Best Income Properties for Investors - Rental Resources | RentPost (2024)

A few types of income properties for new real estate investors stand above the rest. Even though the market is full of homes for sale right now, that doesn’t mean you should move on the first house you see down the street. Instead, looking at the homes through a few filters is best to know if they’d make a great starter investment property.

Here are the top three types of properties to consider, primarily because of the positive cash flow potential.

#1: Multi-Family Homes

“In my opinion, real estate is the best way to grow wealth. If you want to get super rich, get involved
in real estate… There are many indications that multi-family apartment investments will continue to be great.”
-Grant Cardone

Perhaps the best way for new investors to get started is with multi-family homes. There’s a reason why it’s usually not easy to find them for sale! Fellow investors know these are great investments, thanks to the diversified risk.

The best way to explain why these are excellent income properties for new investors is with numbers. Let’s say you have two homes on the market. The first costs $200K and is a single-family detached home. The other option is a $300K duplex. The duplex isn’t much more extensive but still commands $100K more.

Even though the duplex has a much larger mortgage payment, the fact you will be able to fill it with TWO tenants instead of one makes a huge difference. Each tenant can pay slightly less than they would for the single-family home, but you make more money. This leverage grows even more if you get a larger unit, such as a triplex or quadplex.

Best Income Properties for Investors - Rental Resources | RentPost (1)

Another factor to consider is maintenance cost. Even though a duplex has some separate entities (like the air conditioning units and walls), they also share a few. For example, it still has only four walls, whereas owning two single-family homes would mean maintaining eight divisions. If something happens to the roof, you’re only dealing with one large roof instead of two smaller, separate ones. These maintenance savings become even more substantial if you get a building that houses even more families.

Finally, multi-family units hold their value. As mentioned earlier, investors love them because they offer several advantages over investing in single-family homes. So when you decide to sell the property – whether it’s in 2 years or 20 – you can rest assured that it will still be a valuable piece of real estate.

#2: Mobile Homes

Investing in mobile homes is a great way to get started as a real estate investor. The first is due to the low upfront cost. These homes can usually be yours for less than $100,000, and you can often find them for much less. Because the mortgage payment will be so low, obtaining positive cash flow every month won’t be as difficult.

Another reason mobile homes make great income properties is the low maintenance required. A larger home has a lot more things that can go wrong with it:

  • More roof tiles to replace
  • More siding to paint
  • More windows to replace
  • A bigger, harder-working air-conditioning unit
  • Etc.

Even though maintenance will be required on a mobile home, there’s a lot less to keep up with. This helps reduce the risk of those late-night phone calls of something going wrong.

If you decide to pay off the mortgage quickly, that’s MUCH easier to do in a mobile home. Let’s say you purchase one for $70,000 and put $20,000 down; your monthly payments would likely be less than $300. Anything extra you put into the payment goes straight toward the mortgage. You could quickly pay off the property in less than ten years; after that, the monthly rent is almost all profit.

Best Income Properties for Investors - Rental Resources | RentPost (2)

Finally, keep in mind the most valuable part of what you’re buying – the land the home sits on. Over time, this land may be the most lucrative part of your investment. If you’re able to split it up in the future and sell it off in small chunks to developers, your ROI can be astounding.

#3: Detached Single-Family Homes on Sale

“Make money on the buy, not on the sell.” – Robert Kiyosaki

When most people think of income properties, they generally think of single-family homes. These properties are easy to understand, mainly because so many of us have already purchased one for personal use.

These types of properties are great for new real estate investors, but you can’t just buy any home. To help ensure positive cash flow, you need to get a great deal on the property. Even though this is important for mobile homes and multi-family units, it’s especially important for single-family homes.

Why? Mainly because there aren’t as many advantages to renting out these types of properties. You’ll need to rely on a low mortgage rate. That way, even if the market goes down and you have to lower rent or have a major maintenance issue, you’ll still be able to maintain positive cash flow.

If getting a great deal were easy, everyone would do it! The key is to be patient and keep your eyes open. You will probably need to spend more time looking at different properties than you’d prefer, but that’s okay. It’s all a learning process.

#4: The Airbnb Rental

This type of property can be anything, from a tiny cabin in the woods to a huge 6-bedroom house in the city.

These types of properties have become popular over the last few years. It has a few advantages over traditional rentals but lends to some negatives as well.

Best Income Properties for Investors - Rental Resources | RentPost (3)

For example, one positive aspect is that you can get a higher rent per night. If you have a hot property and keep it booked throughout most of the month, you can make a lot more money than having just one tenant with a traditional model.

The biggest downside is the revolving door. Cleaning costs will add up quickly, and having more people use the property increases the odds of getting a guest who won’t take care of the property well. Even though Airbnb can reimburse you for damages, it’s still a hassle.

Investing in the best income properties

To be clear, there are a number of other types of income properties you can invest in. For example, you can buy/build a number of tiny homes and rent them out on Airbnb. Another option is to purchase a commercial warehouse, divide it up, and rent out each space to a different small business.

But when you’re first getting started, you want to invest in properties that are easy to understand and don’t require an extremely large upfront cash investment–primarily if you’re investing on your own. That’s why we recommend sticking with either a multi-family home, mobile home, or single-family home that you got for a great deal.

The most important thing is to think outside the box. New investors are just learning the ropes and usually don’t have the cash flow that more experienced investors have. While this can be a disadvantage when shopping for some properties, you can turn it into an advantage by using your brain to find some overlooked gems.

Related

Best Income Properties for Investors - Rental Resources | RentPost (2024)

FAQs

Best Income Properties for Investors - Rental Resources | RentPost? ›

What Types of Commercial Properties Are the Most Profitable? High-Tenant Properties – Typically, properties with a high number of tenants will give the best return on investment. These properties include RVs, self-storage, apartment complexes, and office spaces.

What is the most profitable type of rental property? ›

What Types of Commercial Properties Are the Most Profitable? High-Tenant Properties – Typically, properties with a high number of tenants will give the best return on investment. These properties include RVs, self-storage, apartment complexes, and office spaces.

What is the 1% rule in rental investment? ›

What Is The 1% Rule In Real Estate? The 1% rule of real estate investing measures the price of the investment property against the gross income it will generate. For a potential investment to pass the 1% rule, its monthly rent must be equal to or no less than 1% of the purchase price.

How much monthly profit should you make on a rental property? ›

Keep in mind, when it comes to real estate cash flow, calculating your expenses and rental property income will be your number one key to success. Anything around 7% or 8% is the average ROI. However, if you'd really like to succeed, you should always aim higher at around 15%.

What is a good profit margin for rental property? ›

The amount will depend on your specific situation, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 10% profit after all expenses and taxes. While 10% is a good target, you may be able to make more depending on the property and the rental market.

What kind of property makes the best investment? ›

The best commercial properties to invest in include industrial, office, retail, hospitality, and multifamily projects. For investors with a strong focus on improving their local communities, commercial real estate investing can support that focus.

How many rental properties will make you a millionaire? ›

To become a real estate millionaire, you may have to own at least ten properties. If this is your goal, you need to accumulate rental properties with a total value of at least a million.

What types of properties make the most money? ›

High Return on Investment and Positive Cash Flow

Because you may receive monthly positive cash flow and a high ROI, Airbnb and rental properties are the best types of real estate investment. Investing in rental properties especially yields a steady and substantial profit.

What is the 50% rule in real estate investing? ›

The 50% rule in real estate says that investors should expect a property's operating expenses to be roughly 50% of its gross income. This is useful for estimating potential cash flow from a rental property, but it's not always foolproof.

What is the rule of 72 in rental property? ›

The Rule of 72 is a simple way to determine how long an investment will take to double given a fixed annual rate of interest. By dividing 72 by the annual rate of return, investors obtain a rough estimate of how many years it will take for the initial investment to duplicate itself.

What is the investment 50% rule? ›

Like many rules of real estate investing, the 50 percent rule isn't always accurate, but it can be a helpful way to estimate expenses for rental property. To use it, an investor takes the property's gross rent and multiplies it by 50 percent, providing the estimated monthly operating expenses.

What is a good return on investment property? ›

After you have determined your cap rate on your rental investment property you can calculate your rate of return on rental property. For properties financed by cash, investors and the real estate market consider 4% a good cap rate.

What is a good cash on cash return for rental property? ›

Q: What is a good cash-on-cash return? A: It depends on the investor, the local market, and your expectations of future value appreciation. Some real estate investors are happy with a safe and predictable CoC return of 7% – 10%, while others will only consider a property with a cash-on-cash return of at least 15%.

What is the best rental ratio? ›

A ratio of 16 to 20 indicates that it's typically better to rent than buy. A ratio of 21 or more indicates that it's much better to rent than buy.

What is the 70 percent rule in real estate? ›

Basically, the rule says real estate investors should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the cost of the repairs necessary to renovate the home. The ARV of a property is the amount a home could sell for after flippers renovate it.

What is the ideal rental income ratio? ›

What is a good rent-to-income ratio? A good rent-to-income ratio recommendation is usually 30%. Meaning that roughly 30% of a tenant's gross salary should go toward rent.

Which property has the lowest investment risk? ›

Here are the best low risk real estate investment types:
  • Long-Term Rental Properties.
  • Short-Term Rental Properties.
  • Buy-and-Hold Real Estate.
  • Multi-Family Homes.

What type of property is best for first investment? ›

The best investment property for beginners is generally a single-family dwelling or a condominium. Condos are low maintenance because the condo association takes care of external repairs, leaving you to worry about the interior.

What type of property increases in value the most? ›

Flats increase in value more than other types of properties, and that has been the case, especially in the last decade or so, where they achieved an astounding 60% rise in the overall value.

Can you get rich owning rental property? ›

Owning rental property can certainly be one way to add to your net worth and contribute to a comfortable retirement. Just like any other form of wealth-building, however, it requires education, good decision-making, an awareness of the risks, and plenty of effort.

What creates the most millionaires? ›

The financial service industry has created the most millionaires in modern times. The financial system manages the money of people worldwide.

Can you live off of rental income? ›

Effectively managing and maximizing cash flow for your investment properties will allow you to live off the rental property income. Several factors can impact your ability to maintain a positive cash flow. You'll need to show your rental property in the best light possible to attract high-quality residents.

What is the fastest way to build wealth in real estate? ›

  1. 7 Fastest Ways to Make Money in Real Estate. ...
  2. Renovation Flipping. ...
  3. Airbnb and Vacation Rentals. ...
  4. Long-Term Rentals. ...
  5. Contract Flipping. ...
  6. Lease to Buy. ...
  7. Commercial Property Rentals. ...
  8. Buying Land.

What are 4 ways you make money in real estate? ›

There are four main money making strategies for real estate investors: buy a property and wait for it to appreciate in value; rent out a property to tenants or businesses to generate cash flow; invest in residential properties; invest in real estate projects or find other work in the industry.

What makes a property worth more? ›

Age and condition. Typically, homes that are newer appraise at a higher value. The fact that critical parts of the house, like plumbing, electrical, the roof, and appliances are newer and therefore less likely to break down, can generate savings for a buyer.

What is the 80% rule in real estate? ›

The rule, applicable in many financial, commercial, and social contexts, states that 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. For example, many researchers have found that: 80% of real estate deals are closed by 20% of the real estate teams. 80% of the world's wealth was controlled by 20% of the population.

How to invest in real estate from an investor with $5,000? ›

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

REITs are an appealing option for those with $5,000 to invest because REITs are similar to stocks. You can purchase shares in real estate and diversify your portfolio by investing funds in theaters, malls, mortgage debt, and more.

Is rental property a good investment in 2023? ›

Despite what some may think, 2023 is still a good year to invest in real estate, thanks to advantages like long-term appreciation, steady rental income, and the opportunity to hedge against inflation. Mortgage rates are expected to decline, but the housing market is likely to remain competitive due to low supply.

How does the IRS know if I have rental income? ›

Ways the IRS can find out about rental income include routing tax audits, real estate paperwork and public records, and information from a whistleblower. Investors who don't report rental income may be subject to accuracy-related penalties, civil fraud penalties, and possible criminal charges.

What is the 10 percent rule for rental property? ›

No More Than 10 Percent Down Payment

Say, for example, that you purchased a property for $150,000. Following the rule, you put $15,000 (10 percent) forward as a down payment. Think of that 10 percent as all the skin you have in the game. The bank took care of the rest, and you'll cover that debt when you sell the home.

What is the 25 rule in real estate? ›

To calculate how much house you can afford, use the 25% rule—never spend more than 25% of your monthly take-home pay (after tax) on monthly mortgage payments.

What is the 10X investing rule? ›

The 10X rule means investing ten times more and reaching ten times further. Perusing the shelves of your average bookstore, you're bound to find a plethora of titles that promise you the secrets to a successful life. But with so many options, it can be hard to know which is the best one.

What is the 90 10 rule investing? ›

A typical 90/10 principle is applied when an investor leverages short-term treasury bills to build a fixed income component portfolio using 10% of their earnings. The investor then channels the remaining 90% into higher risk but relatively affordable index funds.

What is the 90 rule investing? ›

90/10 is an investment strategy proposed by Warren Buffett that deploys 90% of investment capital to S&P index funds and 10% to lower-risk investments. Asset allocation is the process of deciding where to put money to work in the market.

What type of business is best for rental properties? ›

Generally, an LLC is typically better for rental properties than an S corp. However, both offer: Liability protection for the owners. The chance to avoid double taxation by being taxed as a partnership.

What is the best passive income in real estate? ›

There are a few ways to invest in real estate passively. These include real estate investment trusts (REITs), crowdfunding opportunities, remote ownership and real estate funds. With these types of investments, you can make extra income without doing any physical labor or acting as a landlord.

How to become a millionaire with rental property? ›

Here are some tips on how you can become a millionaire real estate investor.
  1. #1: Learn About Real Estate Investing. ...
  2. #2: Set Clear Goals and Have a Plan. ...
  3. #3: Stop Waiting to Get Started. ...
  4. #4: Make Offers with Terms You Can Afford. ...
  5. #5: Generate Cash Flow. ...
  6. #6: Grow Your Portfolio. ...
  7. #7: Work Up to Larger Properties. ...
  8. #8: Keep Growing.
Jan 24, 2022

What is the fastest way to make money in real estate? ›

The most common way to make money in real estate is through appreciation—an increase in the property's value that is realized when you sell. Location, development, and improvements are the primary ways that residential and commercial real estate can appreciate in value.

How do you know if a rental property is a good investment? ›

Top 10 Features to Consider
  1. Neighborhood. The neighborhood in which you buy will determine the types of tenants you attract and your vacancy rate. ...
  2. Property Taxes. ...
  3. Schools. ...
  4. Crime. ...
  5. Job Market. ...
  6. Amenities. ...
  7. Number of Listings and Vacancies. ...
  8. Average Rents.

Are rental properties actually profitable? ›

While rental property offers the potential for generating profits through recurring income, appreciation in property value, and tax benefits, there are also some risk factors to consider as well. For example, the heating and air conditioning system could break down and require an expensive repair.

What commercial tenants are most profitable? ›

Properties with the highest number of tenants are the ones that are capable of bringing in the highest ROI. These properties include apartment complexes, office buildings, student housing, RV parks, storage facilities, etc.

How can I make $1000 a month in passive income? ›

Passive Income: 7 Ways To Make an Extra $1,000 a Month
  1. Buy US Treasuries. ...
  2. Rent Out Your Yard. ...
  3. Rent Out Your Car. ...
  4. Rental Real Estate. ...
  5. Publish an E-Book. ...
  6. Become an Affiliate. ...
  7. Sell an Online Course. ...
  8. Bottom Line.
Mar 29, 2023

How to make $100,000 per year in passive income? ›

Here are some of the top ways to earn $100,000 per year in passive income, according to financial experts, investors and business owners.
  1. Start a Niche Blog. ...
  2. Create a Course. ...
  3. Invest in CDs. ...
  4. Buy Stocks. ...
  5. Consider Bonds. ...
  6. Purchase Real Estate.
Feb 17, 2023

How can I make $2000 a month in passive income? ›

Wrapping up ways to make $2,000/month in passive income
  1. Try out affiliate marketing.
  2. Sell an online course.
  3. Monetize a blog with Google Adsense.
  4. Become an influencer.
  5. Write and sell e-books.
  6. Freelance on websites like Upwork.
  7. Start an e-commerce store.
  8. Get paid to complete surveys.

How many rental properties is too many? ›

Don't get in over your head. Some real estate investors enjoy great success with one or two rental properties, while others own dozens. There's really no preset number of properties you should limit yourself to. Rather, you should think about your capacity to manage those properties.

What investment makes the most millionaires? ›

Here are the six most popular places or investments that millionaires invest in.
  • Cash and Cash Equivalents. Many, and perhaps most, millionaires are frugal. ...
  • Real Estate. ...
  • Stocks and Stock Funds. ...
  • Private Equity and Hedge Funds. ...
  • Commodities. ...
  • Alternative Investments.
Mar 30, 2023

What percent of landlords are millionaires? ›

Only 30% of landlords own properties worth $400,000 or more, with 7% at the top owning properties worth $1 million or more.

How to invest $100 000 dollars in real estate? ›

6 Ways to Invest $100,000 in Real Estate
  1. Buy a Second Home. Purchasing a second home is one way to get started as a real estate investor. ...
  2. Buy Commercial Property. ...
  3. Invest in REITS. ...
  4. Buy Mutual Funds and ETFs. ...
  5. Crowdfund With Other Investors.
Mar 23, 2023

How to make $1,000,000 year from real estate? ›

How To Make A Million Dollars In Real Estate
  1. Learn About Real Estate Investing.
  2. Establish Your Goals.
  3. Start Now, But Start Small.
  4. Write Offers For Affordable Deals.
  5. Generate Cash Flow.
  6. Start Growing Your Portfolio.
  7. Invest In Larger Properties.
  8. Continue Growing To 1 Million Dollars.

How to invest $10,000 dollars in real estate? ›

  1. Invest as a Partner. With just $10,000, you're limited with what you can buy in real estate. ...
  2. Real Estate Crowdfunding. ...
  3. Use as a Down Payment on a Rental Property. ...
  4. Real Estate Wholesaling. ...
  5. Transform Your Own Space into an Airbnb. ...
  6. Find Investment Properties with Clever!
Apr 19, 2023

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