cover image Diary of a Real Estate Rookie: My Year of Flipping, Selling, and Rebuilding—and What I Learned (the Hard Way)

Diary of a Real Estate Rookie: My Year of Flipping, Selling, and Rebuilding—and What I Learned (the Hard Way)

Alison Rogers, . . Kaplan, $14.95 (215pp) ISBN 978-1-4277-5465-3

R ogers may be a real estate rookie, but her cheeky dedication “to Rupert Murdoch, whose refusal to pay me a decent wage launched me on the adventure of a lifetime” is the first clue that she’s no newbie to writing. A founding editor of the New York Post real estate section, Rogers is now a real estate agent and columnist who tells the story of her first year of business, and her first year of marriage, with a sharp wit and relaxed style that really sparkles. “It is a story of failure, and tears, and immense love,” she says, adding, “Don’t worry, there are some pretty tricked-out luxury condos along the way.” That pretty much sums it up, but the book doesn’t just rely on funny turns of phrase: it also provides plenty of working advice, including tips on handling lowball offers, staging the sale of a bohemian apartment and talking to your realtor. Those looking for some good information on the real estate industry in a book that doesn’t feel like homework will be hard-pressed for a better choice. (June)