Real estate finished November as the second best performing group in the S&P 500 Index adding 12%, trailing slightly behind tech’s 13% gain. The momentum was fueled by bets the central bank may begin cutting rates as early as next year.
RELATED: Mortgage rates will decline further, economic signs indicate
In November, the interest-rate sensitive sector was a market outperformer as investors poured capital into the group. A pullback in Treasury yields has also supported trader optimism that the worst of it could be over. Additionally, U.S. real estate investment trusts, which have been beaten-down by surging interest rates and economic uncertainty, are now flashing signs of strength.
The group rallied 12% in November versus the S&P 500’s 9% gain, notching its best month since 2011. Bank of America said it’s overweight the real estate sector ahead of 2024, with Jeffrey Spector calling the REIT sector equity’s “diamond in the rough.” He listed American Homes 4 Rent, Americold Realty Trust, Empire State Realty Trust, Kimco Realty Corp., Prologis Inc. and Welltower Inc. as his top picks in a note to clients Friday.
Battered office landlord stocks have placed a overcast on the REIT sector as a whole, though office only represents a sliver of the group. Investors have been fleeing the office sector as fears of remote work and elevated borrowing costs destabilize the sector.
“Real estate has seen the biggest de-rating since 2021 among all industries on concerns over office, but office is less than 5% of real estate’s market cap,” he said.
While Bank of America remains cautious on the market entering 2024, it still sees real estate as underappreciated.
For homebuilding stocks, the bulk of the monthly advance was made during the first three sessions of November after the Federal Reserve announced it would hold its benchmark rate steady for a second meeting. The index posted three back-to-back gains of more than 4%, ultimately sending the index to post its biggest monthly gain since 2020.
The recent pullback in mortgage rates is likely to further support the sector’s gains, enabling builders to buy down rates to 5.5%, a level that has previously helped demand, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Drew Reading said.
“This would actually make new home payments more favorable versus resales heading into the spring selling season, so the timing is great for the group,” he noted.
Although builder confidence has been on the decline, Capital Economics U.S. Property Economist Thomas Ryan says the sentiment is a misrepresentation of where larger public builders actually stand, as the gauge is largely comprised of smaller private builders.
As such, the typical strong correlation between NAHB homebuilder confidence and housing starts has broken down recently, he said. That divergence was underscored in November after the confidence gauge fell to its lowest level this year, despite housing starts unexpectedly rising to the highest in three months.
“While smaller homebuilders are finding it increasingly difficult to access the credit required to maintain construction activity, their giant competitors are in an extremely strong financial position,” Ryan wrote.
The real estate sector still lags behind the broader market year-to-date, but according to Bank of America, the group may be a bright spot heading into 2024.
IndyMac said today that it in light of recent events, the value of mortgage securities it holds will likely need to be marked down, causing the mortgage lender to miss its first quarter earnings target.
“As has been widely publicized, the capital markets in recent days have taken another turn for the worse with credit spreads widening significantly due to panic market conditions caused by uncertainty in the U.S. housing and mortgage markets, renewed margin calls by Wall Street repo lenders on mortgage REITs and hedge funds, and other economic and financial uncertainties,” the company said in a statement.
The Pasadena, CA-based Alt-A lender noted “that there are virtually no new non-GSE mortgage securities issuances and the only resale activity is a handful of distressed sales,” and that IndyMac’s MBS portfolio will take a hit as a result.
But the company believes the potential negative impact is unwarranted as the recent trouble in the market has nothing to do with the quality of their actual holdings, and for that reason, should be reversed when the market stabilizes.
“As of December 31, 2007, approximately 17% of the MBS portfolio is classified as ‘Trading’ and any potential unrealized write-down on this portion of the portfolio will directly affect earnings and capital. None of Indymac’s AAA non-agency (Alt-a prime jumbo) MBS (over 86% of our total MBS portfolio) has been downgraded, and the performance of these securities has been reviewed several times in the past year by the major rating agencies.”
“Lastly, Indymac has the intent and ability to continue to hold these assets to recovery as a result of funding its balance sheet with deposits, FHLB advances, long-term debt and equity.”
Analysts covering the stock currently anticipate a loss of 93 cents for the first quarter, according to Thomson Financial.
Shares of IndyMac rose 58 cents, or 12.34%, to $5.28 on news that the Fed planned to provide $200 billion in capital to boost liquidity in the ailing credit markets.
Inside: Are you confused about the differences in types of income? This guide will help you understand earned income, passive income, and investment income, and their importance in achieving financial stability. Learn about the different tax implications for each type of income.
Understanding the differences in income types is a vital component of your financial literacy.
Earned, passive, and investment income all play a distinct role in your financial portfolio and tax liabilities.
These types of income are important to grow your wealth.
We will quickly answer the difference, provide examples, and understand the tax implications.
This post may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure here.
What Is Earned Income?
Earned income is the money you actively work for. You trade your time for money.
This comes in the form of salaries and wages, where you receive a fixed amount of compensation for your role or job. It can also occur as hourly wages in part-time or contractual jobs.
Other forms include tips received in the service industry, bonuses for achieving specific goals, and self-employment income for freelancers, consultants, and small business owners. Any income that directly results from your personal efforts and active participation falls under earned income.
Typically, this is the most common form of income for most people.
Real Life Examples of Earned Income
A supermarket cashier receives an hourly wage.
A financial analyst is being paid for salary.
A freelance graphic designer receiving payment for a recently completed project.
A waitress at a restaurant receives a tip from a satisfied customer.
A real estate agent receives a commission on the sale of a house.
A sales manager at a car dealership receives a bonus for meeting sales targets.
A renowned author receiving an honorarium for delivering a keynote speech at a literature festival.
A hairstylist at a salon receives income from the haircuts and styling services provided.
A fitness coach generating income through personal training sessions.
Any side hustle income is typically earned income.
How Is Active Income Taxed?
Active income, also known as earned income, is subject to income tax at various rates as determined by the IRS’s current tax brackets. Seven tax brackets, ranging from 10% to 37%, are set for individual taxpayers. 1
The tax treatment is wholly dependent on where an individual’s income falls within these brackets. Your employer typically deducts this tax directly from your paycheck, reducing net take-home pay. It’s advisable to understand the tax implications of your earnings to avoid any surprises at tax time.
Use this tax calculator to know your taxes due.
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Role of Passive Income
Passive income refers to money earned that is not directly linked to active efforts or time spent, often described as income one can earn while sleeping, vacationing, or indulging in hobbies.
This kind of income usually demands some sort of initial investment, which could be financial, a substantial time commitment, ingenuity, or a mixture of all. For many, they invested 10k to get started. Examples include writing a book, creating a course, investing in real estate, or running an affiliate marketing program.
Despite the upfront work often required, passive income potentially provides a steady additional revenue stream and financial independence, making it an attractive prospect for many.
Common Forms of Passive Income
Dividends and interest income: Profits made from investments in stocks or bonds often involve receiving dividends or interest.
Rental income: This is earned from renting out property you own, like houses or apartments as a real estate rental.
Royalties: Income from allowing others to use your intellectual or creative properties, such as copyrighted books, music compositions, or patented inventions.
Capital gains: Profits from buying assets like stocks or property for a certain amount and selling them at a higher value.
Product or Course Sales: A small business owner receiving income from a product or sales that they created once and can resell.
Remember, there is still a level of effort involved in managing these streams, even though they are considered passive.
How Is Passive Income Taxed?
The tax liability of passive income can vary based on how the income is generated. 2
In general, how passive income is taxed depends on how the income is earned. The key note is you are not trading your time for money.
Some forms of passive income are subject to self-employment taxes, while others may be taxed at your regular income tax rate. For instance, net rental income, a form of passive income, may attract unique taxation rules.
However, the applicable tax rules can be complex. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to seek advice from a licensed tax professional when managing taxes for passive income.
Insights into Investment Income
Investment income is a distinct financial category mainly composed of profits resulting from various investments. This pathway consists of the strategic acquisition of assets with a prime focus on their long-term appreciation or regular income, potentially in the form of dividends or interest.
Unlike earned income which often demands a substantial time investment, and unlike passive income which may need initial setup, investment income principally necessitates strategic decision-making and periodic performance reviews.
The common form is learning how to invest in the stock market or real estate.
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Examples of Investment Income And Strategies
Dividends: Income received from owning shares of a company. A long-term investment strategy generally works best here.
Bond Interest: Income paid from bonds for lending money to entities. Risk-averse investors often lean towards bonds for steady income.
Capital Gains: Profits from selling investments at a higher price than their purchase. This needs a strategic understanding of market patterns.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs): Income from investing in property-related assets. This strategy may provide steady cash flow with potential growth.
P2P Lending: Returns from lending money through online platforms. The ability to scale and diversify this investment depends on your risk tolerance.
Interest on savings accounts – Money earned on the balance held in your savings account.
All require a strategic approach, balancing risk and rewards, to drive income growth effectively.
Please note, that the successful generation of investment income often requires careful financial decision-making and strategic asset allocation.
Impact of Tax on Investment Income
Taxes on investment income include interest, dividends, and capital gains. However, the rate is usually lower than that for earned income.
Investment income is often taxed at a lower rate than earned income, however, the exact tax rates can depend on an individual’s tax bracket and the holding period of the investment.
In certain circumstances, Investment income can be subject to capital gains taxes, which apply if you sell a stock or other investment at a profit.
For some high-income individuals, Investment income may be subjected to the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT). The NIIT is an additional 3.8% tax on certain investment income, such as interest, dividends, and capital gains.
Capital gains from the sale of assets (like real estate or a business) are often taxed at a lower rate compared to ordinary income.
Therefore, it’s important to consider these tax implications when shaping your investment strategies. Proper tax planning can help mitigate the impact of taxes on your investment income.
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Major Differences Between Active (Earned) and Passive Income
The primary differences between active (earned) income and passive income revolve around how they are earned and managed.
Active (earned) income requires active, day-to-day involvement in work. For example, a full-time job where you’re on the clock. It’s often less scalable due to time and energy constraints. Earned income is also more prone to risks like job loss or health issues that prevent work. Furthermore, in most regions, earned income tends to fall in higher tax brackets.
Conversely, passive income demands initial setup and some regular review but not daily oversight. Examples include earning royalties from a book you wrote or income from renting properties. This is more scalable because you aren’t exchanging time for money in the same way.
Advantages of Diversifying Your Income Sources
#1 – Achieving Financial Goals with Flexibility
Diversifying your income source adds flexibility to your personal finance strategy, helping you achieve your financial goals effectively. An income diversified across active, passive, and investment income can cushion against financial downturns whilst providing multiple avenues for wealth generation.
An unexpected job loss, for example, maybe less devastating when you have additional income streams to bank on, such as rental income or dividends, providing you with the flexibility to navigate financial bumps. It also allows you to explore unique investment opportunities without undue stress.
Consequently, a multi-faceted income model can be a stepping stone towards financial freedom.
#2 – Stable Financial Standing with Multiple Income Streams
Having multiple income streams provides a buffer that can significantly enhance your financial stability. “You’ll catch more fish with multiple lines in the water,” says Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. 4
If one income source dwindles or disappears, other income streams continue to provide essential financial flow. This duplication shields you from the full brunt of economic or occupational changes, ensuring you maintain your standard of living while working towards your financial goals. Thus, a diverse income portfolio lays a foundation of financial resilience and prosperity.
#3 – Tax Benefits and Deductions: Navigating the Complexities
Income diversification presents an opportunity to mitigate taxes through various benefits and deductions. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may be eligible for specific tax breaks or deductions on passive or investment income. For instance, certain expenses related to generating rental income may be deductible, or long-term capital gains might be taxed at a lower rate.
It’s also noteworthy that certain types of income like qualified dividends or long-term capital gains can offer potential tax advantages over regular income. While tax laws can be complex, a basic understanding of these concepts could be beneficial to reduce your tax obligations.
That said, always consider seeking the help of a tax professional to navigate these intricacies, especially with an S corporation or with a schedule C.
FAQ About Different Types of Income
Earned income and passive income are two distinctly sourced income channels. Earned income is money received as a direct result of work performed or services provided. This includes wages, salaries, tips, and self-employment income.
Passive income, on the other hand, is money earned without active, daily participation. Although it may require initial efforts to set up, its subsequent generation entails minimal direct input. The key difference between the two lies in the level and timing of involvement required to generate them. Passive income gives you more time freedom.
Portfolio income and passive income are often misunderstood as the same. However, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) distinctly categorizes them. 3
While passive income generally refers to earnings gained without active involvement, portfolio income specifically relates to income derived from investments such as interest, dividends, or capital gains. Although both involve some lack of active participation, their origins, and tax implications are different.
No, investment income and earned income are not the same. The key difference lies in the source: one is actively earned by working, while the other is accrued through investing or letting money work for you.
The variance also manifests in their respective tax treatment by the IRS.
Earned income refers to wages, salaries, bonuses, and other income earned by providing a service or actively participating in a job or business.
On the other hand, investment income is generated from things like dividends, interest, and capital gains from the sale of financial assets such as stocks or bonds.
Diversification is the Key to Types of Income
Choosing the right income channel—earned, passive, or investment income—depends heavily on your financial goals, resources, risk tolerance, and time commitment.
Earned income may provide stable, regular income, but requires active participation.
Passive income, while enticing with its offer of money while you sleep, requires initial effort and savvy management.
Investment income may promise attractive returns, yet it can involve significant risk and demand financial acumen.
Diversifying your income streams could provide economic stability, flexibility, and potential tax benefits.
One wise woman, Teri Ijeoma, once stated, “It is better to make more money than you know what to do with rather than worry about how the taxes work.”
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to financial prosperity, but understanding the nuances of various income types is a step in the right direction toward financial literacy and independence.
Now, let’s move to how to become financially independent.
Source
Internal Revenue Service. “IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2024.” https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-provides-tax-inflation-adjustments-for-tax-year-2024. Accessed November 20, 2023.
Internal Revenue Service. “Passive Activity and At-Risk Rules.” https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p925.pdf. Accessed November 20, 2023.
Internal Revenue Service. “Publication 550 (2022), Investment Income and Expenses.” https://www.irs.gov/publications/p550. Accessed November 20, 2023.
Bankrate. “23 passive income ideas to help you make money in 2023.” https://www.bankrate.com/investing/passive-income-ideas/. Accessed November 20, 2023.
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Other options include real estate investment trusts (REITs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and passively managed portfolios. Often overlooked are tax-managed funds, which offer a mix of passive and active real estate tactics. Note, however, that they are managed by a separate entity. The separation of management and investment tactics makes for more predictable returns and tighter … [Read more…]
The average American net worth varies due to many factors, with some people making far more than others. If you’re behind the national average, it may seem difficult to catch up, but whether you have bad credit or a lot of debt, you can still begin building your net worth by learning how to generate passive income.
Passive income is a great way to generate more income, pay down your debt, and start saving and investing for your future. Here you’ll learn what passive income is, as well as different ways to make passive income online and offline. With 25 passive income ideas, there is something for everyone.
25 Passive Income Ideas:
Write an E-Book
Start a YouTube Channel
Try Affiliate Marketing
Create a Blog
Sell Stock Photos and Videos
Create an Online Course
Make Sponsored Content
Invest in Dividend Stocks
Invest in REITs
Invest in Index Funds and ETFs
Try Peer-to-Peer Lending
Stake Cryptocurrency
Utilize High-Yield Savings Accounts
Buy Government Bonds
Invest in Art
Buy Property to Rent
Rent Out a Room in Your Home
Buy Domain Names
License Your Music
Design Custom Products
Rent Out Your Vehicle
Use Your Vehicle as Ad Space
Create an App
Flip Unique Items
Rent Out Your Parking Space
What Is Passive Income?
Passive income is a type of income that comes from sources other than your regular employment, and involves a more hands-off approach. Passive income isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme, though some companies make big claims about generating passive income without any work. Passive income does take work to set up, but the goal is that you can make money without managing it on a day-to-day basis.
You’ll generally do most of the work by setting up your source of passive income. While it may require some upkeep every now and then, like updating a product or maintaining a rental property, you’ll earn the majority of your income while pursuing other endeavors.
Like other sources of additional income, passive income is taxable, but when done correctly, you can make enough passive income to surpass your tax bill.
1. Write an E-Book
Whether you’re a writer or not, an e-book can be a fantastic way to generate passive income. We no longer live in a world where publishers are the gatekeepers of books, so you can self-publish a book that can generate passive income. Various websites let you self-publish books, like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, Apple Books, and Barnes & Noble. Some of these sites also offer print-on-demand services for customers who want physical copies.
You can write a nonfiction book if you’re knowledgeable about a certain subject, or you can write fiction if you have an interesting story idea. Although this can generate passive income, self-publishing can require a bit of an investment. You’ll need to pay for an editor and book cover designer, and you may also want to pay for advertisements. But if you can do the cover art and marketing on your own, you may be able to save some money.
2. Start a YouTube Channel
There are many ways to make money using social media, but YouTube is one of the best ways to make passive income. YouTube pays content creators to run ads on their videos. In order to qualify for the YouTube Partner Program, you’ll need at least 500 subscribers, three new videos within the last 90 days, and 3,000 watch hours within the last year. Previously, you needed 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, but the policy was updated in June 2023 with lower requirements.
Like other sources of passive income, making money from YouTube will require an up-front investment of time and money. You need a stable internet connection, camera, microphone, computer, and editing software. You also need to make consistent videos to qualify for the partner program. You can eventually generate passive income by making evergreen videos, because people will watch old videos that bring in revenue—and the more videos you have on your channel, the more money you can make.
3. Try Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is when you share a link to a product or service, and the company gives you a percentage of any sales made through that link. You can share these links on your social media pages, blog, newsletter, or anywhere else that allows you to post a link. Affiliate marketing is one of the best online passive income opportunities, and you can combine it with any other online method we mention in this article.
One of the most popular affiliate link programs is Amazon Associates. Let’s say you have a YouTube channel where you review electronics, and you make a video reviewing a new TV or laptop. If you link to that product on Amazon with your affiliate link, you’ll receive a percentage of the sale each time someone uses your link.
This isn’t only limited to Amazon, either. Many companies offer affiliate links, so it can be advantageous to reach out to companies for products and services you use regularly to see if they have an affiliate program.
4. Create a Blog
There are a variety of ways to make money from writing a blog. Like YouTube, old blog posts can generate passive income even if people read the post months or years after you wrote it. If you create your own website to host your blog, you can integrate Google Ads and use affiliate links to make money online.
Platforms like Substack combine blogs and newsletters, so every time you write a new post, subscribers receive an email. You can have paid subscriptions on Substack, so users pay a monthly fee to read your posts, and you can have free posts that go out to non-paying subscribers as well.
5. Sell Stock Photos and Videos
If you’re a photographer or videographer, you can earn money for your photos and videos. There are many different websites that buy stock photos and videos, like Shutterstock, iStock, and Getty Images. One thing to consider is that the website gets exclusive rights to your images or videos, but on some sites you can make between 15% and 45% in royalties.
6. Create an Online Course
Many people have expertise in a certain area, and utilizing your knowledge and skills to create an online course is a great way to make passive income online. For example, you can create a course for how to knit, how to take amazing photos, or how to program an app. Websites like Kajabi and Teachable allow you to host and sell your courses.
You may need to invest some time and possibly money in marketing your course to ensure you find the right audience. Some course-hosting platforms like Skillshare also categorize courses by topic for better discoverability.
If you start gaining a following on social media platforms or through a blog, you may get the opportunity to do sponsored content. Companies want to ensure they target the right audience, so if you have followers who may buy their product or service, they’re more likely to sponsor a piece of content. This typically means you discuss their product in a video or write about it in a caption.
In order to generate passive income from a sponsored opportunity, the company will give you an affiliate link. This allows you to make money up front for the sponsored content as well as passive income from anyone who uses your link to buy the product or service.
This route for passive income may take some time because companies typically want people to have a decent following before sponsoring content.
8. Invest in Dividend Stocks
Stocks can be a great way to make money while also investing in your future. When you buy a stock, you buy a small portion of a company. If the stock price rises and you sell it at a higher price, you make a profit, but the stock can also drop in price and lose you money. Some, but not all, stocks offer dividends, which pay investors a dividend per share if the company has a profitable quarter.
When the stock pays out dividends, you can receive the payment directly from your brokerage or reinvest the dividends by buying more of the stock. Like other investments, this can compound and turn into a lot of money over time if the company continues to profit. As you invest in dividend stocks, keep in mind the companies can raise or lower the dividend percentage at any time.
Use MarketBeat’s dividend calculator to look up specific stocks and estimate dividend returns.
9. Invest in REITs
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are another investment opportunity. Rather than investing directly in a property, you can invest in a REIT, which is a company that owns and manages real estate.
Similar to other investments, there is risk that comes along with investing in REITs. For example, there’s a possibility your REIT investments will lose money if there’s a drop in the housing market.
10. Invest in Index Funds and ETFs
Index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are some of the safest investments because they offer diversification. Rather than investing in one company, index funds and ETFs allow you to invest in multiple companies simultaneously.
Legendary investor and founder of Vanguard John Bogle was a major advocate for index fund investing. More specifically, he advised people to invest in the S&P 500, an index of the 500 largest companies in the United States. ETFs are slightly different because there are higher fees, but they allow you to invest in a group of stocks for a specific industry. For example, ARKK is an ETF that holds shares for companies that work on innovative technology.
There is still a risk when investing in index funds and ETFs, but they are often lower risk than other forms of stock investing.
11. Try Peer-to-Peer Lending
Another way to make passive income is to become your own type of “bank” by doing peer-to-peer lending, sometimes called P2P lending. Banks make money on loans by charging interest to customers, and P2P lending allows you to do the same thing. Websites like Prosper and Funding Circle allow everyday people to lend and borrow money with various interest rates.
12. Stake Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency investing is a highly volatile form of investing, making it especially high risk. Some cryptocurrency platforms allow you to “stake” your crypto, which is when you allow the platform to hold your crypto and lend it to other people. Similar to P2P lending, you make money off the interest.
Cryptocurrency lending and trading is also high risk because there is little to no regulation. Crypto platforms like Voyager have been known to offer extremely high returns and then go bankrupt, preventing them from paying back their users. In extreme cases, there are stories of fraudulent activity from crypto platforms. But if you have a high risk tolerance, this form of investing can be incredibly lucrative.
13. Utilize High-Yield Savings Accounts
A safer way to make passive income is to open up a high-yield savings account, which allows you to make money simply by holding it in your account. Banks use customer funds to lend out money, but unlike crypto staking, bank funds are backed by the U.S. government via the FDIC. This means that if, for some reason the bank doesn’t have the money when you want your funds, the government would provide the bank with the money to pay you up to $250,000.
Many banks and financial institutions offer high-yield savings accounts, with some offering an annual percentage yield (APY) of over 4%. So if you opened an account with a 4.5% APY and deposited $1,000, you would have $1,045 after a year.
People maximize their passive income by not touching this money because it compounds each year. So using that same example, in the second year, you would then earn 4.5% of the $1,045 rather than the original $1,000. And if you add to the savings account each month, you can make quite a bit of money over time.
14. Buy Government Bonds
Perhaps the safest way to earn passive income from investing is to buy government bonds. A government bond is basically a loan to the federal government that pays you back the original amount with interest over a certain period. The reason government bonds are so safe is because the government backs them. When buying a stock, it’s possible to lose your money if the company goes out of business. Bonds are safer because as long as the government exists, you’ll make your money back.
Although government bonds are very low risk, they also offer low returns. Depending on various factors, government bonds may offer a 3–5% return over two to 30 years. To put that into perspective, S&P 500 index fund investing offers an average return rate of over 7.5%[1] .
15. Invest in Art
Similar to stocks, you can also invest in artwork. One way to do this is to buy works of art that you believe will increase in value later. If you’re knowledgeable about art and can find pieces selling for below their value that you can sell later for a profit, you can make a bit of money. Websites like Masterworks allow you to buy shares of artwork with other investors so you take on less risk.
16. Buy Property to Rent
Many people generate passive income by purchasing properties to rent. If you can afford the initial investment of buying a single-family home or condo, you can then rent them out to tenants for a profit. For example, if you buy a house and your mortgage is only $1,000, you can make a profit by charging any amount over your mortgage cost.
In order to take advantage of the passive income aspect of renting, you may benefit from hiring an individual or company to manage the property. Property managers collect the monthly rent and take care of maintenance issues for a fee. Should you decide to invest in rental properties, it’s helpful to factor in the cost of potential home repairs before, during, and after tenants live there.
17. Rent Out a Room in Your Home
If you don’t have the money for a down payment or don’t want to take on the risk of purchasing a rental home, you can always make some extra income by renting out a room. If you have a spare room in your home, you can rent it out for a monthly fee. This is a great option for families whose children recently moved out.
You can use websites like Airbnb and VRBO to connect you with renters. Although many people use Airbnb for short-term rentals during vacations, you can also offer long-term rentals through the website. These sites also let you vet renters before they move in, so you have control over who rents the room.
18. Buy Domain Names
Buying domain names is a sort of investing, so it does come with some risk. People and businesses buy domain names to host their websites, so you can purchase a variety of inexpensive domain names in hopes of people buying them from you later for more. You can typically buy domain names for less than $10 through websites like GoDaddy, but if they don’t sell, you’ll need to pay the annual cost to keep the name.
While this may be a risky investment, people have made a lot of money flipping domain names. It was a big money-maker during the “dot com boom” in the 1990s, Help.com sold for $3 million and NFTs.com sold for $15 million in 2023. Many domains don’t sell for millions, but you may still be able to make a decent profit off domain names in high demand.
19. License Your Music
If you’re a musician, you can license your music in a similar way to selling stock photos and videos. Some websites like Music Vine pay musicians 30% for nonexclusive deals or more for an exclusive license. There are also websites like Epidemic Sound that market to YouTubers and filmmakers by offering a subscription service for royalty-free music.
20. Design Custom Products
For those who are artistically inclined, you can make money creating designs and selling them on websites that sell custom products. Websites like Redbubble, Teespring, and Society6 offer print-on-demand services for your artwork. These websites sell a wide range of products like T-shirts, coffee mugs, phone cases, and more. You get a percentage of the sale every time a customer goes to the website and chooses your design for any of these products
If you have old artwork you created in the past or simply feel like creating in your spare time, you can generate passive income as long as your art is hosted on these types of websites.
21. Rent Out Your Vehicle
Services like Uber and Lyft are popular side hustles, but you can make passive income by renting out your vehicle instead. When people are traveling or have their car in the repair shop, they often need a vehicle to get around. Rather than going to a rental car company, they can rent a vehicle through other websites like Turo or Getaround.
22. Use Your Vehicle as Ad Space
In addition to renting out your vehicle, you can make passive income by using your vehicle as ad space.
Websites like Wrapify connect businesses and drivers, and depending on how much of your car you’re willing to cover with ads, Wrapify will pay you between $181 and $452 per month. There are also sites like FreeCarMedia.com that pay you for wrapping your vehicle or simply advertising on your rear window.
23. Create an App
If you’re a programmer who can create an app, this may be the best way for you to make passive income. Whether it’s a fun game or an app that provides value and convenience, use your creativity and skills to generate income. Apple and Google allow developers to submit their apps, giving you a percentage of the sale each time someone buys the app.
24. Flip Unique Items
One of the oldest ways to generate passive income is to buy unique items, hold them, and sell them at a later date for a profit. If you’re knowledgeable about a certain type of item or are willing to learn, you can make a decent amount of money by buying and holding items.
This is ideal for people who like shopping at thrift stores or going to garage sales. You may find antique toys, memorabilia, sports trading cards, comic books, or other items for a low price that are either worth a lot of money now or will be in the future.
To sell the items or see how much items are selling for, you can use websites like eBay, OfferUp, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace.
25. Rent Out Your Parking Space
Some people are willing to pay for a good parking spot. If you have a space you’re not using or don’t mind giving up, you can make money renting it out—especially if you live in an urban area. Websites like SpotHero allow you to list your space.
What’s the Best Source of Passive Income?
The best source of passive income is unique to each individual. There are many options on this list, and some allow you to capitalize on different skill sets. For example, if you have expertise in certain subjects, the best sources of passive income may be online courses and e-books. If you have knowledge about stocks or are willing to learn, investing may be the best option.
When deciding which passive income sources are right for you, it may be beneficial to weigh out the pros, cons, and risks of each one. Remember that many of these options require an initial investment of money and time to get started. Consider your own risk tolerance and financial situation before going all in on any of these methods.
Do You Need Money to Make Passive Income?
While you’ll need money to get started with many passive income ideas, this isn’t the case for every method. For example, if you own a vehicle or have an extra room in your home, you can start renting them out. If you have a computer and internet connection, you have even more options.
Many people who make passive income succeed because they are willing to learn and can invest time into researching these topics. There’s a wealth of information online where you can learn how to excel at specific passive income opportunities like writing an e-book, succeeding as a YouTuber, or using affiliate links.
The Benefits of Multiple Streams of Income
Depending on your specific situation, you may want more than one source of passive income. Whether you’re already in a healthy financial situation or are trying to build your personal wealth and credit score, more income streams means more financial freedom.
The primary benefit of passive income is that you can make money with minimal effort. This means once you get one source of passive income rolling, you can begin adding others so you have multiple income streams that don’t require too much time or attention.
How Passive Income Can Help Improve Your Credit Score
A poor credit score can lead to many challenges—like making it difficult to get approved for new lines of credit, loans, and rental applications—and cost you a lot of money in interest in the long run. Passive income can help you fix your credit by allowing you to pay off your debts. Lenders also look at your total income, so making additional income can help with approvals for new lines of credit, which can also help improve your score. It’s important to know the current state of your credit health. You can get a free credit report card on Credit.com which breaks down your credit score factors and assigns a letter grade for each area, or sign up for our ExtraCredit® subscription for additional credit tools.
Many people are lured into the world of real estate investing by stories of millionaires who started their journey with no money down or no steady employment. But the reality is that making money in real estate isn’t easy; a good credit score, investment capital and steady income can help in the beginning.
You’ll also need to grasp the nuances of the local real estate market and learn how to manage financial aspects such as cash flow and property taxes. While real estate buying, selling, and renting may not be much like a game of Monopoly, it is possible to earn steady side income, supplement your retirement, or even build a full-time real estate investment business with the right tools, knowledge, and patience.
Unlike mutual funds, the stock market, cryptocurrency or many other investments, real estate is tangible. Real estate is a concrete asset—one can see, touch, and even reside in. That gives investors a sense of security. However, it also creates unique challenges.
Managed well, the stability and passive income from rental properties can be a safety net against more volatile investments.
This guide is here to clarify the process for beginners. It aims to empower you to make informed decisions, reduce risks, and lay a strong foundation for your real estate investing journey.
Benefits of Investing in Real Estate
The allure of real estate goes beyond the mere ownership of tangible assets. It presents a robust suite of financial benefits that have the potential to amplify wealth and provide stability in uncertain times. As we navigate the advantages, it becomes evident why many seasoned investors prioritize real estate in their portfolios.
Steady and Passive Income
Real estate investing, especially in rental properties, stands out for its potential to provide a consistent revenue stream. When you own a rental property, the monthly or quarterly distributions from tenants contribute to steady income, which can safeguard your finances against unexpected events or economic downturns.
This consistency contrasts with the often erratic nature of the stock market, which can fluctuate daily based on global events, company performances, and other factors. Additionally, for those aiming to attain financial freedom, the passive income generated from real estate can be a step closer to achieving that goal. Over time, as the mortgage payment decreases or remains static, rental rates may rise, increasing your monthly cash flow.
Appreciation Potential
Every investor dreams of their assets appreciating, and real estate often doesn’t disappoint. While there can be periodic downturns in the real estate market, historical trends suggest that properties generally gain value over the long run.
This means that not only can investors benefit from rental income, but they can also potentially see substantial gains when they choose to sell the property.
Tax Benefits
Navigating the world of taxes can be intricate, but real estate investors often find several advantages here. The ability to deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from taxable income can be a significant financial boon.
Furthermore, strategies like depreciation allow real estate investors to offset rental income, reducing their tax burden. Consulting with a financial advisor can help investors maximize these benefits and understand other potential tax advantages, such as 1031 exchanges or deductions related to property management.
Diversification
The saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is sound investment advice. Diversification is a fundamental strategy to mitigate risks. By adding real estate to an investment portfolio, investors introduce a separate asset class that doesn’t directly correlate with the stock market or mutual funds. This can provide a buffer, ensuring that a downturn in one sector doesn’t wholly derail an investor’s financial trajectory.
Leverage
Leverage, in the context of real estate investing, refers to the ability to use borrowed capital to increase the potential return on an investment. When you purchase property with a mortgage loan, you’re often putting down only a fraction of the property’s total cost, while still reaping the benefits of its entire value in terms of appreciation and rental income.
This magnifies the return on investment, as the gains and income generated are based on the property’s total value, not just the down payment. It’s a powerful tool but should be used wisely. Over-leveraging or not accounting for potential rental vacancies can turn leverage into a double-edged sword.
Types of Real Estate Investments
As one dives deeper into the world of real estate, it becomes evident that this asset class is multifaceted, with various avenues to explore and invest in. The right choice often depends on an investor’s goals, risk tolerance, budget, and expertise. Here’s a closer look at some prominent types of real estate investments:
Residential Properties
Residential properties cater to individuals or families. They range from single-family homes to duplexes, triplexes, high-rise buildings with apartments, and other multi-unit properties. You may encounter the term “MDU” or “MUD,” which stand for multi-dwelling unit or multi-unit dwelling, to describe anything more than a single family home, or SFR (single family real estate).
Investing in residential real estate, especially the SFR market, is often a beginner’s first step due to its familiarity and the perpetual demand for housing. While these properties can be a reliable source of rental income, investors should be prepared for the challenges tied to property management, tenant turnover, and ongoing maintenance.
Commercial Real Estate
When one thinks of skyscrapers lining city horizons or sprawling office parks in suburban locales, that’s commercial real estate. These properties are tailored to businesses, and can include complete corporate headquarters or individual offices.
Commercial leases often run longer than residential ones, offering the potential for stable, long-term rental income. However, the entry point can be higher, with larger down payments and a more extensive due diligence process. Additionally, commercial real estate values can be closely tied to the business environment of the locality.
Industrial
Industrial real estate encompasses properties like warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities. They’re integral to business operations, ensuring products move efficiently from manufacturers to consumers.
Investing in this sector can offer substantial rental yields, especially if the property is strategically located near transportation hubs. However, the nuances of industrial real estate, such as zoning laws and environmental concerns, necessitate a more in-depth understanding than residential or commercial sectors.
Retail
This sector includes shopping malls, strip malls, and standalone stores. What’s unique about retail real estate is that leases sometimes include a provision where the landlord gets a percentage of the store’s profits, termed as “percentage rent.”
In a thriving commercial area, retail properties can be quite profitable, with long-term leases and the potential for appreciating property values. However, investors should be mindful of shifts in consumer behavior and the evolving retail landscape, especially with the rise of e-commerce.
Multi-Purpose Commercial
A new breed of commercial real estate has emerged to compete with the growth of e-commerce. Multi-purpose commercial spaces blend housing units with office space and retail, often adding hospitality and entertainment venues.
Typically, these spaces are the domain of large real estate investment and property management firms. But if you invest in commercial office space or retail, you will be competing with these multi-purpose properties for tenants, so they are worth acknowledging.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
For those not keen on direct property ownership, REITs present an attractive alternative. These are companies that own, operate, or finance income-producing real estate across various sectors. What makes REITs distinctive is that they’re traded on stock exchanges, similar to stocks.
By investing in a REIT, you’re buying shares of a company that manages a portfolio of properties, thus gaining exposure to real estate without the hassles of property management. Moreover, by law, REITs are required to distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders, leading to potentially attractive dividend yields. However, it’s essential to remember that like all publicly traded entities, REITs can be subject to market volatility.
9 Ways to Invest in Real Estate
Investing in real estate can seem tricky for beginners. But, with time and patience, anyone can master it. Focus on simple investment methods first to get to know your local property scene, meet experienced investors, and learn how to handle money wisely. As you learn and grow, you can dive into more complex investment options.
Here are some great ways for beginners to start in real estate:
1. Wholesaling
Acting as the bridge between property sellers and eager buyers, this method primarily focuses on securing properties at a rate below the prevailing market value. The secured contract is then transferred to an interested buyer, ensuring a margin for the wholesaler.
2. Prehabbing
Unlike intensive property renovations, prehabbing is about amplifying a property’s appeal through minimalistic enhancements. These properties, once given their facelift, usually attract investors with a keen eye for larger renovation projects.
3. Purchasing Rental Properties
An avenue promising consistent returns, this involves acquiring properties to lease them out. For those not inclined towards the intricacies of landlord duties, there’s always the option of hiring seasoned property management professionals.
4. House Flipping
A strategy that has garnered significant attention, house flipping involves a cycle of purchasing, upgrading, and promptly reselling properties, aiming for a profit. The emphasis is on swift transactions and keen market acumen.
5. Real Estate Syndication
Envision a collective where like-minded investors come together, pooling both resources and expertise. Such collectives venture into large-scale property acquisitions, and the ensuing profits or rental incomes are distributed among the participants.
6. Real Estate Investment Groups (REIG)
Primarily, these are conglomerates that steer their operations around real estate investments. By amassing capital from a plethora of investors, they dive into acquisitions of sizeable multi-unit residences or commercial holdings.
7. Investing in REITs
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) revolve around the ownership and meticulous management of properties that yield income. However, investors don’t have to handle the management themselves. Instead, participants can relish the benefits of the real estate sector without the responsibilities of direct property ownership.
8. Online Real Estate Platforms
A fusion of technology with real estate, these platforms seamlessly connect potential investors with vetted property developers. This synergy enables backers to finance promising property ventures and, in exchange, enjoy periodic returns that encompass interest.
9. House Hacking
A blend of homeownership and investment, house hacking is about maximizing the potential of a multi-unit property or a single-family home. Investors live in one segment while leasing out the remaining portions. This dual approach can significantly reduce or even negate monthly housing expenses, serving as an excellent introduction to the world of property management for novice investors.
6 Steps to Get Started in Real Estate Investing
Starting on the path of real estate investing requires careful planning, due diligence, and a methodical approach to ensure that your investments are sound and have the potential for fruitful returns. Whether you’re dreaming of becoming a millionaire real estate investor or merely looking to diversify your investment portfolio, following a structured process can be the key to success. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
1. Assess Your Financial Health
Every investment journey should begin with introspection. As an aspiring real estate investor, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your current financial standing. Ask yourself questions like:
How much capital am I willing to invest?
What are my short-term and long-term financial goals?
Do I have an emergency fund set aside?
Evaluating your risk tolerance is equally crucial. Some might be comfortable flipping houses, while others might prefer the steadiness of rental properties. Consulting a financial advisor at this stage can provide insights tailored to your financial health, enabling you to make informed decisions as you proceed.
2. Dive Deep into Market Research
Knowledge is power in the world of real estate. The local market can be significantly different from national or even statewide trends. Delve deep into understanding:
The demand for rental properties in your target area.
The average property values and rental rates.
The historical appreciation rates.
Any upcoming infrastructure projects or urban development initiatives.
Furthermore, familiarize yourself with real estate terminology. Phrases like “cap rate,” “loan-to-value,” and “operating expenses” will become a regular part of your vocabulary. The better informed you are, the more confidently you can navigate your investments.
3. Assemble Your Real Estate Team
No investor is an island. Success in the real estate business often hinges on the strength and expertise of your team. Look for professionals with a proven track record and positive reviews. Your team might include:
Real estate agents who understand the investor’s perspective.
Property managers to streamline tenant interactions and maintenance.
Lawyers specializing in real estate transactions.
Accountants familiar with the tax implications of real estate investments.
4. Explore Financing Options
The path to acquiring a property is paved with various financing methods. Traditional mortgages are common, but the real estate industry offers other mechanisms like:
Hard money loans.
Private money loans.
Real estate syndication where multiple investors pool resources.
Seller financing.
Each of these has different pros and cons, interest rates, and repayment terms. Understand each deeply to determine which aligns best with your financial strategy.
5. Analyze Potential Properties
The crux of real estate investing is ensuring that the numbers make sense. Before purchasing, assess the property’s potential for generating rental income. Break down:
Monthly mortgage payments
Property taxes
Maintenance costs
Potential vacancy rates
Your goal should be a positive cash flow, where the monthly income from the property (rent) exceeds all these expenses.
6. Negotiate and Close the Deal
Once you’ve zeroed in on a property, the negotiation phase begins. Here, understanding the property’s market value, any existing damages or repair needs, and the local real estate market dynamics can give you an edge.
When it comes to closing, be aware of all associated costs. These might include inspection fees, title insurance, and escrow fees. Being well-informed can help you negotiate these fees and ensure that you’re not overpaying.
Risks and How to Mitigate Them
Like any investment, real estate comes with its set of challenges and uncertainties. The difference between successful real estate investors and those who falter is often the ability to anticipate risks and prepare for them. Here’s an exploration of some prevalent risks in real estate and actionable steps to manage them:
1. Market Fluctuations
Real estate markets can be volatile, with property values rising and falling based on a myriad of factors.
Mitigation: To protect against market downturns, it’s essential to buy properties below their market value. Conducting comprehensive research and seeking expert investment advice can help investors make informed decisions. Remember, real estate is often a long-term game, so a short-term dip can be offset by long-term appreciation.
2. Unexpected Repairs and Maintenance
Properties can often come with surprises, from plumbing issues to roof repairs.
Mitigation: Regular property inspections can catch potential problems before they become major expenses. Setting aside a buffer fund specifically for maintenance can also cushion the financial blow of unforeseen repairs.
3. Vacancy Periods
There might be periods where your property remains unoccupied, leading to loss of rental income.
Mitigation: Properly vetting and building a good relationship with tenants can lead to longer lease periods. Diversifying your investment properties across different areas can also help, as vacancy rates might vary from one location to another.
4. Legal and Tax Implications
Real estate investors can sometimes find themselves entangled in legal disputes or facing unexpected tax bills.
Mitigation: Regular consultations with a tax professional or attorney familiar with the real estate industry can keep investors informed and protected.
Long-term Strategy and Growth
Real estate investing is not just about making a quick buck; it’s about building lasting wealth. Adopting a long-term perspective and continuously refining your strategy can pave the way for consistent growth in the real estate industry. Here’s how:
1. Define Your Real Estate Identity
Are you more comfortable with a buy-and-hold strategy, where properties are retained for long-term growth and steady rental income? Or do you thrive on the excitement of flipping houses, where properties are bought, renovated, and sold for profit? Understanding your preference can help tailor your investment strategy.
2. Reinvestment is Key
For those adopting a buy-and-hold strategy, reinvesting the rental income can substantially grow your real estate portfolio. By channeling profits into purchasing additional properties, investors can benefit from compounded growth.
3. Diversify Your Portfolio
As you gain experience, consider diversifying across various real estate sectors. Branching out into commercial real estate or exploring real estate investment trusts (REITs) can provide additional avenues for income and growth.
4. Continue Your Education
The real estate industry is continually evolving. By staying updated on market trends, attending seminars, and networking with other real estate professionals, you can adapt your strategy and seize new opportunities as they arise.
5. Scale Strategically
A real estate empire begins with just one property. With time, dedication, and a sound strategy, it’s possible to grow your holdings into a substantial full-time income. As you scale, ensure you’re not overextending; always prioritize the quality of investments over quantity.
Key Tips for Beginners
Embarking on a journey into real estate investing can be thrilling, yet the complexities of the industry can sometimes overwhelm beginners. Simplifying the learning curve is essential for novice investors to make informed decisions and find success. Here are some pivotal tips to guide those just starting out:
1. Start Small and Scale Gradually
Many millionaire real estate investors began their journey with a modest property. Purchasing a smaller, more manageable property as your first investment can help you navigate the nuances of the real estate business without being overwhelmed. As you gain confidence and experience, you can then venture into bigger and more diverse properties to scale your portfolio.
2. Prioritize Education
The world of real estate is vast and ever-evolving. Leverage online real estate platforms to learn about market trends, investment strategies, and financing options. Additionally, joining real estate investment groups can be invaluable. These groups not only provide mentorship but also offer opportunities to share resources, insights, and deals with other investors.
3. Location is Crucial
In the real estate realm, location often takes precedence over the type or condition of a property. A mediocre house in a prime location can fetch better returns than a grand mansion in a less desirable area. Research local market dynamics, neighborhood amenities, future development plans, and other location-specific factors before making an investment decision.
4. Networking is Key
Surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people can fast-track your learning process. By connecting with seasoned real estate investors, you can gain insights from their experiences, avoid common pitfalls, and even discover potential partnership opportunities. Attend local real estate seminars, join investor forums online, and participate actively in real estate conferences to grow your network.
5. Stay Updated and Adapt
The real estate industry is not static. Market conditions, property values, and investment strategies can change. Being adaptable and staying updated on industry trends will ensure you remain ahead of the curve and can capitalize on new opportunities.
6. Always Conduct Due Diligence
Before diving into any real estate transaction, thorough due diligence is imperative. From understanding property taxes and zoning laws to estimating potential repair costs and evaluating tenant profiles, leaving no stone unturned will protect you from potential setbacks.
8 Terms Beginner Real Estate Investors Should Know
Venturing into real estate can feel like you’ve entered a world with its own language. Don’t worry; everyone feels this way at the start. Knowing basic real estate terms can help you communicate confidently and make informed decisions.
Dive into these essential terms every beginner should grasp:
Appreciation: Appreciation is the increase in the value of a property over time. It’s one of the primary ways real estate investors make money, especially in growing markets. Appreciation can result from factors like inflation, increased demand, or improvements made to the property.
Capitalization rate (cap rate): Think of the cap rate as a tool to gauge the potential return on a property. It’s a percentage derived from comparing a property’s net operating income to its current market price.
Cash flow: This term captures the money dance – what’s coming in and what’s going out. In the context of rental properties, it means the rental earnings minus all the costs. Positive cash flow indicates you’re earning more than you’re spending.
Equity: Equity represents the value of ownership in a property. It’s calculated by taking the market value of the property and subtracting any outstanding mortgage or loans against it. As an investor pays down their mortgage or if the property appreciates in value, their equity in the property increases. This equity can be tapped into for various financial needs or reinvested.
Leverage: This term refers to the concept of using borrowed money, often in the form of a mortgage, to invest in real estate. It allows investors to purchase properties with a small down payment and finance the remainder. When used correctly, leverage can amplify returns, but it can also increase the risk if property values decline.
Net operating income (NOI): Simplified, NOI is the profit made from a property after deducting all operational costs. It’s your rental income minus all the expenses, showing the true earning potential of a property.
Real estate owned (REO): An REO property is one that didn’t sell at a foreclosure auction and is now owned by the bank. These properties are often sold at a lower price because banks aim to sell them quickly, making them attractive to investors.
Return on investment (ROI): In simple terms, ROI measures the bang you get for your buck. It’s calculated by comparing the profit you made to the amount you invested. The higher the ROI, the better your investment performed.
Conclusion
Real estate investing offers an avenue to diversify your portfolio, generate steady income, and potentially achieve long-term growth. With due diligence, a clear strategy, and the right team, beginners can successfully navigate the complexities of the real estate industry and lay the foundation for a prosperous investment journey. Remember, every millionaire real estate investor started with their first property. Your journey is just beginning.
There are two sides to inflation for consumers: The rising cost of goods and services means that the basic cost of living rises for most people. But the right amount of inflation can spur production and economic growth.
Deciding whether inflation is good or bad therefore depends on how various factors might play out in different economic sectors.
What Is Inflation?
Inflation is an economic trend in which prices for goods and services rise over time. The Federal Reserve uses different price indexes to track inflation and determine how to shape monetary policy.
Generally speaking, the Fed targets a 2% annual inflation rate as measured by pricing indexes, including the Consumer Price Index. Historically, though, the inflation rate has been about 3.3%.
Rising demand for goods and services can trigger inflation when there’s an imbalance in supply. This is known as demand-pull inflation.
Cost-push inflation occurs when the price of commodities rises, pushing up the price of goods or services that rely on those commodities.
Asking whether inflation is bad isn’t the right lens for this economic factor. Inflation can have both pros and cons for consumers and investors. Understanding the potential effects of inflation can maximize the positives while minimizing the negatives. 💡 Quick Tip: How do you decide if a certain trading platform or app is right for you? Ideally, the investment platform you choose offers the features that you need for your investment goals or strategy, e.g., an easy-to-use interface, data analysis, educational tools.
Is Inflation Good or Bad?
Answering the question of whether inflation is good or bad means understanding why inflation matters so much. The Federal Reserve takes an interest in inflation because it relates to broader economic and monetary policy.
Some level of inflation in an economy is normal, and an indication that the economy is continuing to grow. While inflation has remained relatively low over the past decade, it has historically seen the most change during or right after recessions.
The Fed believes that its 2% target inflation rate encourages price stability and maximum employment.
Recommended: 7 Factors That Cause Inflation
Broadly speaking, high inflation can make it difficult for households to afford basic necessities, such as food and shelter. When inflation is too low, that can lead to economic weakening. If inflation trends too low for an extended period of time, consumers may come to expect that to continue, which can create a cycle of low inflation rates.
That sounds good, as lower inflation means prices are not increasing over time for goods and services. So consumers may not struggle to afford the things they need to maintain their standard of living. But prolonged low inflation can impact interest rate policy.
The Federal Reserve uses interest rate cuts and hikes to keep the economy on an even keel. For example, if the economy is in danger of overheating because it’s growing too rapidly, or inflation is increasing too quickly, the Fed may raise rates to encourage a pullback in borrowing and spending.
Conversely, when the economy is in a downturn, the Fed may cut rates to try to promote spending and borrowing.
When both inflation and interest rates are low, that may not leave much room for further rate cuts in an economic crisis, which may spur higher employment rates. If prices for goods and services continue to decline, that could lead to a period of deflation or even a recession.
So, is inflation good or bad? The answer is that it can be a little of both. How deeply inflation affects consumers or investors — and who it affects most — depends on what’s behind rising prices, how long inflation lasts, and how the Fed manages interest rates.
What Is Core Inflation?
Core inflation measures the rising cost of goods and services in the economy, but excludes food and energy costs. Food and energy prices are notoriously volatile, even though demand for these staples tends to remain steady.
Both food and energy prices are partly driven by the price of commodities — which also tend to fluctuate, owing to speculation in the commodities markets. So the short-term price changes in these two markets make it difficult to include them in a long-term reading of inflationary trends: hence the core inflation metric.
The Consumer Price Index and the core personal consumption expenditures index (PCE) are the two main ways to measure underlying inflation that’s long term.
Who Benefits from Inflation?
The Federal Reserve believes some inflation is good and even necessary to maintain a healthy economy. The key is keeping inflation rates at acceptable levels, such as the 2% annual inflation rate target. Staying within this proverbial Goldilocks zone can result in numerous positive impacts for consumers and the economy in general.
That said, the core inflation rate began to climb out of that range in Q1 of 2021, and reached a peak of about 9.02% in June 2022. As of Q3 2023, the inflation rate has eased down in the 4.0% range, according to data from the Consumer Price Index.
Inflation Pros
Sustainable inflation can yield these benefits:
• Higher employment rates
• Continued economic growth
• Potential for higher wages if employers offer cost-of-living pay raises
• Cost-of-living adjustments for those receiving Social Security retirement benefits
The danger, of course, is that inflation escalates too rapidly, requiring the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates as a result. This increases the overall cost of borrowing for consumers and businesses.
Who Is Inflation Good For?
Inflation can benefit certain groups, depending on how it impacts Fed shapes monetary policy. Some of the people who can benefit from inflation include:
• Savers, if an interest rate hike results in higher rates on savings accounts, money market accounts or certificates of deposit
• Debtors, if they’re repaying loans with money that’s worth less than the money they borrowed
• Homeowners who have a low, fixed-rate mortgage
• People who hold investments that appreciate in value as inflation rises
💡 Quick Tip: Distributing your money across a range of assets — also known as diversification — can be beneficial for long-term investors. When you put your eggs in many baskets, it may be beneficial if a single asset class goes down.
Who Does Inflation Hurt the Most?
Some of the negative effects of inflation are more obvious than others. And there may be different consequences for consumers versus investors.
Inflation Cons
In terms of what’s bad about inflation, here are some of the biggest cons:
• Higher inflation means goods and services cost more, potentially straining consumer paychecks
• Investors may see their return on investment erode if higher inflation diminishes purchasing power, or if they’re holding low-interest bonds
• Unemployment rates may climb if employers lay off staff to cope with rising overhead costs
• Rising inflation can weaken currency values
Inflation can be particularly bad if it leads to hyperinflation. This phenomenon occurs when prices for goods and services increase uncontrolled over an extended period of time. Generally, this would mean an inflation growth rate of 50% or more per month. While hyperinflation has never happened in the United States, there are many examples from different time periods around the world: For example, Zimbabwe experienced a daily inflation rate of 98% in 2007-2008, when prices doubled every day.
Recommended: How to Protect Yourself From Inflation
Who Is Inflation Bad For?
The negative impacts of inflation can affect some more than others. In general, inflation may be bad for:
• Consumers who live on a fixed income
• People who plan to borrow money, if higher interest rates accompany the inflation
• Homeowners with an adjustable-rate mortgage
• Individuals who aren’t investing in the market as a hedge against inflation
Inflation and higher prices can be detrimental to retirees whose savings may not stretch as far, particularly when health care becomes more expensive.
If the cost of living increases but wages stagnate, that can also be problematic for workers because they end up spending more for the same things.
Recommended: Cost of Living by State Comparison (2023)
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How to Invest During Times of Inflation
While inflation is an investment risk to consider, some investing strategies can help minimize its impact on your portfolio.
How to Protect Your Money From Inflation
The first step is to understand that inflation rates may be variable from year to year, but the upward trend in the cost of goods and services is typically a factor investors must contend with. Essentially, if inflation is historically about 2% per year, it’s ideal to look for returns above that.
For example, while savings accounts may yield more interest if the Fed raises interest rates, investing in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds could generate higher returns, though these investments also come with a higher degree of risk.
• Diversification. Having a diversified portfolio that includes a mix of stock and bonds and other asset classes may help mitigate the impact of inflation.
• Always be aware of investment costs and the impact of taxes and fees. Minimizing investment costs is a time-honored way to keep more of what you earn.
• Investing in Treasury-Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). TIPS are government-issued securities designed to generate consistent returns regardless of inflationary changes.
• If prices are rising, that can increase rental property incomes. You could benefit from that by investing in real estate ETFs or real estate investment trusts (REITs) if you’d rather not own property directly.
• Compounding interest allows you to earn interest on your interest, which is key to building wealth.
• Dollar-cost averaging means investing continuously, whether stock prices are low or high. When inflationary changes are part of a larger shift in the economic cycle, investors who dollar-cost average can still reap long term benefits, despite rising prices.
The Takeaway
Inflation is unavoidable, but you can take steps to minimize the impact to your personal financial situation. Building a well-rounded portfolio of stocks, ETFs and other investments is one strategy for keeping pace with rising inflation. Being aware of how taxes and fees can impact your returns is another way to keep more of what you earn.
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FAQ
How is economic deflation different from inflation?
Deflation is when the cost of goods and services trends downward rather than upward (the sign of inflation). Deflation can be positive for consumers, as their money goes further, but prolonged deflation can also be a sign of a contraction.
How do homeowners benefit from inflation?
Typically tangible assets like real estate tend to increase in value over time, even in the face of inflation. Currency, on the other hand, tends to lose value.
How does the government measure inflation?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics produces the Consumer Price Index (CPI), based on the change in cost for a range of goods and services. The CPI is the most common measure of inflation.
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Some investment terms and definitions may seem complex, but a little research can take the mystery out of most common investing terminology. That can help investors feel even more confident about starting their investing journey. It’s more or less the same as starting any new endeavor — from rock climbing to investing — at first, you need to get familiar with new words and phrases.
Given the girth of the investment space, the sheer amount of investment terminology investors need to know can be intimidating. But the more you read, invest, and envelope yourself in it, the easier it’ll become. If you’re just starting out, though, it may be helpful to get a big rundown of some of the more common investing terms. 💡 Quick Tip: How do you decide if a certain trading platform or app is right for you? Ideally, the investment platform you choose offers the features that you need for your investment goals or strategy, e.g., an easy-to-use interface, data analysis, educational tools.
Investment Terminology Every Beginner Investor Needs to Know
Here are a slew of common investing terms and definitions (in alphabetical order) that investors may benefit from committing to memory.
1. Alpha
Alpha is used to gauge the success of an investment strategy, portfolio, portfolio manager, or trader compared with a relevant benchmark. You may also hear alpha defined as “excess return” in that it refers to returns that can be attributed to active management, over and above market returns.
2. Assets
An asset is anything that holds value that can be converted to cash. Personal assets might include your home, a car, other valuables. Business assets might include machinery, patents. When it comes to investing, assets are typically the securities you invest in.
3. Asset Class
An asset class is a group of investments with similar characteristics that is likely to perform differently in the market than another asset class. Types of asset classes include stocks, bonds, real estate, currencies, and more. Given the same market conditions, stocks and bonds often move in opposite directions. Most financial advisors typically recommend you invest in multiple asset classes in order to have a well-diversified portfolio and minimize risk.
4. Asset Allocation Fund
An asset allocation fund is a diversified portfolio consisting of various asset classes. Most asset allocation funds have a mix of stocks, bonds, and cash equivalents. These types of funds can be popular as some advisors stress the importance of having diverse portfolios to minimize potential losses.
5. Beta
Beta refers to how risky or volatile a security or portfolio is compared with the market overall. Calculating the beta of the stocks in your portfolio can help you determine how your portfolio might respond to market volatility. You can also gauge the beta of a stock to help determine how much risk it might add to your portfolio.
6. Bear Market
A bear market occurs when the market declines, typically when broad market indexes fall 20% or more in two months or less. Bear markets can accompany a recession, but not always. They often signal that investors feel pessimistic about their investments’ ability to make money and the market’s ability to rebound.
7. Bull Market
A bull market is the opposite of a bear market, meaning prices are rising or are expected to rise for extended periods of time. Bull markets usually mean security prices are rising for months or even years at a time.
8. Blue Chip
Blue chip companies are generally thought to be well-established, financially sound, and therefore high-quality investments. Blue chip stocks are typically large companies, and many of them are household names. In some cases, blue chips may be more expensive to invest in since they can be considered relatively stable and likely to grow.
9. Bonds
When governments or corporations need to borrow money they issue bonds. Investors who buy the bonds are effectively loaning that entity cash, which will be repaid according to the terms of the bond (e.g. a 10-year bond with an interest rate of 3%). Bonds are often considered to be relatively stable, lower-risk investments compared with stocks.
10. Broker
An investment broker, whether a person or a firm, acts as a middleman to help investors buy and sell securities. Brokers may be necessary because some securities exchanges only allow members of that exchange to make an investment order. A broker’s primary function is to help clients place trades, although many brokers also help clients with market research and investment planning.
11. Diversification
You’ve probably heard that you should aim to have a diversified portfolio. That means investing in a range of asset classes that are likely to behave differently under different market conditions, in order to mitigate risk. A portfolio of only stocks, for instance, could be more vulnerable to market volatility than a portfolio that also included bonds, real estate, commodities, and so on.
12. Dividends
When a company shares their profits with investors, these are called dividends. Dividends are often paid in cash (although they can be paid in stocks). Some companies — e.g. many blue chip firms — pay dividends, but not all companies do. Ordinary dividends are taxed differently than qualified dividends, so you may want to consult a tax professional if you own dividend-paying stocks.
13. Dollar Based Investing
Also called fractional share investing, dollar based investing is a way for investors to buy partial shares of stocks. Instead of buying shares of a company, you instead invest a dollar amount. Dollar based investing is a great way for smaller investors to buy into popular companies that they may otherwise be priced out of.
14. EBITDA
EBITDA is a way to evaluate a company’s performance that is considered more precise than simply looking at net income. EBITDA stands for: earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. To calculate EBITDA, use the following formula: Net Income + Interest + Taxes + Depreciation + Amortization.
15. EBIT
EBIT is a simpler way to calculate a company’s profits than EBITDA, as it’s only one part of the EBITDA equation (literally!). It stands for “earnings before interest and taxes.” It’s calculated using this formula: Net Income + Interest + Taxes.
16. EPS
EPS stands for earnings per share, which is a common way investors measure how well a stock is performing. EPS is calculated by finding a company’s quarterly or annual net income and dividing it by the company’s outstanding shares of stock. Increases in EPS can be a sign that the company’s profit performance is on the upswing, whereas a decrease can be a red flag for investors.
17. ETF
Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are similar to mutual funds in that the fund’s portfolio can include dozens or even hundreds of different securities, and investors buy shares of the fund. Unlike mutual funds, ETF shares can be traded like stocks throughout the day (mutual fund shares are traded once a day). Most ETFs are considered lower-cost, passive investments because they track an index, although there are actively managed ETFs.
18. Expense Ratio
An expense ratio is an annual fee investors pay to cover the operating costs of mutual funds, index funds, ETFs and other types of funds. Fees are typically deducted from your investments automatically (you don’t pay a separate charge), and they can reduce your returns over time so it’s wise to shop around for lower fees. Expense ratios are calculated using this formula: Total Funds Costs / Total Fund Assets Under Management.
19. FCF
Free cash flow is the money a company has after it has paid its expenses. This number is important to investors because it can show them how likely it is that a company could have extra cash for dividends or share buybacks. A continuous decrease in free cash flow over a few years can also be a red flag to investors.
20. Growth Stock
Growth stocks are shares in a company that’s growing faster than its competitors, typically showing potential for higher revenue or sales. Growth stock companies may be considered leaders in their industry.
21. Hedge Fund
Hedge funds are usually managed by an LLC or limited partnership that invests in securities and other assets using money from multiple investors. Hedge funds tend to be more risky and expensive than mutual funds or ETFs, which often makes them accessible to more wealthy investors.
22. Index Fund
Index funds are a type of mutual fund that invest in securities that mirror a particular index, such as the S&P 500 Index or the MSCI World Index. Indexes track many different sectors, from smaller U.S. companies to big global companies to various kinds of bonds. Each index acts as a proxy for how that market sector is performing; the corresponding index funds reflect that performance.
23. Interest Rate
The interest rate is the amount a lender charges to borrow money — and it can also mean the amount your cash earns in a savings, money market or CD account. The baseline interest rate in the U.S. is set by the Federal Reserve. This rate in turn influences savings rates, mortgage rates, credit card rates, and more. Generally, when the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, the stock market tends to rise.
24. Large Cap
A large-cap company has $10 billion or more in market capitalization. These companies are often considered industry leaders, and are relatively conservative, low-risk, and safe investments. A company’s stock may be considered large cap, mid cap, or small cap.
25. Market Cap
Market capitalization, or market cap, is the value of a company’s total outstanding shares. It’s often used to measure a company’s value and build a diversified portfolio. You can calculate market cap by multiplying the number of outstanding shares by the current price per share. Companies with lower market caps usually have more room to grow and usually are associated with newer companies, meaning they can also be riskier.
26. Mid Cap
Mid-cap companies are usually between $2 billion to $10 billion in market capitalization, putting them somewhere between small- and large-cap companies. Many mid-cap companies are in a growth phase, making them attractive to some investors who believe the company may grow into a large-cap over time, although this is not guaranteed to happen.
27. Mega Cap
Mega-cap companies are the largest companies you can invest in, with a market value of $1 trillion or more. Mega-cap stocks are typically industry leaders and household name brands.
28. Mutual Fund
Mutual funds may invest in stocks, bonds, and other securities — or a combination of these (e.g. a blended fund). Mutual funds can also be industry-specific (such as a mutual fund consisting only of energy stocks, green bonds, or tech companies, and so on).
29. Net Income
When talking about investing, net income usually refers to how much a company makes (or its total losses) after it has paid all its expenses. Net income is therefore usually calculated by subtracting a company’s expenses from its revenue. Investors may want to know a company’s net income because it can help determine how profitable the company is, although EBITDA (defined above) is another measure.
30. Over-the-Counter Stocks
Not all stocks are publicly traded. These “private” stocks, often called over-the-counter stocks, usually have to be traded through a broker. Companies may offer OTC stocks if they don’t meet the requirements to be traded publicly. Such companies are often startups or other small companies. So, while these companies may eventually grow to be able to trade publicly, investing in them also carries the risk that they may fold or even engage in fraudulent activity since the market is far less regulated than publicly traded markets are.
31. Price-to-Earnings Ratio
Investors commonly use P/E, or price-to-earnings ratios, to gain insight into how profitable a company is compared to its stock price. In other words, price-to-earnings ratios can help investors decide if the price of a stock is worth it when compared to how much a company is making.
32. Prime Interest Rate
Banks are likely to offer their best customers — those with the best credit histories and the lowest risk of defaulting — a prime interest rate for a loan. The prime interest rate is generally the lowest rate the bank will offer. A bank’s criteria for determining their prime interest rate may vary, but most banks consider the federal funds rate when setting any interest rate.
33. Portfolio Management
Portfolio management simply refers to how you select and manage the investments in your portfolio. There are many different management styles, such as active or passive, growth or value. Additionally, you can elect to manage your own portfolio or hire an individual or group to manage it for you.
34. Preferred Stock
A preferred stock means investors own shares in a company and get scheduled dividends, similar to how bond interest payments work. Preferred socks may not fluctuate in price like common stocks do, meaning they are often less volatile and risky.
35. Profit & Loss Statement
You probably know what profit and losses are, but do you know how to read a company’s P&L, or profit & loss statement? It can help you determine a company’s bottom line, as it can show you how well a company is doing compared to its peers in the same industry. If you’ve never read one before, this article about profit & loss statements could give you some tips on what to look for.
36. Prospectus
Companies that offer stocks, bonds, and mutual funds to investors are required to file a prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission that provides details about the investment they are offering (e.g. the expense ratio, the constituents of a fund, and more). Investors can use the prospectus to better understand a given security and how it might fit in their portfolio, or not.
37. Recession
A recession is a period of economic contraction. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) defines a recession further as a decline in monthly employment, personal income, and industrial production. As an investor, a recession may indicate a drop in the value of your portfolio, although this may be temporary: When looking at the history of U.S. recessions, the stock market has always rebounded, sooner or later, after recessions.
38. REIT
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a way that investors can further diversify their portfolios. Instead of having the responsibility of managing an investment property yourself, you can invest in REITs, which are generally large-scale real estate projects that investors can help fund in exchange for partial ownership. Most REITs are publicly traded and pay dividends to investors.
39. Retained Earnings
When looking for a company’s net income statement, you may come across the term “retained earnings,” also sometimes called unappropriated profit, uncovered loss, member capital, earnings surplus, or accumulated earnings. In general, retained earnings is the amount of money a company keeps and potentially reinvests after it gives its investors a dividend payout.
As an investor, knowing whether a company had positive retained earnings can help you determine how much money it has to continue growing. If its retained earnings are negative, that could be a sign the company is in debt and may not be a good investment.
40. Return on Equity
Return on equity, sometimes called return on net worth, can help investors compare how well companies are managing their stockholders’ contributions. You can calculate it using this formula: Net income/Average shareholder equity. A higher return on equity can signal to investors that a company is managing its money efficiently.
41. ROI
Return on investment (ROI) is just that: the return you get after making an investment in a stock, bond, mutual fund, and so forth. Investors generally hope for a positive ROI, meaning that their investment has made a profit. While a good ROI will vary depending on the type of investments you’re making, some investors look to the historic return of the stock market (about 7% annually) as a barometer.
42. Small Cap
A small-cap company usually has a market cap of $250 million to $2 billion. Investors may be attracted to a small-cap company because they believe it has growth potential or may be undervalued.
43. SPAC
SPAC stands for special purpose acquisition company. SPACs are shell companies that list shares on an exchange to raise money so they can merge with a privately held company. Once the merger between the public SPAC and the private company is complete, that company is now in effect a public company — which is why a SPAC is sometimes called a backdoor IPO. Many companies may elect to use SPACs instead of traditional IPOs because they are often faster and less expensive.
44. Stocks
If you’ve made it this far, you probably know what a stock is. To review, a stock is a way to buy a piece of ownership into a company. You can buy and sell your stocks depending on whether you anticipate your stocks will decrease or increase in value.
45. Stock Exchange
A stock exchange is the place where you buy, sell, or trade stocks. Common U.S. stock exchanges are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq.
46. Stop-Loss Order
A stop-loss order can help investors have more control over their stocks. When a stock reaches a certain price that you choose, your broker will sell, buy, or trade that stock. Having a stop-loss order can help you limit how much money you make or lose in the stock market.
47. Target Date Fund
A target date fund is a type of mutual fund that includes a mix of asset classes to provide investors with a portfolio that adjusts over time to become more conservative as they age. Target date funds are often used to help investors plan their retirements. Target funds are typically constructed around various target retirement years (e.g. 2030, 2040, 2050) so investors can pick a date that corresponds with their hoped-for retirement.
48. Value Stock
A value stock is a stock that investors believe is undervalued and/or inexpensive compared to its past prices on the stock market or with its competitors. Investors may consider a stock’s price-to-earnings ratio to help them determine if something is a value stock.
49. Venture Capital
Venture capital is money a startup uses to grow its business. This money usually comes from private investors or venture capital firms. Investors may elect to invest venture capital into startups they believe have the potential to be profitable with time.
50. Yield
Yield is another way of referring to the return of an investment over a set period of time, expressed as a percentage. You may hear the term in relation to bonds (e.g. high-yield bonds), but yield is more accurately a measure of the cash flow an investor gets on the amount they invested in a security during that time period, and is different from total return. 💡 Quick Tip: The best stock trading app? That’s a personal preference, of course. Generally speaking, though, a great app is one with an intuitive interface and powerful features to help make trades quickly and easily.
The Takeaway
Getting familiar with a few key investing words and phrases can go a long way in helping you gain confidence when you’re new to investing. Getting fluent with investing terminology is like any other pursuit — there’s a learning curve at first, but the terms will feel more natural as you move forward and start investing regularly.
Learning key investing terms and definitions is only the beginning, though. Putting your knowledge into practice is another thing entirely. Although, it is helpful to know the lingo before diving into investing.
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FAQ
What are the main investment types?
There are many types of investments, but perhaps the main investment types would include stocks, bonds, funds (mutual funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds), and options, though there are more.
What is the basic rule of investing?
There are many guidelines investors might want to follow, but the basic rule of investing is that you shouldn’t invest more than you’re comfortable losing – which is associated with an investor’s risk tolerance.
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For example, bank regulators in July released a plan to increase capital requirements for residential mortgages, the Basel III Endgame rules. Redwood executives are positioning the company to acquire mortgage loans in the market, mainly jumbos, with the expectation that banks will have a reduced appetite.
Abate doesn’t think “banks are going to necessarily exit the mortgage market,” but they will “be heavily disincentivized from growing mortgage portfolios.” Ultimately, “the real shift is going to be all those jumbos that were going to banks will come back out, hopefully to non-banks like us.”
Another opportunity is in the home equity space. Redwood launched in September its in-house home equity investment (HEI) origination platform called Aspire. Through Aspire, Redwood plans to directly originate HEIs by leveraging the company’s nationwide correspondent network of loan officers and establishing direct-to-consumer origination channels, the company said.
“The interesting thing about HEIs is instead of a homeowner taking out equity in the form of cash and paying a mortgage on it, there is no monthly payment within HEI,” Abate said. “The way the investor gets paid is that you share in the upside of the home.”
Abate explained the impacts of the Basel III Endgame rules on the market, the rationale behind the home equity investment product, and more about Redwood strategies in an interview with HousingWire from a company’s office in New York last week.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Flávia Nunes: How has Redwood strategically positioned itself in the residential mortgage space amid all of these potential regulatory changes?
Christopher Abate: Redwood is almost a 30-year-old company. The company was originally built to serve banks and others with the thought that there was no private sector [to invest in mortgage assets], only Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. We would partner with banks to buy their loans and securitize them so the banks could recycle their capital. We don’t originate residential mortgages. We don’t service them. We’re very similar to the GSEs. We modeled the business to serve that role in the private sector. The mortgage market has changed over the decades. We’ve seen a few cycles. We’ve got the Great Financial Crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, and now we’ve had a lot of interest rate volatility. Along the way, there have been many regulatory changes that have impacted the market; the CFPB has been created, and there’s the Dodd-Frank Act. Then there are the Basel rules, the regulatory capital rules for banks. And that’s what’s really in play today.
We’ve positioned the company, from a strategic perspective, with the thought that banks will be heavily disincentivized from growing mortgage portfolios as an earning asset class. The banks are not going to necessarily exit the mortgage market because the mortgage asset is the biggest that a client takes out, and you want to be there for all the cross-selling in all the other consumer products. Banks will always serve their best clients. But viewing the mortgage portfolio as an investment class, that’s where the posture will shift because the capital required to hold against it [residential mortgages] is going to go up. And just based on the rapidly rising rate of deposits, just given where interest rates are at, the net interest income that they earn is getting squeezed. Banks move slowly. This will be an evolutionary shift, not an overnight shift.
Nunes:As you noted, bank regulators released a plan to increase capital requirements for mortgages through the Basel III Endgame rules. Can we expect changes to what was proposed?
Abate: Yes, it will change. In particular, some of the sliding scale capital charges are based on things like LTV [loan-to-value]; there’s a fair likelihood that that changes because of the way it disproportionately impacts first-time homebuyers and underserved communities. But the rule is not going away. Bank regulators are paid to keep things safe. And the idea that regulators are going to allow banks to continue to do what a First Republic or Silicon Valley Bank did, I don’t see that in the cards.
We saw significant changes after the Great Financial Crisis, which was more of a credit crisis. We saw banks getting out of risky credit mortgages like option ARMs and some subprime lending happening back then. There will be changes. Banks will not wait for the rule to be finalized to start implementing it. There will be some evolution to the rule itself. But the thrust of the rule is that it’s going to be more expensive for banks to hold mortgages.
Nunes:If banks won’t wait for the Basel III Endgame to be finalized, how are they anticipating the rules?
Abate: A year ago, banks were very happy to hold mortgages, deposit rates were sticky, and the cost of deposits was still very low. Now, all of them are looking for a capital partner, at least an option to have liquidity. The tone has changed dramatically amongst bank executives. Some banks move more slowly than others.
I like to remind people that independent mortgage banks live and die by liquidity. They care about the basis point. Banks don’t operate that close to the ground. Things take longer to develop, but the relationships are also typically stickier. Once you forge a strong partnership with a bank partner, the likelihood of them shopping for that liquidity is much less than an independent mortgage bank that is trying to optimize every dollar.
Nunes: In your recent 2Q 2023 earnings report, you mentioned acquiring three bulk pools of loans from depositories, primarily with seasoned underlying loans at attractive discounts. How is the secondary market now for these trades in terms of volumes and prices?
Abate: I certainly expect RMBS volumes to go up significantly over time. It’s not something that happens overnight. We’ve been active. We just completed a deal in August. I would expect us to continue using securitization.
Right now, we’re in this hybrid phase where loans that are getting securitized are partially seasoned loans, and some of the loans have gone down in value–the lower coupon mortgages. The banks have been slowly selling some of those, and Wall Street dealers have quite a bit in inventory. We’re still seeing a lot of that aged collateral coming out through securitization. Issuers like Redwood have been combining current coupon mortgages. We saw this last year in the private sector securitization market, where we had all of this aged inventory. It was hard to get investors to focus on the collateral because there was so much sitting in inventory that they could price it wherever they wanted to. The pricing now is probably the best it’s been in a year, maybe two years. So, the market is finally starting to cross back into more current coupon on-the-run production, which is what we’re focused on.
We’ve completed well over 100 residential securitizations, close to 140 If we factor CoreVest. There’s been years we’ve done 12-15 securitizations. There’s been years where we’ve done none or one. So, we very much want to get volume going again to the extent we could be in the market with certainly a deal a quarter, but if not two or three, that would feel the base to me.
Nunes:In terms of products, what the current landscape brings in terms of opportunities?
Abate: Right now, the biggest opportunity, ironically, is in the regular prime jumbo market because that was the product banks were most focused on. And they weren’t wrong to focus on it from a credit standpoint because when the banks got through the Great Financial Crisis, all the big regulatory shifts were to get them out of taking risky mortgages on the balance sheet. Then, they started taking less risky mortgages, which are jumbos. The real shift is going to be all those jumbos that were going to banks will come back out, hopefully to non-banks like us.
Nunes:Redwood also launched a home equity platform. What is the strategy here?
Abate: When you look at prime rates in the high single digits and add a credit spread to that, even for the most well-qualified borrowers, you are looking at a 10% to 12% interest rate on a second mortgage. For a well-qualified borrower, 750 FICO or above, and a low-LTV first mortgage, you might be comfortable paying 10% to 12%. But that’s the best-case scenario. For everybody else, unlocking that equity is even more expensive. We’re seeing that for the traditional second mortgage products, there’s way more investor demand than consumer demand.
We’ve rolled out the traditional products and a newer product called home equity investment [HEI] options. The interesting thing about HEIs is instead of a homeowner taking out equity in the form of cash and paying a mortgage on it, there is no monthly payment within HEI. The way the investor gets paid is that you share in the upside of the home, so the home price appreciation. There are a lot of use cases for HEI over traditional products. If you think about somebody with a lot of student debt or lower FICO, they’re going to qualify for a very expensive second mortgage. So, this is a good option. It doesn’t add to their monthly payment obligation. You can do what you want with the cash, just like with a home equity line of credit, but not having the payment. It’s a bridge until the second mortgage is cheaper.
Nunes:To invest in this product, investors must believe home prices will keep rising, right?
Abate: There are a couple of things investors care about. You haveto believe in a HPA [home price appreciation] story. But one way we mitigate that is we strike the price of the home at a discount to its current appraised value. So that, even if the home is sold next week, the investor will make money. If you believe that interest rates are nearing the top, as far as the Fed’s rate hike cycle, HPA should start to realign. If rates are going down, HPAs are going up. Investors are starting to get comfortable with this huge move in rates, hopefully, this fall is gonna pause.
Then, ultimately, the investors want to understand if we give you $100,000 with this HEI, when do they get their money back? Because it’s a 30-year product. And that’s where we’ve designed the product, which is unique to Redwood, that creates strong incentives for the homeowner to refi.
Nunes: How did you get the property at a discount?
Abate: The product is for people in their homes that are not moving out. There isn’t an actual transaction on the property. It’s somebody that wants to stay in their home. And if it’s a $1 million home, and we offer you $150,000 HEI, we might strike that HEI at $900,000. Let’s say it’s a $1 million home, and for purposes of coming up with the investor return, we’re going to call it a home at $850,000. Even if they sold the home at a $50,000 loss, the investor would still generate a return, and that’s what gets investor capital into the asset class. But what the homeowner gets is all of the proceeds, the cash and no monthly payments
The investors are institutional investors, well-known institutions, firms, pension funds, and life companies; they’re all just to varying degrees focused on HEI now. And the big reason is that nobody’s been able to tap this massive home equity opportunity. We are going to give it a try.
Nunes: Residential mortgages are just one facet of the business. What are your plans for commercial real estate, which has had a challenging year?
Abate:What we do here in New York is our business-purpose lending platform. We realized a number of years ago that investors are becoming a much bigger participant in the real estate markets. Serving them and providing bridge loans to investors who want to flip homes or provide turned-out financing for investors who want to rent homes, that’s an entire other residential business that we run under the flag of CoreVest. In residential, we’ve more or less stuck to our knitting of non-agency. We’ve had opportunities to enter the agency space in the past and participated in certain instances, but mostly, what we do is non-agency.
Nunes: You mentioned banks, but what are the business opportunities with IMBs?
Abate: We’ve had a great long-term relationship with the IMBs. The IMBs have a big opportunity to pick up some [market] share. Since the Great Financial Crisis, most of our business has been with the IMBs. We have a network of between 150 to 200 [partners], predominantly non-banks that we will buy mortgages from. We expect that to rebalance in the next few years. But the IMBs are also a big opportunity to take clients from the banks.
Nunes: And what are the plans for servicing mortgage rights?
Abate: Servicing will continue to move out of the banks. That’s another big opportunity that we’ll focus on. We don’t plan to operate as a servicer, but we might own servicing rights. What we’ve done typically is when we own servicing rights, we will subservice. We want to hire somebody with a call center. And we’ll pay them a monthly fee. But when you balance out the revenue potential with the servicing asset, with the cost of service, there are still good opportunities. There’s a lot of competition for servicing. For some mortgage REITs, that’s their primary asset class, just not for us.
Nunes:Can you shed some light on your partnership with Oaktree and Riverbend?
Abate: Both of those are related to the business-purpose lender space. Oaktree is a great example of us expanding our capital partnerships into the private credit sector. Redwood is a publicly traded company, and historically, when we needed to raise money, we would do a common stock offering or a public market deal. When rates started going up, things got pretty ugly for the mortgage REIT space and the public markets. We and all other mortgage REITs started trading at discounts. Raising money in that environment hasn’t been overly attractive. So, building partnerships with private credit firms like Oaktree to focus on specific asset classes is a big part of what we want to do. One aspect that’s attractive to us is we can earn asset management fees.
The Oaktree model is something that we want to replicate on the residential side as the jumbo opportunity picks up. We’ve been in discussions with other private credit investors and institutional investors who see the same opportunity as in jumbo and non-QM.
Nunes: With a reported cash and cash equivalents of $357 million as of June 2023, can we anticipate any M&A activities, especially considering the challenges faced by many lenders in the industry?
Abate: M&A activity has picked up in the space and based on our track record, we are a logical call. Part of our strategy is: to be active in M&A, you have to be active. It’s not efficient to call on at eight, seven different firms. You start with the ones that have shown interest in actually transacting. We have seen some opportunities, and nothing I can share in this interview, but it’s safe to say we’ve been active in M&As and we’ll continue to focus on that as part of our growth strategy.
We haven’t been open to it [acquiring a lender]. For many years, we’ve wanted to keep the business sort of regulator-light. The best way to do that is not to directly face consumers with products. We’re comfortable originating to investors, that’s what CoreWest does. But investors are sophisticated business-run ventures and not homeowners who may or may not be sophisticated in the financial markets. We have tended to not originate, but I think where we’re at as a company is from a strategic standpoint, we’d be much more open to it through M&A.
Nunes: What do you expect for the macro landscape in the coming year?
Abate: There’s such a vast shortage of supply of homes in many parts of the country, which is supporting home prices. The Fed consciously inflated home prices, particularly during the COVID years. These high asset values prevented normal credit losses you might see through a cycle. The combination of QE-fueled asset prices with an economy that hasn’t dropped off too much has created a strong housing market.
But credit in residential housing should perform immensely better than many facets of the commercial real estate market. There’s so much vacancy in these central business districts. These buildings are valued based on cash flows– not like a residential home, which is an appraisal. If it’s 50% full, it’s worth half as much. From a credit standpoint, certain facets of the commercial real estate sector will have a rough road ahead.
I’m probably supposed to say this, but I feel better about my sector. The technical supporting housing will continue to be strong. The big challenge with residential today is just transaction activity. If you own a home with a 3% mortgage, you don’t want to sell it. If your home suits your needs, the prospect of doubling your monthly payment to move is very unappealing. The real challenge in residential has been a lot of capacity to make loans, but there’s not much demand. If rates do stabilize, that will change quickly. When the market thought in January that rates were stabilizing, we saw a pickup in loan activity, and then they started going up again; we’ll see what happens this fall.
Nunes:Do you see a crisis on the commercial side of the market? If so, how could it impact the residential side?
Abate: It’s hard to say. The only real obvious driver for a crisis is what could be a permanent impairment of occupancy in these commercial office buildings. The way that can affect our markets is there’s a trickle-down effect. If the buildings aren’t full, the restaurants aren’t full, the delis aren’t full, the subways are not full, and the hotels aren’t full because people aren’t traveling to see people in the office. That could have an effect on the economy in general, which would impact housing indirectly. As far as the economy goes, the airports seem more full than ever, and hotels seem to be doing fine. Overall, [the problem] is probably mostly office. But if it keeps getting worse, it certainly could have downstream effects.
Looking to build wealth with the best income-generating assets? As you set out on the path to financial freedom, understanding the different types of income-generating assets can truly change your life. This is because you can invest in assets that will generate you income, earning you more passive income. Today’s article will introduce you to…
Looking to build wealth with the best income-generating assets?
As you set out on the path to financial freedom, understanding the different types of income-generating assets can truly change your life.
This is because you can invest in assets that will generate you income, earning you more passive income.
Today’s article will introduce you to a range of assets that reliably bring in cash, giving you peace of mind and the freedom to live life on your own terms.
From traditional investments like stocks and bonds to more creative options like peer-to-peer lending or real estate, income-generating assets give you the power to diversify your portfolio and build wealth over time.
Related content:
What are income generating assets?
Before we begin, I want to talk about the basics on income-generating assets, in case you are new to the subject or if you want a background first.
Income-generating assets are investments that, as the name suggests, generate income for you. These are assets that provide you with a steady cash flow, allowing you to earn passive income and build your wealth over time.
Examples include rental real estate and dividend-paying stocks (we will go over 17 different types of income-generating assets below in more detail).
There are several benefits of the best income-generating assets such as:
Passive income: You earn money without actively working, and this can provide financial freedom and the ability to focus on other things in life. You can earn money in your sleep, while on vacation, making dinner, and more.
Diversification: You can diversify your investments so that all of your income is not coming from just one source.
Wealth building: Earning income and generating a steady cash flow can help you build your wealth over time.
Note: Please keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when investing in any of these income-producing assets. Everyone is different and while one asset may work great for someone, it may not be the right asset for you. I recommend doing as much research as you can if you are interested in one of the asset investments I talk about below.
Types Of Income Generating Assets
There are many types of income-generating assets. Some may be more traditional such as dividend-paying stocks, and others may be more alternative income-generating assets, such as selling stock photos, and even renting out your driveway.
Today, I will talk about 17 different types of income-generating assets, but this is not a full list of the best income-producing assets. There are many, many more!
The different types of income-generating assets that I will talk about today include:
1. Dividend-paying stocks
One of the best assets to invest in are dividend-paying stocks.
Dividends are simply a payment in cash or stock that public companies distribute to their shareholders.
The amount of a dividend is determined by a company’s board of directors, and they are given as a way to reward those who have stock in their company. Both private and public companies pay dividends, but not all companies pay dividends.
How do dividends work? If you own shares of a dividend-paying stock, then a dividend is paid per share of that stock. So, if you have 10 shares in Company ABC, and they pay $5 in cash dividends each year, then you will get $50 in dividends that year. While dividends can be paid on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis, they are most commonly paid out quarterly — so, four times a year. In this example, the $5 in cash dividends the company pays each year will most likely be distributed as $1.25 per quarter for each share of stock.
The most common type of dividends are cash dividends. Shareholders may choose to get this deposited right into their brokerage account. Stock dividends are another common type of dividend. In this case, shareholders get extra shares of stock instead of cash.
Both cash dividends and stock dividends are great income-generating assets that will earn more money for you.
As a shareholder, you can earn income when companies distribute profits to their shareholders. Look for stocks with a history of consistent dividend payouts and a high dividend yield. Keep in mind that dividend stocks are still subject to market fluctuations, and just because a company has paid a dividend in the past does not mean that they always will in the future.
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2. High-yield savings accounts and CDs
High-yield savings accounts and CDs are a great way to grow your savings, but most people have their money in accounts with low rates. Unfortunately, that means many of you are losing out on some easy money.
Savings accounts at brick-and-mortar banks are known for having really low interest rates. That’s because they have a much higher overhead — paying for the building, paying the tellers to help you in person at the bank, etc.
High-yield savings accounts offer an easy option for earning interest on your cash. Online banks often offer higher interest rates than traditional banks. As of the writing of this blog post, you can easily find high-yield savings accounts that can earn you above 4.00%.
Certificates of Deposit (CDs), another form of income-generating assets, are FDIC insured and provide a guaranteed interest rate over a specific term. Remember that access to your money is limited during the term of the CD. You will agree upon the term before putting your money in the CD. The terms typically vary in length from around 3 months to 5 years.
Money market accounts are also offered by banks and often with a higher yield than other types of savings accounts.
3. Real estate
Real estate is one of the most common income-generating assets that people think of.
Investing in rental properties is a popular way to generate steady cash flow. You can earn rental income from tenants, and properties typically appreciate in value over time.
Location and property management are important factors that can impact your return on investment.
By investing in real estate, you may be investing in residential properties, commercial real estate, short-term rentals, REITs, and more.
Recommended reading: How This Woman In Her 30s Owns 7 Rental Homes
4. Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
An REIT is a company that owns and manages income-producing real estate. They then sell shares to investors like stock.
By investing in REITs, you can make money in the real estate market without actually owning real estate.
So, if you don’t want to be a landlord, then this may be something for you to look into. This makes it much more passive than actually owning real estate and having to manage it.
You can even diversify your income stream with REITs by investing in different property types, such as residential homes, commercial office space, industrial, and retail store properties.
5. Bonds
Bonds are fixed-income investments that are issued by governments and companies. If you own a bond, you receive interest payments from borrowers on a regular basis.
An easy way to explain this is: When you buy a bond, you are giving someone a loan and they are agreeing to pay you back with interest.
Bonds with higher credit ratings are generally a safer investment but may offer lower interest rates.
6. Mutual funds
Mutual funds gather funds from investors to invest in stocks, bonds, or other securities. Basically, the funds are pooled together and there’s a fund manager who chooses the best investments.
Income-generating assets like this have multiple types of mutual funds available for multiple types of investors. Some of these fund types include bond funds, stock funds, balanced funds, and index funds.
Mutual funds typically have higher fees because they have fund managers who are actively trying to beat the market.
With a mutual fund, you get diversification because the fund manager mixes the assets in it.
7. Index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
ETFs and index funds are popular options for those who are looking to diversify their portfolio of income-generating assets.
This is because index funds and ETFs track a specific market index and invest in a wide range of stocks or other assets, instead of picking and choosing stocks in an attempt to beat the market. This is what makes them different from mutual funds.
They often have lower fees and higher diversification compared to actively managed funds.
8. Annuities
Annuities are long-term investments offered by insurance companies that give you a guaranteed income stream to build wealth. In exchange for a lump-sum payment or periodic contributions (such as monthly or annually), you’ll receive steady payments in the future.
The way it works is you pay premiums into the annuity for a set amount of time. Later, you stop paying premiums, and the annuity starts sending regular payments to you. Some are even set up to pay you back with a lump sum.
Annuities can be fixed or variable. A fixed annuity offers a guaranteed payment amount — which means a predictable income for you. As for a variable annuity, the payment amount does vary, depending on how the market is doing.
9. Websites and blogs
Starting a website can generate income through the money-making assets of advertising, affiliate marketing, or the sale of products and services.
Since I started Making Sense of Cents, I have earned over $5,000,000 from my blog through affiliate marketing, sponsored partnerships, display advertising, and online courses. These income-generating assets make sense for building wealth.
Blogging allows me to travel as much as I want, have a flexible schedule — and I earn a great income doing it.
Now, it’s not entirely passive, but I do earn semi-passive income from my blog.
You can learn how to start a blog in my How To Start a Blog FREE Course.
Here’s a quick outline of what you will learn:
Day 1: Why you should start a blog
Day 2: How to decide what to write about (your blog niche!)
Day 3: How to create your blog (in this lesson, you will learn how to start a blog on WordPress)
Day 4: The different ways to make money with your blog
Day 5: My advice for making passive income with your blog
Day 6: How to get pageviews
Day 7: Other blogging tips to help you see success
Recommended reading: The 25 Most-Asked Blogging Questions To Get You Started Today
10. Royalties and intellectual property
Intellectual property, such as patents, copyrights, and trademarks, can generate income through licensing fees or royalties. This particular option is good for creative professionals, such as authors, musicians, and inventors, who are looking for income-generating assets.
Royalties are a way to earn income from your creative work or intellectual property. By granting others permission to use or distribute your intellectual property, you can receive ongoing payments known as royalties.
Whether you’re a musician, author, inventor, or artist, royalties offer a passive income stream as your creations continue to generate revenue over time.
Royalties can be paid out periodically or as a lump sum on these passive income assets, depending on your agreement with the licensee.
11. Stock photos
If you have a talent for photography, you can monetize your skills by selling stock photos on platforms such as Shutterstock or Adobe Stock. The more high-quality images you upload, the more potential passive income you can generate.
With stock photography, you simply upload photos that you have taken to a platform such as DepositPhotos, turning your pictures into income-generating assets. Then, you will receive a commission whenever someone buys one of your stock photos.
Stock photos are used for all sorts of reasons by websites, companies, blogs, and more. Businesses need stock photos because they are not usually in the business of taking photos of everything that they need. Instead, they can use stock photos to make their content, website, or business more visually appealing.
Some examples of stock photography include pictures of:
Travel, vacations, landmarks, outdoor adventures
Family members, such as parents, children, family gatherings
Food and drink
Cars, boats, RVs
Businesses, pictures of people in meetings, in an office.
Sports, professional events
Animals, such as household pets or wildlife
The photo possibilities are almost endless for this type of income-generating asset.
Recommended reading: 18 Ways You Can Get Paid To Take Pictures
12. Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending
Crowdfunding platforms enable you to invest in real estate deals with a smaller amount of money than buying real estate up front, giving you a passive income through rental income or even a property increasing in value.
Peer-to-peer lending platforms allow you to lend money directly to borrowers. Typically you can earn higher returns than traditional savings accounts, though there’s always the risk of a borrower not paying you back.
Both of these types of assets — crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending — use technology to connect investors with those looking for funding.
13. Renting out storage space
If you own unused land or unused space in your home, renting it out for storage can be a simple way to generate passive income.
You can offer storage solutions for vehicles or boats. If you have a smaller space, then offer it to store personal belongings. You can rent out your driveway, closet, basement, attic, and more. You can even rent out a shelf.
A website where you can list your storage space is Neighbor. You can earn $100 to $400+ each month on this platform. This depends on the demand in your area and the type of income-generating assets you are renting out. And, you can choose who, what, and when — who to rent to, what things are stored, and when it will happen.
You can learn more at Neighbor Review: Make Money Renting Your Storage Space.
14. Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals can be a lucrative income-generating asset if you own properties in popular tourist destinations or business hubs.
Websites like Airbnb provide a platform to rent out your property to travelers for short periods, potentially generating higher returns than traditional long-term leases.
Furnished Finder is another website for short-term rentals. This is a way to connect with travel nurses in need of short-term housing.
Keep in mind that rental income can be affected by local regulations, potential vacancies, or seasonal fluctuations.
15. Car rentals
Car rental platforms like Turo allow you to rent out your car when you’re not using it. Assets that generate cash flow include your own wheels, and that means no significant initial investment besides the cost of the car you already own.
Be mindful of risks such as wear and tear, insurance, and potential damage caused by renters.
It’s an affordable alternative to traditional rental car companies for customers, and it’s a good way to make money if you’re already working from home and don’t need your car, or are a two-car household.
Turo is one of a few different places to rent out your car, turning your vehicle into one of your income-generating assets. Your car is covered by Turo with up to a $1 million insurance policy. You can also pick the dates for when your car is available and set your rates.
Turo says you can earn an average of $706 per month by listing your car on their site.
16. RV rentals
Similarly to car rentals, RV rentals can provide additional income by renting out your recreational vehicle when you’re not using it. Your RV could easily become one of your income-generating assets.
You may be able to earn $100 to $300 a day, or even more, by renting out your RV on RVShare.
If you have an RV that is just sitting there and not being used, then you may be able to earn an income with it by renting it out to others who are interested in RVing. Cash flow-generating assets like RVs are a win-win for both you and the renter who wants to experience life in a recreational vehicle.
You can learn more at How To Make Extra Money By Renting Out Your RV.
17. Vending machines
With a vending machine business, you can generate income by selling a variety of products, from food to fishing supplies, beauty products to baby items, and more.
You may be able to earn $1,000+ a month by running a vending machine business. That’s enough reason to take a closer look at income-producing assets like this.
You can learn more at How To Start A Vending Machine Business – How I Make $7,000 Monthly.
Questions about income generating assets
Here are common questions that you may have about income-generating assets:
How do I start passive income from nothing?
Starting passive income from nothing requires creativity and resourcefulness. You can begin by identifying skills you possess or interests that can be turned into income-generating opportunities.
What are the assets that generate income?
The assets I talked about above include:
Dividend-paying stocks and stock market investing
High-yield savings accounts and CDs
Real estate
Bonds
Mutual funds
Index funds and exchange-traded funds
Annuities
Websites and online businesses
Royalties and intellectual property
Stock photos
Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending
Renting out your storage space
Car rentals
RV rentals
Vending machines
How do I start buying income generating assets?
There are traditional investments or more creative options. Do as much research as you can before deciding which option fits you best.
What are good assets to buy?
After deciding if you want to purchase traditional investments or more creative options, choose an asset that you can afford and best fits your lifestyle.
What are the best assets to buy for beginners?
For beginners seeking income-generating assets, you may want to look into:
Dividend-paying stocks for your investment portfolio
Crowdfunded real estate investing: Platforms like Fundrise allow smaller investments with lower risk exposure.
ETFs and index funds: They provide diversification and passive income through dividends.
What is income generating real estate?
Income-generating real estate refers to properties that produce regular rental income, such as apartments, commercial properties, or short-term vacation rentals.
How do I start passive income in real estate?
There are a few ways that you can earn passive income from real estate, including:
Buying a property, such as an apartment building or duplex, and renting it out to tenants
Using real estate crowdfunding platforms
Investing in REITs
How to make passive income with real estate without owning property?
You don’t need to actually own property in order to make money with real estate. Instead, you can earn passive income from real estate by investing in REITs and using real estate crowdfunding platforms.
This is an option for those who want to be diversified with their income-generating assets but don’t want to spend all of their money or time on a single piece of real estate.
How to make $1,000 a day in passive income?
Making $1,000 a day in passive income with assets that produce income will not be easy. If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it, after all.
Making $1,000 a day in passive income may require a large amount of money up front, diversifying into different assets mentioned above, and lots of patience from you because it will take time to make that kind of money.
You may want to start off by focusing on building multiple income streams and reinvesting your profits as you earn them.
What to think about before investing in income producing assets?
There are many different things to think about when it comes to income-generating assets. You want to find the best assets to invest your money in that will also be the best fit for you.
Remember, as I said at the beginning of this article, not everything will be applicable to everyone. Everyone is different! You may prefer to create a stock photo portfolio and hate real estate, whereas someone else may really enjoy being a real estate investor — or it may even be the other way around.
Here are some of my tips if you are interested in income-generating assets:
Do your research and talk to experts —I recommend researching as much as you can on the asset you are interested in. And, if you still have questions, don’t be afraid to talk to an expert.
Diversify — One of the important parts of building a successful income-generating portfolio is finding ways to be diversified.
Think about the risks —When making money, there’s usually some sort of risk. I recommend evaluating the risks and seeing what you are comfortable with.
What are the best books on income generating assets?
Some highly recommended books on income-generating assets include:
The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins
The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle
Income Generating Assets — Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article on the best income-generating assets. As you learned, there are many different types of assets that you can invest in so that you can earn an income.
The best income-producing assets, if they’re right for you, can truly change your life.
With these assets, you can build wealth through a reliable passive income, giving you peace of mind and freedom to live life on your own terms.
Are you looking to build income-generating assets? What are your favorite ways?
