BUSINESS BOOKSHELF

A look at what we're reading and recommending this month.

TELECOSMOS

If you enjoy reading about the very latest in technological revolutions, pick up a copy of this book. The last telecommunications revolution brought us fiber optics, mobile phones and videoconferencing. What will the next revolution bring us? Tech whiz John Edwards is here to tell us. You’ll learn the latest on what’s in development and on the drawing board across a wide range of industries including medicine, data storage, security, energy and transportation.

(We love the concept of the nanoguitar, too!)

Some of the topics covered by Edwards include: cognitive software, chip implants, smart roads, home automation, wearable computers, tele-medicine, vehicular telematics and speech-controlled prosthetics.

The section on email cluster bombs is also fascinating. Imagine how this online threat would paralyze any Internet device or user: the cluster bomb sends hundreds—or thousands—of email messages in a very short period of time, crippling any PDA or Internet system. But there are ways to protect yourself from email cluster bombs, and you’ll find out on page 174 what you can do.

We love the book. The section on telemedicine is riveting and read about “precrime” (shades of Tom Cruise’s “Minority Report”?) to see how real crimes might just be forecast or predicted in the very near future.

SO, YOU’RE A REAL ESTATE AGENT?
NOW WHAT?!
By Allyson Roberts (Maximum Potential, $14.95)

Real estate is such a super-hot topic we love reading books on the field. This one gives the beginner realtor insight into the day-to-day operations of real estate. The author is an industry insider and offers tools, lessons and scenarios to succeed in the field.

Topics covered range from new construction and traditional real estate to negotiation, motivation, personal safety, niche realty and preparing a business plan to meet every goal. The author shares her insight and advice for those planning to purchase a home, too:

• if you plan to stay put for ten years or more, go ahead—there’s time to ride out the cycle
  (in case home prices drop)
• don’t go for the most lavish home—think “reasonable”
• you may be better off renting or financing with an ARM or “interest only” loan if you’re going to live in the place for just a couple of years
• think twice about buying that second home if it’s in a place where prices have topped
• stay away from speculating at least for the near future and especially in areas where prices have topped

Some of the author’s predictions include:
Miami will have an enormous oversupply of condos in a couple of years because of overbuilding. Elsewhere, buyers have begun to simply commute from areas where homebuilding is plentiful and prices are low. Retirees, too, are starting to cash out—so look for more arbitrage as the first wave of baby-boomers starts retiring in a few years.

Money could be harder to come by—law enforcement officials say mortgage fraud is up 500% since 2001 (16,000 cases in 2004 alone) and could cost banks and other businesses $3 billion and more. One common mortgage fraud scheme is “property flipping” in which property is purchased, appraised fraudulently at a much higher price and then quickly sold. The schemes involve fake IDs and credit histories, use of “straw buyers” to conceal the true buyer’s name and forged loan documents.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO IT ALONE
By Richard H. Axelrod, Emily M. Axelrod, Julie Beedon, and Robert W. Jacobs
(Berrett-Koehloer, $16.95)

Everyone—in any group or organization—needs to involve other people in order to complete tasks and achieve goals. The proven tools and techniques in You Don’t Have To Do It Alone can be used in any situation when you need to work with others to get things done. The book answers these questions:

• How can you decide whether the best way to get results is to involve other people?
• Will the project get done faster if you involve others or will it be stalled by shouting matches over how to proceed?
• Will others bring fresh thinking to old problems or will they take control of the situation and leave you with the blame if things go wrong?

The book includes an “Involvement Checklist” that will help you organize any event. You’ll learn how to get folks involved and keep them involved. The book also covers “how do I invite people to become involved?” question.

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