When it comes to real estate, Dean Artenosi has seen, done and—pretty much invested in—it all.

As one of Canada’s most respected real-estate investors and owner of the The Real Estate Centre, a rapidly expanding Coldwell Banker brokerage in Ontario, Artenosi believes now is the time to reveal all of his secrets. Frustrated by the tedious fluff that’s passed off as priceless wisdom by today’s faux real-estate gurus, Artenosi has penned Onwards and Upwards, an uncommonly pragmatic guide for how real-estate agents and investors can generate serious long-term wealth.

By documenting the challenges and triumphs that he’s experienced over the last 30 years, Artenosi helps readers identify key pivot points for growth, while offering sage advice on the best ways to capitalize on those opportunities when they emerge.

By candidly chronicling his own career journey—which saw Artenosi establish himself as one of top real estate sales reps in Canada, and then build a diverse portfolio of high-profile investment projects—

Onwards & Upwards works to helps novice and mid-career professionals understand the vital importance of prudent risk-taking, a service-first mentality and creative financing strategies.

Along the way, Artenosi presents a set of invaluable Golden Rules, which often run counter to the conventional narratives of the day, including:

• The benefit of acting as buyer’s agent—rather than seller’s agent
• The enduring value of helping renters become first-time homeowners
• The short- and long-term advantages of changing the use of existing properties
• The importance of devising creative financing strategies for clients and one’s own portfolio
• The strategic incentives behind relationship-building and superior client service
• The value of prudent risk-taking during different real estate cycles

Artenosi’s book, unlike so many others in the field, doesn’t wallow in the past or stay entrenched in the present; it looks forward to the future. It presents a complex and deeply compelling argument for understanding the critical role that the New Urbanism movement and sustainable redevelopment of urban areas will play in the years to come. As such, the book’s unique value is the timelessness of its advice and timeliness of its message, which will help new professionals enter the field while demonstrating that it’s possible to do well for oneself while doing even more for the communities and cities in which we live.