Q: Have you heard of Carlton H. Sheets, the real estate investor who is a millionaire? Would you recommend his approach to real estate investing? Have you tried this method for your real estate success?

A: Carlton Sheets has been around for a very long time, at least as long as I have been writing about real estate, which is just over 15 years.

I’m not really sure what method he advocates, however, since I refuse to pay the hundreds of dollars he asks for the program he advertises on his infomercial. I have read his book, and have found others to be both easier to understand and filled with more interesting techniques for making money in investment real estate. For more information on Carlton Sheets, simply go to Google.com and type in his name.

If you’re interested in buying property with nothing down, and then flipping it to make a profit, there are a number of good books to read.

You might try any of Robert Shemin’s books, including Secrets of a Millionaire Real Estate Investor, Secrets of a Millionaire Real Estate Landlord, and his newest book, Secrets of Buying and Selling Real Estate without Using Your Own Money.

Another great author is Robert Irwin, who has written more than 50 books on this, and related, topics.

As for putting nothing down, it can work out okay for investment property, but if you want to have positive cash flow, you’ll really have to get a great deal.

Jan. 19, 2009.