Making it in Real Estate: Starting Out as a Developer

As someone who has spent time in Private Equity (funding commercial real estate development deals) and then as a developer, I can tell you that McNellis' book is the perfect guide for you to get started out in the industry. John introduces and clearly follows the best practices in the industry and conveys them to the audience with practical applicable anecdotes, real life examples, and compliments it all with light humor. I could not put this book down. And even being in the industry, I learned a lot about how other developers (like John) carry out their deals. If you’ve heard John’s ULI lectures, you’ll hear the same tone and voice in this book. This book is not highly technical nor is it difficult to read. This book isn’t meant to teach you every aspect of development. It’s meant to help you understand how to enter the development world for yourself should you be interested, how to avoid some of the most dangerous pitfalls/traps of being a developer, and help you understand how to be an overall success in the industry. And he is able to do this by sharing his own experiences in a clear and easy to understand manner. In addition to this, John does a phenomenal job of sharing insight into how your partners operate in development (i.e. how do the brokers or architects think?).I would say this book is a must for your library and that you should regularly re-read it. I can’t recommend this book enough. Even if you’re an experienced developer, keep an open mind and try to learn how others get to the same goals. Of all the developers that I know of, I believe that McNellis is easily one of the most successful and well-rounded developers who truly enjoys giving back. He is sensible, down to Earth, and shares industry knowledge through an unfiltered lens. I would also urge you to follow John’s columns that he writes (about development and business in general). His essays, like the chapters of this book, provide incredible insight, are easy to read, and always leave you learning something new.Get the book, read it, and learn it. May you find the most successful path to where you’re going.

Mr. McNellis,I recently finished your primer, "Making It in Real Estate," and wanted to thank you for a well-written book. I may finish 25 titles a year, most of them written perfectly well, but I've never been compelled to reach out to an author.Please, allow me to expound1)Literary real estate advice could categorically have one of two titles:"I'M AWESOME! A Wordsy Ode to Me About How I Had No Money and Now I Have Too Much."or"Time Series Analysis Application As It Pertains To Linear Degenerative Modeling: How to Over Think Everything, Save the Earth, Include Poor People, and Please the Community."Not to mention the acute lack of actually-development-focused literature.I've recommended your book in my Master's Program and for incoming students because it's actually truthfully really about property development - from someone who actually truthfully really has developed properties. Thank you for sticking to the point and being useful.2)It's well written. Legitimately and honestly well written. In the day of the blogosphere I think maybe standards have fallen; maybe there's so much to write that people can't possibly be expected to think it through - that's just my theory, it may be wrong. Either way, your book was funny without being cheesy, truthful without being anecdotal, and useful without being boring. You sir, are a talented writer.Here's the point: Every author and their mother tells you what to do. 95% of the things I've learned in my life - the things that really stuck and hit home - begin with what not to do. Your warnings against IRR, banking relationships, the city, and everything else often go contrary to what we're taught in school or read in books and THAT'S what I'm looking for. All I hear about is theoretical best-case-scenario, which empirically is not the case with anything in the history of ever.I look forward to reading your next book, and thank you.

McNellis has a good sense of humor, a good deal of common sense, and surely a good sense of the basic principles to make it in real estate and why not - in business. I'd dare say this book is more of a check-list of "must-haves" for aspiring real estate developers, personally and in the cut-throat world of development, than a "how-to" guide. It would probably also be fair to say that if someone is picking up this book without a hint of the real estate world, he/she may be easily lost or discouraged. A lot of the concepts, examples, slang, as well as the author's take on many facets of the business are best seen through a lens that has been exposed to real estate, in my case, through land services and both commercial and residential sales. I will probably read this book once, twice, maybe three times before I jump into my first real estate development, which in my case is maybe two years away. It is a quick, rather fun read and I'm sure repetition will help engrain those very basic, yet very important concepts onto my head. Last but not least, the cover photo could be changed to something more aligned with the book contents. Still love the skyscrapers though!!

Intrinsic wisdom is shared in these pages. Sparing the reader of lessons learned the hard way. Highly recommend.

If you want linear growth and a safe, smooth and secure way to steward the money you have and the money you are entrusted with to steward well and live a life of value to yourself and others, this book is a must-read.There wasn't an over-eagerness or glamorization about development or painting it as easy and with the amount of noise out there by those with a few years under their belts and flash in the pan success. This isn't a man with a tall hat and no cattle, this is facts, experience over several decades, honest cautions feelings and insights like I've never experienced before. In the few weeks it took me to listen and integrate Johns words into my life, I have been able to add exponential value to those who trust me with their asset growth and mangement.Although I haven't met John in person (yet), his character, experience and humility landed most heavily with me. He is a man whom I now admire, appreciate and hope to emulate in my career.Thank you, John, your life and desire to share have changed my life's and my family's trajectory.I'll be joining ULI and meeting you soon, I'll be the handsome bearded Canadian

The examples that John gives in this book are based in the United States. However, almost all cases can be applied in any market around the world. While you are reading the book, sometimes is difficult to catch the sarcasm that John uses in some parts of the book, this is maybe because I am not a native speaker. If you are in the real estate industry this is totally a must-have book of your library.

One of the Worst Real Estate Books with Bogus Content. And an utter waste of money. I returned back the book in 2 days from recieving it.

One of the best property development related book I have come across. Concise, easy to understand and very valuable lesson throughout the book. Highly recommended

I liked the book alot because you can see the approach of the author in how he and his company started off and its also very good to understand the points He's trying to proof and he does.