and here we are. it’s almost a new year.
so, how did it go? did you give your number? if so, congratulations!
You are reading: Real estate sales books
If not, don’t worry. Now is the perfect time to harness that thoughtful end-of-the-year energy into game-changing power plays for your real estate business. But with so many tips, tactics, and strategies vying for your attention, how do you know which ones really work?
We turned to our network of leading real estate brokers and advisors to tell us about the book that had the most practical impact on their business so you can narrow down your reading list and start the new year.
No matter where you are on your real estate journey, we’ll help you find your next great read!
in this list you will find:
- best books for real estate agents for beginners
- best books to grow your real estate business
- best books to build and lead your team
- the best books to sharpen your mind
Just starting your real estate career or want to share a book with a new agent? this is where you want to start.
These books are beloved real estate classics for a reason. But you don’t have to be a beginner to get something out of them: seasoned agents return to these titles over and over again to get to grips with the fundamentals.
1. gary keller’s millionaire real estate agent with dave jenks and jay papasan
You can’t create a list of the best real estate agent books without mrea. many agents consider it the bible of real estate, so if you haven’t read it before, now is the time!
recommended by: john selby, team leader, the selby team
“I heard it in 2015, I took a lot from it, I put a lot of things in its place. and I feel like I’m in a place where hearing it again will really help. I’ve already taken a lot of great nuggets from there that will be implemented for maybe the next 5 years.”
To learn more about how John brings these lessons to life, check out our interview: Zero Touch Real Estate Process Engineering: 3 Steps to a System You Don’t Have to Think About
reader reviews:
“the model for the success of real estate agents”- hwt
“this book, unlike other improvised content from other authors, is literally the blueprint for automating success in real estate.”
“many people go into real estate with the same lack of business and entrepreneurial skills that they have always had. even if they see success, they lock themselves into a trap of hard work that requires more and more of them. I met and talked to a local vendor who does $50 million in transactions a year with no idea about entrepreneurship and trading systems. yes, he was taking home between $40,000 and $60,000 a month… but he was on call, working 60+ hours a week and had no equipment. she is a highly paid worker, she does not own a business. I feel like this book should be required reading in real estate school for that very reason!!”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
gary keller is an american businessman and best-selling author. He is the founder of Keller Williams, which is the world’s largest real estate company by number of agents, closed sales volume, and units sold. Keller founded Keller Williams on training and education and later brought his teachings to print.
2. exactly what to say by phil m. jones
recommended by: chris smith, co-founder, curator
“exactly what to say by phil m. jones is a must read/listen for all agents. it’s a quick, tactical version of sales scripts that can be easily applied to a real estate transaction. if you’re open-minded to a better way to sell this book, that’s amazing.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
Author of five international best-selling books and the youngest winner of the coveted “British Award for Excellence in Sales and Marketing”, Phil is currently one of the most in-demand assets in business around the world.
3. reverse selling: how real estate agents can turn cold calls into clients by brandon mulrenin
reader reviews:
“the best sales book I’ve ever read, especially for real estate” – addison fischer
“I have read practically every sales book available on the market. and most of the real estate books I can get my hands on. When I was done with just the first chapter of this book, it completely changed my perspective on what it means to “sell.” The reverse selling and wisdom imparted in this book by a 7-figure agent who has been in the trenches doing this stuff for years will change the way he views and runs his business! don’t learn from fake gurus who have never sold a house…. pick up this book and schedule more appointments in the next week than you have in your entire career. (that’s what happened to me)”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
Brandon Mulrenin is a former Keller Williams Premier #1 Listing Agent who went on to launch his own independent brokerage firm in Detroit, MI and grow it into one of the fastest growing real estate companies in the state. Now, he is the founder and CEO of reverseselling.com, as well as the managing director of three other entities: Brookstone Realtors, National Mortgage Finance, and Maximus Title Agency.
4. The Hyper-Fast Hyper-Local Real Estate Agent: How To Dominate Your Real Estate Market In Less Than A Year – I Did It And You Can Too! by daniel james lesniak
reader reviews:
“leadership by example (convincing!)”: advanced persistent concern
“dan’s story demonstrates that committed implementation of solid fundamentals can put you on top, every time. His success as a rookie would be unbelievable in a work of fiction, but as a factual narrative, backed up by verifiable statistics, it is truly inspiring. Many people advocate common sense, resolute ethics, and hard work; Hardly anyone offers such a detailed picture of how all of that can come together. this is hugely valuable to anyone working in real estate. I would also recommend it for anyone interested in business or anyone planning to buy or sell a home.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
After successful careers as a naval submarine officer and defense contractor, Dan Lesniak turned to real estate in 2012. He went on to earn over $22 million in sales in his first year, and it’s all thanks to the hyper-local strategies he establishes. in this book.
5. the electronic myth reviewed by michael e. gerb
recommended by: jared james, founder, jared james companies
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
miguel e. Gerber is an American author and founder of Michael E. Gerber Companies, a business skills training company based in Carlsbad, California. Inc. the magazine called him “the world’s #1 small business guru.”
6. Sold: Every Realtor’s Guide to Building a Profitable Business by David M. green
reader reviews:
“a must read for everyone, not just agents” – melissa roybal
“this book is amazing. David provides excellent and practical steps to take as a new or experienced agent. This book is invaluable to anyone who is serious about their real estate career and wants to run it like a real business. even those who are not into real estate as agents should read this book. also has useful information for real estate investors. David provides a framework for implementing systems that help agents succeed in their business. there is no other book like it on the market for agents. David is talking to the agent today. it provides information that is applicable to today’s technological world we live in combined with the tried and true methods for lead generation and follow-up that have stood the test of time.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
david greene is a real estate investor, top producing agent, and nationally recognized authority on real estate and co-host of the biggest pockets podcast. His other real estate books (Long-Distance Real Estate Investing and Buying, Renovating, Renting, Refinancing, Repeating (brrrr)) have sold more than 160,000 copies.
7. wealth can’t wait by david osborne
Recommended By: Nick Baldwin, Team Leader, KW Premier, COO, Lab Coat Agents & CEO, Nick Baldwin & associates
“Passive income in one shift is extremely important. it was always important. however, with home sales slowing, it is possible that there will be more offers that increase the ability to invest in real estate. Wealth Can’t Wait by David Osborne and Paul Morris would be my go-to for any agent right now looking to explore those opportunities.”
About the authors:
david osborn has built one of the world’s leading real estate agencies with over 4,500 agents and an annual sales volume in excess of $10 billion a year.
paul morris is a prolific and award-winning entrepreneur, trainer, author and business consultant.
8. the pumpkin plan by mike michalowicz
recommended by: cindy greenya, team leader, talbot greenya group
“the pumpkin plan is a great book about the power of building a system that is great and replicable and making it grow and being really specific about what you want your business to be. knowing your niche and really leaning into that. It is much better to specialize in what you do well than to do a thousand things that you do not do well.”
Watch our interview with Cindy Greenya: “The One Mistake That Made This Real Estate Team Leader A Firm Believer In Follow-Up.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
mike michalowicz knows how to build a business. in fact, simon sinek considered him a “leading candidate for patron saint of entrepreneurs”. With deep experience building and running multi-million dollar companies, he has also dedicated his life to researching impactful business strategies.
9. enlargement: how some companies do it… and why the rest don’t by verne harnish
Recommended by: beth nordaune, CEO & Founder, The Enclave Team
“verne harnish extension – I always say this is one of the best books if you’re thinking of building a team that you should check out.”
Check out our interview with beth nordaune: “how this second-generation real estate agent scaled her way from a 5-person operation to a multi-location team.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
verne harnish is the founder of the world-renowned entrepreneurs organization (eo). His book, Expanded, has won eight major international book awards, including the prestigious International Book Award for Best Overall Business Book.
Whether you’re starting a team or looking to take your agents to the next level, check out these great reads for realtors and team leaders.
10. the traction library by gino wickman et al.
recommended by: steven rovithis, broker/owner, rovi homes
“I’m really digging really deep into the eos stuff. so they have a series of six books. we hired an integrator or implementer to come in and help us integrate that into our system because we were getting to a size where the org chart wasn’t in a good place. And we’ve really been working hard to make sure that our meetings are running efficiently, that the structure is right, and that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. It really opened my eyes to how an organization can function successfully. we were definitely improvising it.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
gino wickman is the creator of the enterprise operating system (eos), a hands-on approach to helping businesses achieve greatness. There are more than 130,000 companies using eos tools around the world. The first book in the series, Traction: Take Control of Your Business, has sold more than 1 million copies, and the other five books in the Traction Library have sold nearly 2 million copies.
11. dare to lead by dr. brown brène
recommended by: lisa archer, director of opportunities, live love houses
“I love to read, the most recent was Brene Brown, dare to lead.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
dr. Brené Brown is a Research Professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington-Brene Brown Foundation Chair in the Graduate School of Social Work.
12. the high-performing real estate team: 5 keys to dramatically increasing sales and commissions by brian icenhower
reader review: “the mrea for teams” – jason jenkins
“I can tell you that, as someone who has done a great deal of work as a real estate agent, taking the time to learn the nuances and other different disciplines that are required to be successful as a real estate agent, that this book It is without a doubt the base for everything related to equipment in the real estate sector. This book teaches you not only how to have a team, but also how to run it like a business. For anyone who has ever run a business, you can verify that he knows exactly what I mean. …[as] someone who has read dozens and dozens of books on business and the different fields of real estate[,] this is a must have for the shelf. You will thank me for recommending it.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
brian icenhower is the CEO and founder of icenhower coaching & Consulting (ICC) – One of the world’s largest real estate advisory firms, supporting many of the highest-producing brokerage agents, teams and owners. icc also produces podcasts, online courses, video modules, training materials, and more.
13. what you do is what you are by ben horowitz
recommended by: emily smith, coo, wemert group realty
“it’s about creating culture in an office space. it was passed on to me by a vendor partner of ours who was like ‘oh you’re my culture girl. you need to read this book.’ and i read it and couldn’t put it down. it was really good “.
Watch our interview with Emily Smith: “Not a Brokerage: How to Get to $265M with 40% Repeat Referrals Using a Team-First Approach.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
ben horowitz, a noted venture capitalist, modern management expert, and new york times bestselling author, combines lessons from both history and modern organizational practice with practical and often surprising advice to help executives create cultures that can handle both the good and the bad. times.
14. culture code by daniel coyle
recommended by: ryan rodenbeck, broker/owner, spyglass realty
“I think five years ago you would tell me to read the cultural code. and I would focus more on that.”
Watch our interview with Ryan Rodenbeck: “How to build a dream team of 20 agents and hit $96 million a year.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
Daniel Coyle is the author of the New York Times bestselling Lance Armstrong’s War and Hardball: A Season in the Projects, and is a contributing editor to an outside magazine.
15. extreme property: how u.s. navy seals lead and win by jocko willink
recommended by: steven rovithis, broker/owner, rovi homes
“I promise you, right now you have people in your organization who are better off in a different role. And that book, Jocko Willink’s extreme property, hits the nail on the head with all the responsibility. At this point, I really have to go to extreme measures, to the point where if an employee isn’t working, it probably has something to do with the hiring process, right? so I have to take responsibility for how we have failed them. maybe we never should have hired them in the first place or something. really trying to own everything is hard to swallow sometimes, but if you take that attitude and don’t expect anything from anyone, you can fall in love with the process, right? because it sure is a daily routine.”
about the author
jocko willink is a decorated retired officer of the navy seals. In 2010, he launched Echelon Front, where he teaches leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win.
Sometimes you don’t need tactics, but you do need help getting in the right mindset for success. these books will help you do just that!
16. change: how the best real estate agents tackle tough times by gary keller
(yes, another gary keller book…it’s that good!)
recommended by: donna stott, runner/trainer, your training matters
“shift is a great book because it shows you how to look at how to get from where you are to where you want to be. there are 3 parts they use metaphors for: the rider, the elephant, and the road.”
“the rider is the intellect. the plan maker. the system generator. this rider gets on the elephant, which represents motivation and actions taken… or just standing still. It can be easy to have a great plan, but if you don’t have the motivation and take action, the elephant just stands there. you’re not going anywhere. the third part, however, relates to the brief synopsis above. the road is how you get there. is it with ease? or are there rocks in the way? what about pebbles? twists and turns? how well the elephant moves is determined by the path you choose.”
“choosing bought leads over generating leads is one of those paths that can lead to a lot of trouble.”
watch our interview with donna & mike stott: “how to triple your real estate business by shrinking your database”.
17. the best salesman in the world by og mandino
recommended by: ron howard, owner, ron howard & preferred re/max partners
“I would recommend the best seller in the world by og mandino. verl workman recommended it to me and it’s just great.”
“is influenced by many ancient philosophies, including bible lessons and others. for example, one is ‘I will form good habits and become his slave’. things like ‘start each day with love in your heart’. I will persist until I succeed. It has a lot of the same ideas you might find in other books, but the way it’s written and presented is brilliant.”
see our interview with ron howard: “earning real estate without ‘selling'”.
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
og mandino is the world’s most widely read inspirational and self-help author. Former president of Success Unlimited magazine, Mandino was the first recipient of the Napoleon Hill Gold Medal for his literary achievement. OG Mandino was a member of the International Speakers Hall of Fame and was honored with Teachers of Influence by the National Speakers Association. og mandino passed away in 1996.
18. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. cialdini
recommended by: joshua smith, real estate coach & gsd mode host
“influence of robert cialdini…we are in the ‘human connection’ business and we need to be extremely effective with human connection and build great long-term relationships. the real estate industry is moving from a ‘business of relations’ to a ‘transactional business’ and if our industry is based on transactions, it will weaken the role of the realtor and continue to reduce realtor compensation. As realtors, the real battle we face is making sure we that our industry doesn’t become transactional and as technology expands yes we need to learn and master how to use technology in the most effective way possible but we need to use technology to enable us to develop stronger relationships and we need to be extremely careful to not allow it to replace the relationship.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence, earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation. Influence has been included in the “New York Times Business Best Seller List”. Fortune magazine lists Influence in its “75 Smartest Business Books.” the CEO reads the influencer lists in his “100 Best Business Books of All Time.”
19. Maxwell’s Daily Reader by John C. maxwell
recommended by: dr. lee davenport, founder, learn with lee: real estate coaching & consultancy
“I love this because it’s really ‘365 days of insight to develop the leader in you.’ year:
great leaders are rarely caught off guard. they realize that the punch that knocks them out is rarely the strongest, it’s the one they didn’t see coming. therefore, they are always looking for signs and indicators that will give them an idea of the problem that is coming and their chances of solving it… pay attention to your intuition and follow up when something surprises you.
“Do you see what I mean? you may have a gut feeling to take a course of action as the new year approaches. hopefully this excerpt will give you the courage to follow your instincts.”
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
john c. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold more than 19 million books. he is the founder of equip and the john maxwell company. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week bestselling author, Maxwell has written three books that have sold more than a million copies each.
20. principles by ray dalio
recommended by: taylor hack, owner and team leader, hack&co.
“A book that I have read in the past and will return to is Ray Dalio Principles, and specifically the sections where he talks about the people around you in your business being a multiplier of your hours. he’s the best I’ve seen at resonant team communication. Like he’s talking about how his team needs to cascade a message seven times before it starts to resonate.”
watch our interview with taylor hack: “the road from car salesman to real estate sales force”.
See Also: New Testament Writers: Who Were They? – Renew
See Also: 66 books of the Bible list (plus free printables pdf) – The Faith Space
About the author:
ray dalio is the founder and co-chairman of bridgewater associates, the world’s largest and best performing hedge fund. dalio has appeared on the time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. Principles is a #1 New York Times bestseller and a #1 Amazon Business Book of the Year.
The information is great, but the learning itself can become overwhelming if you don’t do it with the right intentions. This is the time to complete your forecasts, build your pipeline, and really reflect on who your customers are and what they need from you.
take stock of your business strengths and areas for improvement. Are they aligned with your highest personal goals? what about your goals for the year?
You’re too busy to spend time learning about an aspect of the business that’s better off in someone else’s hands. focus on having the right people and lead management systems in place so you can put your best energy where it matters most.
because at the end of the day, books are full of great ideas, but information is only power when applied.
See Also: Tim Green – Book Series In Order