Frustrated with RE books

[Dale Lookabaugh]

I have read only two real estate books and I feel like they said the same thing. Its like I'm reading the same book with a different author and title.
Let me tell you about my situation. My goal is to buy my first rental property next year, probably before summer. I look at the Sunday paper every week and i have made a spreadsheet of the houses that I think might be a good buy. I have also made myself a spread sheet of rental houses already on the market and how much they rent for.
I'm really not sure yet on how I'm going to come up with the money to start investing. This is my biggest problem. I just got married just graduated and well just started saving. I know of some people i may be able to go to but I want to have a solid business plan to sell to them. I don't want to go to a bank.
I want to start investing now but I feel that I'm still not educated enough to start. Any advice on what steps I need to take next are much appreciated. I hate to even ask this but any good books out there?

[Mark N.A]

Dale, why have you chosen RE as your choice of investment? You don't have to tell me, but be honest with yourself. Truth to tell there are other investment paths that involve less work and less risk.

As for RE books (and I own A LOT OF THEM), they all mostly focus on what worked in the past.

So what's working in the here and now? I wish I knew, but I'll surely be reading about it next year......