It doesn’t really matter what kind of investing you are participating in, it’s almost always a wise idea to have multiple streams of income in order to maximize your profits while spreading your risks. Even within the confines of real estate investing, there are different types of investing that can help you spread your risks. When markets meet turbulent times, multiple streams of income can be a very good safety net for those who do not want to feel as though they are gambling away their investments on a real estate market that is fickle on its best days.
You really have two course of action when it comes to bringing in multiple streams of income when building your financial portfolio. The first is to spread your real estate wealth and investments across several different types of real estate investments. There are a few types that come immediately to mind. First there are rental properties. You have two options even with these. You can either choose to rent properties outright to families, students, singles, and the elderly or you can offer a lease or rent-to-own situation for those who have struggled in the past but still have the dream of home ownership.
Other options for bringing in multiple streams of income through real estate is to have a few rental properties and couple those with a few flips in the works, perhaps a commercial property or two, and a pre-construction deal or vacation condo or AirBNB rental in the pipelines. One thing is certain you should always be on the lookout for your next real estate investment if you really want to make good money in this business while having a little added security. Rentals are passive income for the most part, especially if you have a solid property manager taking care of the details and the other investments are often icing on the cake.
If you want a truly diversified portfolio however, it is a good plan to include a few investments that aren’t related to real estate investing. While I firmly believe that real estate investing is the way to go for most people there is much money that can be made in other fields and it would be pointless to discuss multiple streams of income without mentioning a few that were unrelated to real estate investing. Retirement plans are a great option and you can now invest in a retirement plan of your own even if you are self-employed. It is definitely worth considering as yet another stream of income, even if it is income that you will need to wait a while to receive. Franchise businesses are often great money makers for those who need more immediate results from their investments efforts, and stocks and bonds are also great long term investment strategies.
The truth is that there are many things you can do to create even more streams of income to add to your real estate investments. From making money online through affiliate marketing, blogs, and direct sales you can also tackle brick and mortar businesses, though these tend to be just as time consuming as real estate. The point is that you want to bring in money from different avenues and real estate investing is one of many different routes to explore when deciding on your investment future and establishing those multiple streams of income.
Bill Manassero is the founder/top dog at the “Old Dawg’s REI Network,” a blog, newsletter, and podcast for seniors and retirees, that teaches the art of real estate investing.