The roller coaster stock market and recent corporate scandals have left many with smaller retirement portfolios-and greater skittishness-about investment options. Real estate has been one notable bright spot in this gloomy investment landscape. New home construction is booming, property values continue to increase, and interest rates have been uncommonly low. Now, Martin Stone and Spencer Strauss leading real estate practitioners and authors, discuss how smart investors can use real estate to build a retirement portfolio-safely and successfully. Using time-tested principles, the authors outline a step-by-step guide that clearly describes the opportunities and hazards in real estate investing. For starters, Martin Stone and Spencer Strauss discuss a formula that shows readers exactly how much money they'll need for a comfortable retirement income. From there, readers will learn: *How to create safe wealth through leverage and compound interest, tax-deferred exchanges, and commonsense real estate principles *How the investment playing field has changed, and how the real estate market can provide long-term profitability and retirement stability *Do's and don'ts in planning, appraising, and financing various real estate ventures, including big and small apartment buildings, condos, foreclosures, and commercial and industrial properties *How to spot a money-making investment-and when and why to run away from a loser *How to manage properties to yield the greatest investment return, including the management of tenants, when to seek out new opportunities, and when to bail out Filled with real-life examples, checklists, and worksheets, readers will find a sharply focused treatment to retirement planning using one of the most underestimated investment vehicles on the financial scene. Real estate, the authors point out, can be a viable and extremely lucrative way to create a fulfilling, predictable, and prosperous nest egg.