Product Description

Trump Strategies for Real Estate offers unbeatable insider advice for every serious real estate investor—beginners and old pros alike. For more than twenty–five years, author George Ross has been one of Donald Trump’s chief advisors and intimately involved with many of Trump’s biggest real estate deals. Now, Ross teams up with bestselling real estate author Andrew McLean to present Trump’s real estate investment strategies so that even small investors can invest like Trump. You’ll learn how Trump identifies potential properties and how he finances, negotiates, and markets his big deals. Not everyone has Trump’s money or name, but everyone, even you, can use his tactics and strategies to win big in real estate.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95617 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Review
Ready for more? Pick up Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor. Written by George H. Ross, best known as one of Donald Trump′s sidekicks on "The Apprentice," this book will help you move into the bigger leagues of real estate investing. Ross gives some tips that seem to come right from the popular television show—Be Distinctive: Add Sizzle to Your Property and Understand Your Buyer′s Lifestyle, for example—but he also throws in a tremendous number of funny and fascinating stories culled from years in the business. A lawyer by training and practice, Ross has watched and shared Trump′s real estate magic for more than 25 years. Now, with Trump′s blessing, he shares the secrets he′s learned with all of us. Trump Strategies for Real Estate is a kick of a book because it offers insight into Trump as well as into the true nature of real estate investing. This is definitely a primer for anyone who wants to add sizzle to his or her personal style. It′s also a great how–to book from an associate of the glitziest and most interesting personality in the real estate business. (BookPage, April 2005)

George Ross, Donald Trump′s sidekick on "The Apprentice" (and his longtime real–estate lawyer), offers up a mini–biography of the Donald′s best "gets," detailing the negotiations behind Trump World Tower at United Nations, Mar–a–Lago, Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and other illustrious acquisitions.
But even average Joes can take Trump′s strategies and apply them to their own real–estate investments, says Ross. Like Trump, Ross′ suggestions are bold: For example, be willing to overpay for a prime location (it will bring in affluent tenants), don′t let anyone else negotiate for you (Trump always negotiates face–to–face), and always try to add that distinctive Trump "sizzle" (like expensive touches in the lobby of your building).
The behind–the–scenes gossip is even better than Ross′ advice.
For instance, when Trump bought Mar–a–Largo, he purchased all the antique furniture in the estate. Trump promptly sold all the furniture, made more money than he paid for the estate, and then replicated each piece of the original furnishings for the club.
Geared toward the ambitious investor, "Trump Strategies" is an inspiring read for anyone hoping to be the next Donald. (The New York Post, March 19, 2005)

Review
"tremendous" [and] "a kick" [and reads, in part], "It′s also a great how–to book from an associate of the glitziest and most interesting personality in the real estate business." (BookPage, April 2005)

"...inspiring read for anyone hoping to be the next Donald." (The New York Post, March 19, 2005)

From the Inside Flap
For twenty–five years, George Ross has advised Donald Trump on many of his biggest and most profitable real estate deals. If anyone understands the investment strategies and negotiation tactics that have made Trump the most famous real estate baron in the world, it′s Ross. This is the first book that explains the investment principles that made Trump a fortune.

How can Trump′s billionaire strategies help the average investor? Ross explains that the same basic rules of thumb that make Trump′s Manhattan skyscrapers so profitable still apply to every investor, no matter the size of their property. Even if you can′t afford the kind of luxury extras Trump offers his elite customers, you can still add Trump–style glamour to any property—and charge tenants or buyers a hefty premium for it.

Success in real estate requires not just smart strategies but also an ability to project the personal qualities that inspire confidence in others—like Trump′s endless enthusiasm, showmanship, and never–say–die tenacity. With dramatic examples—such as Trump′s Commodore/Hyatt Hotel deal on 42nd Street in Manhattan, which netted Trump over $85 million—Ross shows you how these personal qualities can help you negotiate better deals and dramatically increase profits.

You′ll learn how to create an aura of exclusivity; Trump′s secret sources of negotiation power; the value of the "invested time" principle; and even how to use deadlocks and deadlines to your advantage. And once you′ve zeroed in your property, Ross gives seasoned advice on retaining the best help and conducting a dynamic maketing campaign.

For experienced and novice investors alike, Trump Strategies for Real Estate presents an in–depth, insightful look at what it takes to achieve Trump–sized success in real estate.

Customer Reviews

Tales about leading NY real estate investors from their lawy
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (2005), ISBN: 0471718351

George Ross is the veteran legal adviser to New York property tycoons Donald Trump, the late Leonard Kandell, Sol Goldman, Alex DiLorenzo and many others. His experience encompasses decades as a property lawyer, an entrepreneur/VC in his own right and keen observer and apprentice magician of his wizard clients. His book is an interesting read for both neophyte and experienced property investors interested to learn about tricks of the trade. The title erroneously suggests this book talks only about Trump, in truth the author talks about several of his clients' experiences.


The first chapters of the book set out the negotiation techniques Trump and other have been using. Most of those techniques are fairly well known, but for an aspiring developer they are a good introduction to doing-deals-1-0-1. For the experienced negotiators, the war stories are the interesting part of the book. A weakness here is that the author repeatedly cites the same case stories over and over again, which results in a somewhat tedious amount of repetition.


Critical to the development process, in particular when dealing with larger projects, is the need for an experienced commercially aware property lawyer. As Sol Goldman said: "Every problem has a price tag." - a statement that truly captures the essence of the development process and its actors (see opportunities in the problems you have to resolve, problems will arise, problems cost money, problems are manifold, understand the problem its impact and by extension its solution). The author cites an interesting war story involving Trump's prestige golf course cum waterfall.


The final five chapters of the book then discuss the Trump approach of real estate development. This part of the book is exclusively about the Trump Touch and readers of his autobiographies will certainly recognise some of the lessons taught. Having said that, it is nice to find them distilled into some key bullet points and to read the illustrative cases. Nothing like a story to instil the message. Pay particular attention to the "aura of legitimacy" lessons - you will look at real estate listings and literature the same way again.


All in all, this book is worth a read for aspiring, beginning and experienced developers. It is not the best written book, but reflects the author's career and experiences as an investor/venture capitalist (negotiation techniques, financing structures, process management) and as a commercially aware property lawyer (deal structuring, financing, value issues). The book does manage to convey, though, the enthusiasm for deal making experienced by successful entrepreneurs. Perhaps, this book should also prove to authors that there is a market out there for someone doing a review of all of Trump's projects (failed and successful ones) for the benefit of the education of mere mortals like you and me.

A True Masterpiece
This book is not only full of intersting insights into the mind of one of the most powerful investors in the Western world, it's also packed with solid ideas that can be applied by small investors.

I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to put these great lessons into practise!

Real Estate for the Inexperienced
This book gives interesting insights to the behind the scenes dealings of shrewd and successful investors. The insights that are shared and the knowledge that can be applied are worth far more than the cover price. I was however, expecting a better structure to the book as the author could have portrayed his abilities far better if the flow of ideas had been more ordered. I would have also liked to have seen more of the human side of Trump and his team (as seen to some extent on the The Apprentice) and not just about getting the deal no matter what!