Buena Park, CA · Member since 2009 · 8 posts · 1 vote
I would like to know how many people here are living off rental income. The ability to quit your 9 to 5 job and manage properties sounds interesting! If you're doing this, please include how many rentals you currently own. Thanks!
I am currently living off my 30 rentals. My wife works, mainly because of the benefits and she LOVES her work as an RN. I have been applying for jobs because I am bored at home. I don't have the team for flipping and flipping in my area requires a minimum of $500,000 in cash (or HML) to play in the game. My daughter's BF works for a professional flipping company in the Inland Empire and even they are having a hard time selling their properties. They buy 15-20 a week.
If you do everything right, you might have a cash flow of about $100 per unit per month. If you do all the management and maintenance yourself, that might add another $100 per unit per month. So, if you want to live off your rentals, take the amount of money you need per month by either $100 or $200 (depending on whether you're doing the management or maintenance).
I live off my rentals and I have several dozen. I own many out right free and clear and that makes the ability to afford to do things that know one else does. You have to start some where Ryan and many are trying to get there, but it takes time and patience.
As stated earlier buying where others are not willing allows me to live the life that others are dreaming about.
I wish you success, but as I have said to you and others before you have to jump in and start with that first one.
I live off of real estate investing, but not just rental income. I also flip properties via wholesaling, retailing, rehabbing, etc.
I also have various other income streams in the real estate investing world.
If you want to live off of rental income, you will need to first, start, then continue the process. It is not a get rich quick program regardless of what gurus preach, it takes time, effort, patience, and determination but can be done.
I don't live on my rentals cause I stared late, but I plan (And hope...) to buy 3-5 low-cost SFR every year and buy them cash. I hope in 10-15 years to accumulate enough so I can retire comfortably. In the past 15 months I sort of met my quota. Bought two SFRs with mortgage and three without.
I am in the same boat as Will - full time investor but my income comes from rentals / seller financing / flips / wholesales / rehabs blah blah blah.
Owning homes free and clear sure does help get the cash flow up (lots of debate here on that topic - not trying to rehash it here) but as Douglas said you have to start somewhere and that means your first $100 a month home :)
Getting started is the most important thing - Kel just posted in another thread about her and her hubby getting their second home - so just like they are - get started and build house by house.
BTW, I know the notion of becoming a full time real estate investor is an enticing one, but I strongly suggest you meet with your real estate mentor(s) and accountant to determine if you can quit your JOB.
Far to often, an investor will go full time before he or she is really ready to do so financially.
I don't take any cash out of my REI. I want to build critical mass and a "rock solid" balance sheet first. If the plan works (God willing), I'll be in a position to live off it in 18 months, but want to wait longer to help it grow faster.
I have now lived off of my income properties for 3 years. You have to reach critical mass before retiring, and for me, that was 5 properties paid off free and clear. You might think just a couple could provide that, but there are so many expenses it is crazy! I did not quit my job until I even had a partial interest in a 6th property, which allows me to have very low living expenses. Remember property taxes, insurance, city taxes as well as upkeep. I am now looking at buying distressed properties and getting them approved for section 89 housing. The number crunch looks great, but if anyone out there has experience in that area I would love to hear about it.
1. Paid off 80k with proceeds from previous sales.
2. Could live on $1825 per mo-3650x 50%
3. Moved to Mexico and ate cold cereal for breakfast and a 6 pack for dinner.
I am currently living off my 30 rentals. My wife works, mainly because of the benefits and she LOVES her work as an RN. I have been applying for jobs because I am bored at home. I don't have the team for flipping and flipping in my area requires a minimum of $500,000 in cash (or HML) to play in the game. My daughter's BF works for a professional flipping company in the Inland Empire and even they are having a hard time selling their properties. They buy 15-20 a week.
That is an absolutely fantastic question, living off of rentals can be very lucrative, or it can be the fast track to bankruptcy! I make my living entirely off of real estate investments,but not off of rentals alone. My personal game plan does not involve a bunch of leveraged properties, I would much rather be debt free on my portfolio. This goes completely against what most folks will tell you, but over the past 15 years I have seen a lot of good people go down the tube's because of over leveraged rentals.
Now to more specifically answer your question, how much income are you looking to replace?If you do not have a ton of personal debt, you could live off of five or six paid for single-family homes. One of the biggest problems is, once you leave your full-time employment, it is going to be very difficult if not impossible to get mortgages on investment properties.
Personally, flip some contracts, take that money, by free and clear real estate! just my opinion, good luck!!!
I could live off of my rental properties right now, but choose not to. I'm still in the build up stage and plan to work and invest another 10 - 15 years.
RobTheHouseGuy is correct. Which is why 25 of my 30 properties are Free and Clear. And 3 of the 5 will be paid off in less than 10 years. So a fairly strong position.
Sounds like the F&C gang rules. This seems to go against the 30 yr mortgage group or does it take 30 yrs? Having planned on paying off everything quick-it is harder than it sounds IMO.
I'd thought the free and clear people were buying 15k hses but believe Mike M is buying a little higher end.
Maybe better stop playing on that cash flow and get back to basics.
I have 11 rentals fully paid for and bringing in nearly $100k a year free and clear, but being retired USN after 33 years I get a nice little check to retire on, so the rentals just bring in a little extra spending money... giving me time to spend my life playing with real estate lead genertion for others for free..
I would be interested to hear from those who own their properties F & C how you went about it. Was it primarily by flipping and getting the cash up front, or putting your cash-flow from the rent back in to the note.
I have been buying rentals free and clear for the last few years. What I do is keep my expenses low (I try not to eat out or engage in general consumerism - and I have now realized that my gf that just moved in with me is more self sufficient than I realized and I am actually making money off cohabitating with her) and basically reinvest as much of my rental income and my day job income (which is still quite higher than the rental income annually - but not for long). I hope that in a few years I can have prop managers do all the work while I check my bank acct online from where I wish to be at that moment.
Noticed you are a member of Lifestyles Unlimited. That company is talking absolute nonsense!
Checked website and clicked on "I Have Good Investments". He said if you buy a property that has $800 PITI and leases for $1100 that there is $300 cash flow. Can't believe he is actually saying that.
He went on further to say with that $300 you have a 36% cash on cash return with 10k invested. WOW! Brian, you are killing me.
I have been buying rentals free and clear for the last few years. What I do is keep my expenses low (I try not to eat out or engage in general consumerism - and I have now realized that my gf that just moved in with me is more self sufficient than I realized and I am actually making money off cohabitating with her) and basically reinvest as much of my rental income and my day job income (which is still quite higher than the rental income annually - but not for long). I hope that in a few years I can have prop managers do all the work while I check my bank acct online from where I wish to be at that moment.
Besides the part about his gf helping save money I say Vic stole my answer.
Hello I am new to this site. I am looking start in the R.E. business in Maine by getting acouple of multiunit houses hopefully with more then 5 units.My question is would it be possible to live off these possibly 12 units that rent from 350 to 800 month ?
Thankfully I will own my house free and clear. and a small mortage on both properties,low real estate taxes and tenants pay utilities.
Thanks
Twelve unit with average rents of $600 each will net you about $3600 a month, or $43,200 a year, pre tax, if they're owned free and clear. If they have mortgages, your net will be reduced. You would have some taxes, but less than if you had a $43K a year W2 job.
Many months you'll net much more than that, assuming you can keep the units mostly full. But with 12 units, there will be a major expense (i.e, a few grand) once or twice a year.
Let me also add that if you're willing to manage the units yourself and maybe do some of the minor maintenance, you can probably pocket another $100 or so a month out of that $600 average rent.
Right now I live in Massachusetts and live off of 33,280 a year and I pay a mortage and my taxes are higher on my house then the house I am going to get. Belive it or not the house I am getting is twice as big. I am a property manager now so I know the maintenance part of it and how to keep those costs low