{"id":187415,"date":"2026-04-03T07:53:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T13:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=187415"},"modified":"2026-04-03T07:54:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T13:54:38","slug":"passive-investing-vs-diy-rentals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/passive-investing-vs-diy-rentals","title":{"rendered":"Passive Investing vs. DIY Rentals: Which Path Builds Wealth Faster for Busy Professionals?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I\u2019ve invested both actively and passively <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">in real estate<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> I owned 15 rental properties <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">by myself<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> and another dozen with partners. Today, I own smaller percentages in around 5,000 units.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">By \u201cpassive real estate investing,\u201d I don\u2019t just mean syndications, by the way. I also invest via <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/why-our-team-is-passively-investing-with-private-partnerships\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">private partnerships<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, private secured notes, and the occasional fund.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Both strategies have their pros and cons. But which one will help you build wealth faster? What are the risks and returns? What kind of labor and skill <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">are required<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> for each?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I went from a net worth of just over $100,000 in late 2018 to over $1 million today. Real estate played a role in that, which I\u2019ll also explain in more detail.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Returns<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Any conversation around the speed of wealth-building starts with returns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Single-family home investor Chris Bibey <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/good-roi-on-rental-property\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">made a case on BiggerPockets<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that investors should aim for a 6% yield on rental properties. That sounds about right, plus a potential 3%-5% annualized appreciation rate. Combined, that makes for about a 10% annual return, not accounting for your labor (more on that later).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That\u2019s not bad, in raw numbers. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s comparable to the historical average stock market return of around 10% <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">for the S&amp;P 500<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> And while you can earn similar returns passively from REITs, you don\u2019t get the diversification benefit, since <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/why-reits-are-not-the-most-effective-investments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">REITs correlate so closely<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> with the stock market at large.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Most passive real estate investments target annualized returns <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">in the<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> 10%-20% <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">range<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Some will underperform that, while others will overperform it. I practice <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/dollar-cost-average-real-estate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">dollar-cost averaging<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> with my real estate investments, investing $5K-$10K a month in new passive investments through a co-investing club. Over time, my returns form a bell curve, rather than unpredictable data points from huge investments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Some passive investments are income-oriented, others growth-oriented, and others combine both. I\u2019ve made some investments that only pay income returns, such as a secured note paying 15% and a fund that pays a 16% distribution yield every quarter. Other investments don\u2019t pay any income, but <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">project<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> hefty profits when the properties sell.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Still others pay a 4%-10% yield currently and aim for another 5%-12% (annualized) when the property sells.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Risk<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8220;Yeah, that\u2019s great and all, Brian, but what about risk?\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Different risks apply to active versus passive real estate investments. Both come with the following risks:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Market risk:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Property values and rents can drop, and vacancies and rent defaults can rise.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Management risk: <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Whoever manages the property can do a poor job\u2014and that goes doubly if <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">you\u2019re <\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the one managing it.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Expense risk:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> After buying a property, the investor discovers more repairs <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">needed<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> than expected. Or expenses like insurance or property taxes could rise faster than expected.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Debt risk:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Short-term loans could come due at a bad time for selling or refinancing, or variable interest loans could jack up monthly payments.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Risk of total losses:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> If your equity in the deal is 15% and the property drops 15% in value, you can lose 100% of your capital.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Active investments come with their own unique risks:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Loan liability:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> If you default on the mortgage, the lender comes after your personal assets (assuming a recourse loan, which most are)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Legal liability:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Tenants, neighbors, contractors, and anyone else under the sun can sue you at any time, for any reason. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">was sued<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> twice <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">when I was<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> an active landlord, and both times<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">they named me personally in the suit even though I owned the properties under LLC names.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Don\u2019t think that LLCs will protect you.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Tax risk:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> You <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">have to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> track all income and expenses, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">keep<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> records, and report them accurately on your tax returns.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Mess this up, and the IRS can come after you for civil or even criminal penalties.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And of course, passive investments have their own risks:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Operator risk:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> The operator could mismanage the deal due to either incompetence or untrustworthiness.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Timeline risk:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Passive investors have no control over when operators choose to sell or refinance and return their capital.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Skill Required<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Having done both, I can tell you hands down that active investing requires far more skill than passive investing, as in, an order of magnitude more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Active investors need to master dozens of microskills to consistently earn 5%-10% annualized returns on their rentals, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Forecasting cash flow (it\u2019s not the rent minus the mortgage!)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Forecasting repair costs<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Building a \u201cfinancing toolkit\u201d of different lenders and loan types<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Screening, hiring, and managing contractors (a consistent challenge even for the best investors)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Marketing vacant units<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Screening tenants<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Managing property managers, if you outsource.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And there are plenty of others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Passive investors only need to learn how to vet operators and deals. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And even then, they can lean on other investors <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> help <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">them<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">My co-investing club meets once or twice a month <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">on a<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Zoom <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">call<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to vet new passive investments.<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We all grill the operator together <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">about<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> their track record, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">their<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> mistakes, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">their<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> current deal, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> underwriting assumptions, and <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> risks and returns.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It takes years to master all the skills of active investing. You can get started with passive investing in an afternoon, especially if you join a community that vets deals together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Labor Required<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When I owned rental properties directly, my phone was always blowing up about something. The tenants clogged the toilet. The roof started leaking. Rent didn\u2019t arrive, and I had to go through the tedious eviction process: the official warning notice, the waiting period, filing in rent court, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">showing up for the hearing,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> scheduling the eviction date with the sheriff, showing up with contractors, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I kept folder after folder of expense and income records. And I still missed some of the expenses I could have deducted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Buying properties also requires enormous work, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Direct mail or other marketing campaigns to find good deals<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Walking through properties<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cSelling\u201d the seller on selling to me<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Negotiating price<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Collecting quotes from contractors<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Arranging financing\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And renovations? Fuhget about it. Contractors constantly blew their budget and their timeline, with shoddier-than-promised <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">workmanship<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. City inspectors expected bribes. Everything about it was just miserable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Everyone I worked with, from contractors to renters to property managers, overpromised and underdelivered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In passive investments, I spend a couple of hours vetting the deal<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. The<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Over the course of a year, each active rental property costs me around 30 hours <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">between<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> managing property managers, contractors, bookkeeping, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">accounting, etc<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> If I value my time at $100\/hour, that\u2019s $3,000 a year in my labor costs\u2014per rental property.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cash Required<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A typical rental property requires $50,000 to $100,000 in cash. That goes toward the down payment, closing costs, initial repairs, permits, and so forth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you invest <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">by yourself<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, a typical passive investment also requires $50,000 to $100,000.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I don\u2019t like that. It\u2019s hard to <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/diversifying-passive-real-estate-investments-in-six-ways\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">diversify your portfolio<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> when you have to plunk down $50K per investment. And it\u2019s nearly impossible to practice dollar-cost averaging. You\u2019d have to be fabulously wealthy to invest $50K a month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">So? I don\u2019t invest by myself. I go in on these investments alongside other members of my co-investing club. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We invest $2,500 or $5,000 or more <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">if we prefer<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, but <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">collectively<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> we\u2019ll invest $500,000 or $750,000 or whatever the total ends up being.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That comes with an added benefit: negotiating power. We can negotiate a higher preferred return, a higher profit split, or a higher interest rate on a note investment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Time Commitment<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I know plenty of real estate investors who crave control over all else. They won\u2019t invest passively. They refuse to surrender control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">They get to choose when they refinance or sell their properties. But if it\u2019s a bad market for refinancing or selling, you shouldn\u2019t do it anyway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I\u2019ve made passive investments as short as six months (a private note with a rolling six-month term). I\u2019ve made others <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">as long as<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> 10+ years (syndications pursuing \u201c<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-to-generate-infinite-returns-in-real-estate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">infinite returns<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201d).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For private notes and funds, you know the exact time commitment <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">going into the investment<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. For private partnerships, you can negotiate the timeline before investing. Syndications will indicate the intended timeline while acknowledging \u201cwe\u2019ll play it by ear based on market conditions at the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Tax Benefits<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For private notes, you get no tax benefits. The government taxes interest income at the same rates as regular income.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For private partnerships and syndications, you get virtually the same tax benefits as direct ownership. All expenses are deductible, as is depreciation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There are two slight differences. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Most single-family rental investors don\u2019t bother <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">doing<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> a cost segregation study because it typically costs more than the tax savings.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> So they don\u2019t get the same accelerated depreciation as syndication investors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">On the flip side, single-family rental investors get a little more leeway in using their passive losses to offset active income. If they \u201cactively participate in passive rental real estate activity,\u201d per the <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p925#:~:text=from%20the%20activity.-,Special%20$25%2C000%20allowance.,See%20Phaseout%20rule%2C%20later.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">IRS<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, they can use rental losses to offset up to $25,000 of active income.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But by and large, you get the same tax benefits from passive and active real estate investing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Verdict: Speed to Wealth?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I run a business, and I do some freelance financial writing on the side. And I have a 5-year-old daughter, a wife who works nights and weekends, and I\u2019m writing a novel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I don\u2019t have time for another side hustle. And make no mistake: Rental investing is a side business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I\u2019ve known active investors who have built wealth relatively quickly <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">with a<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> rental investing <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">business<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Most of them did it as a full-time business, although some did it as a side business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I went a different route. I went from barely over broke in late 2018 to a <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-i-went-from-0-to-one-million-dollars-in-seven-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">millionaire seven years later<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, without any rentals in that period. I invest passively in both stocks and real estate as a <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-to-build-a-set-it-and-forget-it-real-estate-portfolio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">set-it-and-forget-it portfolio<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Some of those passive real estate investments <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">generate a<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> high income <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">yield<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> in the 10%-16% range.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> I reinvest that income for compound returns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Some have gone full cycle, most recently an industrial property that <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">paid out<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> a 27.6% annualized return <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">after<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> two and a half years.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Most are simply in progress, paying a 4%-8% yield as they stabilize rents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It takes a long time to build the skills you need <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">to consistently earn decent returns on rentals<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Most people either stand on the sidelines in analysis paralysis for years or <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> jump in headfirst and lose their shirt by not getting enough education.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I propose an alternative route: joining a co-investing club to start investing today, while leveraging the community\u2019s knowledge. You don\u2019t need much cash ($2,500) to get started, and you can start earning returns immediately.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Prefer to start a rental investing business? It\u2019s a great business model. Just don\u2019t try to tell me it\u2019s \u201cpassive income\u201d or compare it to true passive investments like stocks, syndications, or notes, because it\u2019s not. It takes more skill, labor, money, and time to get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve invested both actively and passively in real estate. I owned 15 rental properties by myself and another dozen with partners. Today, I own smaller percentages in around 5,000 units.\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":158586,"featured_media":175009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5524],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-187415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate-investing-for-beginners"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/158586"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187415"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187418,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187415\/revisions\/187418"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/175009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}