We know, we know. Real estate is one of the best ways to make money. It probably is also one of the easiest ways to do so. But real estate requires hard work, including research, upkeeping, and number crunching. So, are there easy ways to make money in real estate?
Short answer: yes! Whatever ‘easy’ means to you in the context of real estate investing, whether it means passive, quick, low effort, or anything else, there’s bound to be investment strategies that you fit your definition of easy.
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Rent a Part of Your House
Renting a part of your house is the first thought that comes to mind when discussing easy ways to make money in real estate investing. But of course, not all strategies are for everyone, and if you are looking for an active investment, this may not be for you. If you have a primary source of income, empty space in your house, and are simply looking to make some bucks on the side, this is an easy way to make rental income.
Two things make this strategy an easy way to make money in real estate. For one, you do not need to purchase a rental property, you’re already using a part of your house as one! Secondly, since the real estate property is shared, expenses are significantly reduced.
This investment strategy isn’t perfect, however. Sharing may not always mean caring if you and your tenant are butting heads constantly. To avoid this, be sensible with the tenant, and screen meticulously when looking for a tenant.
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Single-Family Homes
From part of a real estate property to an entire investment property we land with single-family homes. There’s a reason why single-family homes are basically the poster child of residential real estate, and it’s because they are among the top in the easy ways to make money. If you’re looking for a full-time real estate investment, whether as a beginner or an expert real estate investor, we can’t recommend single-family homes enough.
Let’s start with the pros. Single-family residences, or SFRs, are cheaper than many different kinds of rental properties, like multifamily homes. Their expenses do not pile up against you too often. Maintenance, for instance, is not too high, as SFRs are pretty small. Also, utility bills tend to be covered by the tenant, easing your maintenance costs. All of these benefits add up to a high chance of positive cash flow, the one thing you should strive for when renting out!
Related: Why You Should Invest in Single-Family Homes and Not Multi-Family Homes
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Rent to College Students
Sticking with traditional real estate investments and easy ways to make money, we arrive at renting to college students. College students can be reckless party animal brats, yeah, we know. But still, they are a great choice to rent out to and an easy source of rental income.
By renting out to college students, you’re likely in for some guaranteed rent. No, this isn’t a sick joke to all you, landlords out there, guaranteed rent does exist…to some degree. College students tend to have two main sources of money: scholarships and parents. Either source will help the student pay for rent, which significantly lowers the chances of unpaid rent.
There are a few downsides, of course. As we all know, college students can be reckless, which can possibility lead to property damages. To solve this problem, mention a clause in the lease that bans or penalizes damages and noise. Another downside has been recent market oversaturation. To avoid this, scour for college towns that need rental properties, not ones that have too many.
Related: Best Places to Invest in Real Estate: College Towns
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Airbnb
Let’s take a break from traditional investing. Airbnb investing is among the easy ways to make money with short-term rentals. In fact, most real estate investors report earning more through Airbnb than through traditional means!
One reason more real estate investors earn more and earn easily through Airbnb is due its pricing. You can set the price however you like, of course, as the market permits. Once an Airbnb income property garners great reviews, an investor can raise its price. Rent is usually on a night basis, so the possibility to earn more money increases.
To have a killer Airbnb property, there are some things to take note of. Number one: location. With any type of real estate investment, location is essential to its success. Having an Airbnb property near tourist attractions and destinations is among the easy ways to make money in real estate. Once you have a great location, add amenities that guests would love to have and use.
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REITs
What if you want to eliminate the landlord duties? Are there any easy ways to make money from your couch? Yup, and yup!
By investing in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), investors are in for a passive, yet very profitable real estate investment. A REIT is a company that owns income properties. Examples typically lie in commercial real estate, like skyscrapers and malls, but REITs can invest in residential real estate as well.
A real estate investor investing in a REIT will receive return on investment, great liquidity, and simple tax rules from the investment. What makes this method among the easy ways to make money in real estate is that all the investor is required to do is invest in the property. The REIT will take care of management and any other essential duties.
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Wholesaling
The last entry on the list of easy ways to make money in real estate is through wholesaling. Wholesaling in itself is not the easiest thing to do, but nonetheless, it is an easy way to make money if you know how to do it effectively.
Wholesaling involves purchasing a property’s contract rather than the property for sale itself. Then, you sell the contract for a more expensive price to a buyer. Essentially, a wholesaler acts as a middleman between a buyer and a seller.
Wholesaling requires knowledge of the local real estate market. That’s why it’s mainly recommended for experienced real estate investors and not beginners. Regardless, wholesaling is an excellent and easy way to make money in real estate.
Want to learn more about the easy ways to make money in real estate? Head over to the Mashvisor’s blog. Want to begin your real estate investing journey? Start your investment property property search trial with Mashvisor!