what Mr. Greene preaches.

I enjoyed this book. Listened to it on audible first then ordered the hard copy to have access to some of the tools and tips he describes. My only complaint is that the author writes way too much on topics that need little introduction. For instance, he’s got a whole section describing the wonders of the “Smart Phone” and how it helps him make real estate deals. Perhaps he wrote the book in 1990, but I’m sure he could have saved the ink and writers cramp on some that. I did find myself hitting the skip button frequently. But, a useful book nonetheless. I do recommend it.

This was actually the first book I ever read on rental property investing, which ultimately piqued my interest so much, I went on to read 6 more and counting. David has a knack for breaking down the process of rental property investing into these teeny, tiny manageable bites that just make it so easy for ANYONE to get started. I bought my first rental property after completing this book and have not looked back, since buying 3 more units. This is an essential read for anyone interested in rental property investing, period, and shouldn't simply be reserved for those looking to do so long-distance. The processes David describes for Long Distance are super applicable anywhere. Why? Because investing someplace that isn't nearby forces you to implement systems, and those systems work everywhere, and I'd argue make you an even better investor than DIY'ing this part over here and that piece over there, just because the property is close-by and "you can". If you are remotely considering rental property investing, you will not regret reading this.

David did an amazing job with this book. I would say that, before reading this book, the idea or concept of owning investment properties outside of my immediate jurisdiction seemed as crazy as owning investment properties outside my immediate jurisdiction... meaning, completely counterintuitive. This book contains not just theory, but common sense and David's actual experiences. Most importantly: guidelines and rules of thumb born from decades of hard won lessons in the industry. This is one the best books on investing I've ever read, and most highly recommended. His personal stories were very humanizing, and proof it can be done - by anyone. I found this book by listening to the bigger pockets podcast, so if you're reading this without having listened to that podcast, go look it up! Great stuff. David Greene is the guru of real estate investing, par excellence - no need to climb the mountain for this guru, just open Spotify. He's also on IG @davidgreene24 Great book!

So, this book was more than I expected it to be - a pleasant surprise. At almost 300 pages, the read is quicker than I expected as well. Admittedly, I skipped some of the motivational stories in the beginning, not that I have an aversion to inspiration, I was just anxious to see if there was any meat on this bone. Again, I was pleasantly surprised. Greene gives very detailed (but not laborious) information on the methods he uses to vet deals and “employees”, including sample letters for emailing potential agents and banks. He lists questions that investors will want to ask property managers, websites and apps for maximizing technological advantages, researching contractors, ways to better understand your investment market, calculating rental rates... and I’m just literally scratching the surface. So, a LOT of valuable information. If you are a seasoned investor with several deals under your belt, some of this information will be common knowledge to you already, but I still feel like the book is worth the small investment for the treatment of his main premise alone - that the best deals may not be in your back yard. Greene gives you the steps to find those deals and the means to manage them without ever leaving your home town. If you’re just getting started in real estate investing, get your hands on this book - “gurus” have been known charge thousands for less information than you can have here for under $20.

This book is both insightful and reaffirming of the information that I already know. If you are interested in looking out of state to invest in real estate I highly recommend that you give this book a read. David Greene explains how to use other people's skills to your own advantage and make the best use of your own skills (and time). The book points out the different methods and ways of hacking certain relationships such as those with contractors, agents, tenants, lenders...etc, which I found to be very helpful. David explains the myths of long distance investing and how, in this present age, it is a game changer for being able to continue your investing career while living in an expensive market. I personally will continually use this book as a reference as I continue to look to other cities and states to either flip or own rentals. Highly recommend this book as well as all other books that Bigger Pockets puts out.

This was an amazing read. Not only was the book packed full of actionable steps needed for someone looking to invest out of state/country, the stories and examples David shares from past deals gave me a better understanding of the various strategies and my overall retention of the material was drastically elevated. I recommend this book, along with a note pad, highlighter, and sticky notes, for anyone looking to start their long distance real estate business. As a follow up to this book, I have started the BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refi, repeat) book. This will be the strategy I deploy out of state. You can also grab this book on amazon. If the deals doesn't make sense in your market, break down the barrier and invest in another market. Thanks David

Para quem é iniciante, o livro dá uma boa visão geral. Mas eu senti falta de alguns exemplos numéricos, com tabelas e planilhas.

Thank you David for this amazing book. A real open horizons book. I love it. Best regards from Quebec, Canada. Leo

Opening minds about fears and inner story who stop you from progressings in your real estates path

I am enjoying the book quite a bit so far. For a while I believed that it was just a lot harder to invest in Canada than the United States because of the housing prices in larger cities. After hearing about the book a number of times on the Bigger Pockets podcast I decided to do a serious search of the smaller cities in my Province, and I found that there were good deals to be found. Obviously it's quite daunting for a beginner to think about investing from a distance, so I picked up this book to learn all I can, and it has not disappointed. The biggest impact it's had so far is that it's given me confidence- not only is long distance investing doable, but if you put in the work and implement the correct systems there's nothing to be afraid of.