Customer Reviews
A Great Step-by-Step Intro in Investing 
2008-06-12
This is an excellent book by Thomas as he thoroughly takes you through the process of purchasing an investment property. He provides a wealth of resources on nearly every aspect of investing by listing websites and addresses.
His forms are great for providing you with an idea for approaching home owners. However, the tone of the letters are some what dismissive--but that's just my opinion.
The only area that needs enhancing is providing one with an idea as to estimate value in the property. He does not provide as much detail as others (i.e., Steve Berges "The Complete Guide to Real Estate Finance for Investment Properties"). With that said, it is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it.
Shortsales 
2008-04-27
The information included in this book has made my job much easier and has expanded my knowledge base and expertise. The organization I have derived from it is most valuable.
one of the top foreclosure books 2008-04-23
I spent a weekend reading the book. Loved it. The author knows what he is talking about. He also has a good website where you can download the proper letter you should send out to people in distress.
I own a foreclosure company and have adapted some of his techniques, nevertheless (not to take away any merit from the authorm but instead to enhance the next version of his book) our company principals felt like the letters were a little bit to hard on the person that is loosing their homes. And sometimes talking this hard to people could have negative consequences. We have to understand that these are individuals that when loosing their homes, can go into denial and sometimes enter into very heavy depression.
If you do decide to get into this process of sending out letters the only thing you should try and add to them, is to let the people know that you are there because you really care to help them out and you are not there to make a quick buck! People will give you their homes if you are upfront, honest and ethic about what you are trying to do.
Don't forget to add a little note written by hand thats tells the reader that you: "really care to help them!"
Other than that, you should buy the book if you are into the business of Real Estate.
Good read 2008-04-17
Very informative kit. Many people hear the word foreclosure or pre-foreclosure and automatically think, bargain or a steal or buying a home for dirt cheap; but there's a lot more to it than that and this book gives you a very good insight of how the process works. Buying distressed Real Estate can be time consuming, costly and a real challenge, as you will find out after reading this book.
Perhaps the best book on foreclosures for the average reader. 2008-02-27
This is the fourth book on foreclosures that I have read in the last two weeks and it is by far the best. copywrite is 2005. The author says less than 10% of the people reading this book will ever buy a foreclosure property. He also says, "The number one reason most beginners strike out in this business is they overestimate the current market value of the very first pre-foreclosure property they purchase". "Market value" is not the same as "current value". "Assessed value" is not the same as "appraised value". The author explains things in detail. He also gives you many, many sources online where you can gather much needed information to make quality business decisions. The many online sources alone justify the purchase of this book, but it is the author's honest handling of all phases of the foreclosure process that should make this your first foreclosure book. If you are currently in foreclosure buy this book and help yourself negotiate. If you are thinking of buying a foreclosure buy this book and learn why not to "purchase at auction on the courthouse steps" and why you should always pay a professional to do a through title search. One more thing. Some properties are not insurable. This book can easily save you thousands of dollars.
Excellent book 2007-11-26
Pre-foreclosure real estate is one of the hottest investment opportunities on the market.
The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investors Kit offers step-by-step instruction and no-nonsense advice on how to find great deals, estimate fair market value, negotiate with sellers, sell your property on your own, and win big in real estate. Youll learn how to get the best deals on foreclosure properties before they go to auction and utilize simple ready-made worksheets, checklists, forms, and agreements that make getting started easy. Even people of modest means can get into pre-foreclosure investing—all it takes is a little hard work, persistence, and the tools youll find in this handy guide.
Comprehensive, Informative, Better Than Fantastic! 2007-11-09
After having read this book I am of the opinion that Thomas J. Lucier has written the definitive "must buy" book on pre-foreclosure investing. This book is comprehensive in scope -- he lays it all out for the reader, walking you through the pre-foreclosure investing process from A to Z. You will learn about state foreclosure laws, how to deal with lenders, the psychology of dealing with property owners who are in the midst of foreclosure, how to use foreclosure notices to locate local properties, using direct mail and inexpensive classified ads to contact prospective sellers -- it's all here.
I found the writing style to be clear and concise, and unlike so many other authors who use their books as nothing more than marketing vehicles to promote their other programs, Lucier actually teaches you what you'll need to know to make a success of it as a pre-foreclosure investor. A nice bonus is that Lucier includes a list of Internet resources for you to continue your research online.
Also, the last seventeen pages of the book are devoted to, "How to Package, Market, and Resell Pre-Foreclosures for Maximum Profit." While excellent information to include, this chapter only gives you a "taste" of what you'll need to know after you have used Lucier's excellent techniques to acquire a property. You'll need to pick up another book in order to fully learn this phase of the investing process and I have a recommendation.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that I am an attorney, real estate broker, investor, trainer, and author of another unique and highly readable book on real estate investing that can also be found here on Amazon -- The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth Buying Houses: The Foolproof Roadmap to Real Estate Riches Without the Risks and Hassles of Landlording. The book also includes sample leases, forms, and checklists, so that you can actually go out and implement the investing strategy it teaches as soon as you're done reading.
Perhaps one of the reasons I like Lucier's book so much is the fact that he has written his book exactly as I'd have written it myself had he not already beaten me to the punch!
good overall information 2007-11-04
I am a very experienced investor (over 35 years in Real Estate Mortgages, Brokerage and appraising) and have purchased several properties at auction. This book does outline his program of acquiring properties before they go to sale. As possess are different in across the country, the book does apply broad principles. It is much more informative than similar books that just talk about past transactions. He does appear to have very practical experience which is more than I can say about other writers.
Great guide for real estate's bubble crash 2007-11-02
Let's face it, tax liens and preforeclosures are the new "it" for this new downward market. This is where you can get lots of money by getting cheap houses, as foreclosures mount over and over again month after month.
This book guides you through preforeclosures and being able to negotiate before it hits the foreclosure market. While auctions do give you savings, being able to negotiate it before hand gives you more leverage and you don't go through the hassle of being outbid. Here are other good reads about foreclosures:
Complete Guide to Real Estate Tax Liens and Foreclosure Deeds: Learn in 7 Days-Investing Without Losing Series (Investing Without Losing)
Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens: Earn Safe, Secured, and Fixed Returns Every Time
Good book 2007-10-29
This is a great book on preforeclosures, a certain point in time when houses are owned by the bank or are in the process of being owned by the bank but has not been sold to a public auction yet. This is where people get huge savings because you can deal with the bank or owner (that's about to lose his or her home).
This is one of the two favorite books I have in my real estate/foreclosures library. See my other reviews for more info on other books.
