How To Collect $1,000 In Monthly Rental Income Without Becoming A Landlord (2024)

Jing Pan

·4 min read

How To Collect $1,000 In Monthly Rental Income Without Becoming A Landlord (1)

Real estate stands as a cornerstone of wealth generation, and as 19th-century British philosopher and economist John Stuart Mill once, said, "Landlords grow rich in their sleep."

Landlords don't merely collect rental income; they also reap the rewards of property value appreciation.

While it's nice to collect monthly rental income from an investment property, being a landlord does come with hassles.

Don’t miss:

For instance, you must carefully screen potential tenants, prepare lease agreements and ensure that rent is paid on time. Chasing lease payments and dealing with delinquent tenants is never fun.

Landlords are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their properties, which can require frequent repairs and updates. They also must secure proper insurance coverage for their properties and pay property taxes, which can require ongoing attention.

All of this can make supposedly passive income a lot less passive — and that's if you can put together a hefty down payment, get a mortgage and buy a house in the first place. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate in the U.S. is now at 7.12%.

The good news? You don't have to become a landlord to get a piece of the action.

Earn Monthly Rental Income Without Becoming A Landlord

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a way to own real estate without the hassle of property management. REITs can be thought of as giant landlords — they own income-producing real estate and collect rent from tenants.

REITs are legally required to distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders as dividends, making them appealing to investors looking to earn passive income.

Plenty of REITs trade on the stock market, so it's easy to invest in them. You can purchase shares of a REIT much like you would buy stocks of a company.

And while most dividend-paying companies follow a quarterly distribution schedule, some REITs pay their shareholders monthly.

For instance, Realty Income Corp. (NYSE:O) is a REIT that brands itself as "The Monthly Dividend Company." Through its 54-year operating history, the company has declared 641 consecutive monthly dividends.

Better yet, Realty Income has increased its payout 122 times since going public in 1994.

Today, the REIT pays monthly dividends of 25.6 cents per share, translating to an annual yield of 5.65%.

If you want to earn $1,000 every month from Realty Income, you would need to own 3,931.68 shares of the REIT. This is calculated by dividing the $1,000 by the per share monthly payout of $0.256.

And because Realty Income currently trades at $54.02 per share, 3,931.68 shares would mean about $212,389.38 worth of the stock.

If you aim for a smaller target of earning $200 per month, you would need 786.34 shares ($200 / $0.256), or $42,477.88 worth of Realty Income stock (786.34 x $54.02).

Like other stocks, REITs can be volatile. Despite its impressive dividend-paying track record, Realty Income shares have fallen about 15% in 2023.

Wolfe Research analyst Andrew Rosivach sees a rebound on the horizon. The analyst has an Outperform rating on Realty Income and a price target of $66, implying a potential upside of about 21.3%.

This is an example of how real estate investors can earn passive income without becoming a landlord. But like any investment, REITs come with risks, and dividends are not carved in stone. So always conduct comprehensive research and due diligence before diving in.

Read next:

  • Miami’s housing market value has soared over 86% in the last two years and some investors found a simple strategy to profit from it. Here’s how you can do the same in these four cities poised for massive growth.

  • Collecting passive income from real estate just got a whole lot simpler. A new real estate fund backed by Jeff Bezos gives you instant access to a diversified portfolio of rental properties, and you only need $100 to get started.

"ACTIVE INVESTORS' SECRET WEAPON" Supercharge Your Stock Market Game with the #1 "news & everything else" trading tool: Benzinga Pro - Click here to start Your 14-Day Trial Now!

This article How To Collect $1,000 In Monthly Rental Income Without Becoming A Landlord originally appeared on Benzinga.com

© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

How To Collect $1,000 In Monthly Rental Income Without Becoming A Landlord (2024)

FAQs

How can I make money without being a landlord? ›

With a REIT, you earn a share of the income the properties produce without having to buy, manage or finance them—making it a truly passive real estate investing option. REITs can be a good option for people who want to invest in real estate outside of their retirement accounts, but don't want to be a landlord.

How do you explain rental income? ›

Rental income is any payment you receive for the use or occupation of property. Expenses of renting property can be deducted from your gross rental income. You generally deduct your rental expenses in the year you pay them.

What is the best way to calculate rental income? ›

Gross yield on a rental property is the percentage of profit before expenses have been deducted. To calculate, first multiply the monthly rent amount by the number of months in the year to determine the income from rent; then, divide the income from rent by the appreciated home value.

What is passive income for rental property? ›

Passive income is revenue that takes negligible effort to acquire. It includes earnings from rental properties, limited partnerships, and other projects where you're not involved in the continued generation of earnings.

How do I become a lender and not a landlord? ›

Become a Hard Money Lender

If you're looking to invest in real estate without becoming a landlord, you may want to consider becoming a hard money lender. Hard money lenders are typically individuals or companies that offer high-interest loans to property investors to help them purchase properties.

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

IRS agents can check real estate paperwork and public records to verify the information reported on your return. Some states require rental property owners to have licenses.

What does the IRS consider rental income? ›

Rental income is any payment you receive for the use or occupation of property. You must report rental income for all your properties. In addition to amounts you receive as normal rent payments, there are other amounts that may be rental income and must be reported on your tax return.

What happens if I don't report 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 type of rental properties make the most money? ›

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.

How much do most landlords make? ›

As of 2024, landlords in the United States have an average annual income of around $60,107, a figure that reveals the lucrative potential of property rentals. However, this average income amount can vary significantly depending on several factors, such as location, property type, rental prices, and market conditions​​.

What is the formula for renting? ›

Rental Rate = 1% x Property Purchase Price

All you have to do is calculate 1% of the home value, which should be the monthly rental rate. If the rental market analysis shows substantial vacancy rates in your area, you'll need to factor potential vacancies into your calculation.

How much should rental income be? ›

The 1% rule is a helpful tool for investors to evaluate the viability of a potential investment property. The rule states that the monthly rent should be at least 1% of the total purchase price. For instance, if a property is bought for $300,000, it should generate a minimum of $3,000 in monthly rent.

Do you count rental income as income? ›

Yes. Rental income should be treated just like any other form of income when you file your tax return.

Is it hard to make money as a landlord? ›

Rental properties can be a great way to generate income, so long as your operating expenses aren't too high and your rent price is competitive. Rent payments, security deposits, move-in fees, and pet fees can also help cover your monthly expenses and leave money left over to save for future costs.

How do landlords make profit? ›

Cash Flow. Many real estate investors determine rental property profitability from the cash flow it generates. Cash flow is the amount of positive (or negative) cash that is left over at the end of the year after all expenses (pre-tax) have been paid.

Can you make money renting out? ›

Purchasing a little house and renting it out to someone is a legitimate way to make money. Rental property investing is a popular method of making investments. In order to pay your bills, such as your mortgage, property taxes, and maintenance fees, you can make money as a landlord by collecting rent from your renters.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Stevie Stamm

Last Updated:

Views: 5514

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Stevie Stamm

Birthday: 1996-06-22

Address: Apt. 419 4200 Sipes Estate, East Delmerview, WY 05617

Phone: +342332224300

Job: Future Advertising Analyst

Hobby: Leather crafting, Puzzles, Leather crafting, scrapbook, Urban exploration, Cabaret, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.