NAREE Announces 13th Bruss Real Estate Book Award Winners during 2020 Virtual Conference in December

NAREE.org – (December 9, 2020) The National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) has named the winners of the 13th Annual Robert Bruss Real Estate Book Awards Competition. The awards recognize excellence in books published in 2019 covering the broad field of real estate. NAREE President Catie Dixon, Bisnow Media, announced the awards during NAREE's 54th Annual Real Estate Journalism conference held virtually December 9 and 10, 2020. Here are the winners with judges’ comments:

Gold Award: Dror Poleg, “Rethinking Real Estate” - Palgrave Macmillan

Judge’s comment: "Poleg’s work shows extensive research over decades of study across four continents. Chapter 20 has a particularly engaging title: 'The Liberation of Things, People, and Cities.' Each section addresses the asset in context, the forces shaping it, and how to rethink the asset… His book is organized by segments: retail, office, housing and lodging, logistics and industrial." Another judge indicated that it is an excellent, easy-to-read, yet highly technical book. This judge believes Poleg realizes his goals of writing a book that brings readers up to speed on the possible impact of technology and what will govern the industry over the next three decades – highlighting practical strategies to identify risks and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

Silver Award: David M. Greene, "Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat" - BiggerPockets Publishing

Judge’s comment: "This book provides a surgically precise analysis of steps — some of which may have been addressed singly before — offering an exhaustive and compelling argument for a particular sequence of events: buying, rehabbing, renting, refinancing, and repeating, to achieve wealth as a real estate investor."

Bronze Award: Sheri Koones, “Downsize: Living Large in a Small House” - Taunton Press

Judge’s comment: “Definitely Koones’ best book... ‘Downsize' features 33 dwellings...at least one of which is a houseboat. … the bullet points and stats about the homes were consistent and useful.” The judge also indicated that “Downsize" reverses the old adage that "houses own people" because we are much less slaves to the caretaking of our stuff.

Leigh Robinson First-time Author Award: Paul Weideman, “ARCHITECTURE Santa Fe: A Guidebook” - Running Lizard Press

Judge’s comment: "Santa Fe offers unique, regional architecture as the book points out, but it’s a national treasure. This is a fascinating look at the forces — history, construction, design, — that came together to create the signature look and feel. Written with authority and affection."

NAREE's esteemed panel of judges has many decades of experience as editors. Allen Norwood is a freelance writer and former editor of the Charlotte Observer. Stephanie Murphy Lupo is the author of several books and a former newspaper editor, columnist and writer for the Palm Beach Daily News and Boca Raton News. Christina Farnsworth, Cantadora, is a freelance journalist and former senior editor of both Builder and Professional Builder magazines.

NAREE's Bruss Book Awards program is named for the late Robert Bruss, a former syndicated real estate columnist, prolific writer, and longtime NAREE leader. Bruss, wrote reviews of realty books. The Bruss Book Awards are sponsored by NAREE past presidents the late Leigh Robinson, founder of Express Publishing and author of "Landlording," and Brad Inman, founder of Inman News.

NAREE's Annual Robert Bruss Book Awards program is open to all authors who have written hard cover and paperback books, and e-books on real estate-related topics. Books about home buying and selling, mixed-used development, urban and suburban redevelopment, green building, architecture, international real estate, finance, mortgage lending, among others are eligible.

Past winners have included full-time authors, journalists, thought-leaders from academia, real estate economists, and home and urban design-world visionaries.

Entry forms for NAREE's 14th Annual Bruss Book Awards program can be accessed on naree.org beginning Feb.1, 2021. The deadline to enter a book published in print or digitally in 2020 is April 15, 2021.

NAREE, a nonprofit association celebrating 91 years of service to real estate writers, editors, columnists, reporters, and producers, was founded in 1929.

Contact NAREE Executive Director Mary Doyle-Kimball at mdkimball@naree.org.