The New Rules of Real Estate

(Business 2.0 Magazine) -- IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE (SECOND EDITION), by Robert J. Shiller (2005) Originally written during the dotcom boom, this book explains the economic and psychological factors that contribute to the creation of speculative bubbles. The new edition contains additional material on the dynamics of real estate markets.

REAL ESTATE FINANCE & INVESTMENTS: RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES (SECOND EDITION), by Peter Linneman (2004) Written by a Wharton professor, this textbook is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of professional real estate investing, from financial modeling and due diligence to REITs and exit strategies. Buy it at linnemanassociates.com.

JOURNAL OF REAL ESTATE RESEARCH (business.fullerton.edu/Finance/Journal/) This peer-reviewed journal publishes empirical research geared toward practical real estate decision-making. The site is free, and the archives stretch back to 1986.

ABOUT REAL ESTATE (www.twr.com) Torto Wheaton Research's website offers a free weekly e-newsletter that covers timely subjects ranging from rental trends for single-family homes to the correlation between population growth and demand for new warehouse space.

MATRIX: INTERPRETING THE REAL ESTATE ECONOMY (matrix.millersamuel.com) Appraiser Jonathan Miller's blog provides clearheaded commentary on the latest real estate trends, economic data, and Web-based tools.

HOUSING DOOM HOUSING BUBBLE BLOG (www.housingdoom.com) The title may be a tad pessimistic, but writers Debi Averett and John McLeod provide thoughtful - and sobering - perspective on the potential aftershocks of the housing boom.

CHINATOWN (1974) Roman Polanski's Oscar-winning film about developers' attempts to secure water rights in prewar Southern California is a film-noir view into the wheeling and dealing that turned Los Angeles into the metropolis we know today.