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Monday, June 02, 2008

book review: The Venus Approach to Real-Estate Investing by Philipp & Sonneck


Title: The Venus Approach to Real-Estate Investing – America’s Most Successful Women Real-Estate Investors reveal it all: Trade Secrets, Stiletto Methods and Motherly Love
Author: S. A. Philipp & Barbara Heil Sonneck
Publisher: The Sternthaler Group (February 22, 2008), Paperback, 220 pages
Genre:
Business, Real estate, Self-help/How-to
ISBN
-10: 0981482503
ISBN-13: 978-0981482507

“I know a lot of people are unable to realize their true potential because they are simply afraid to step outside the box. If I did, you can too!” - Kathy Kennebrook, Marketing Magic Lady.

“It takes determination to succeed at any endeavor that is worth your time and effort.” - Joanne Musa, tax lien investing consultant.

“Knowing one’s strengths is the key. Know what skills you’re lacking, go out and find someone who has that skill set and add him or her to your team.” - Wendy Patton, licensed real estate broker and builder.


This is only a sample of the inspiration and advice found in The Venus Approach to Real Estate Investing – America’s Most Successful Women Real-Estate Investors reveal it all: Trade Secrets, Stiletto Methods and Motherly Love by S. A. Philipp and Barbara Heil-Sonneck.

Written to encourage and empower women to use the strengths and wiles of their femininity to become successful real estate investors, this 220-page paperback sandwiches the first-person stories of nine such successful female investors between introductory chapters with provocative titles like “Where Low Testosterone Equals a Vastly Different Investment Approach” and concluding chapters that discuss what it takes to be successful in the field.

The book is a combination of inspiration, motivation, persuasion, advice and how-to. In lively and always-understandable prose the authors present real estate investing as a viable and rewarding option for which women are ideally suited. The chapter "Do You Have What It Takes to be a Successful Real Estate Investor" takes a realistic look at the demands of the career. Challenges of the currently troubled real estate market are addressed in "Tap Into the Special Female Touch to Conquer Even a Down Market." The authors also provide realistic and cautionary advice in “The Million Dollar ‘Not To Do List,’” which contains practical pointers like, “Do not invest without a plan,” and “Do not underestimate renovating costs.”

The first-person stories illustrate the variety in the real estate investment business. But these women have much in common too. All show themselves to be dedicated, hardworking and in love with what they do. Also, the main reasons they give for going into the business (to provide for their families, to gain financial independence, to experience the fulfillment of helping others, and to maintain flexibility of work hours and place) are repeated in story after story.

The book is laid out clearly with headings in capitals and lots of white space separating blocks of text. An index at the end references mostly people, websites and organization names (although in the copy reviewed, the page numbers were a little off with the need to subtract 3 or 4 pages from the number in the index).

This book would make an excellent resource for any woman, old or young, with an interest in real estate investing. It contains enough information about the business and the qualities needed to be successful to tell the reader whether or not this career is for her. Additionally, the book has a wealth of web site information for those wanting to find out more about the book’s contributors and their specialties, and begin educating themselves.

The Foreword is written by Linda C. Fuller who, with her husband, founded Habitat for Humanity. In 2005 the Fullers launched The Fuller Center for Housing which focuses on providing houses for the poorest of the poor. Ten percent of the sales of The Venus Approach to Real-Estate Investing will be donated to The Fuller Center for Housing.

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