Benefits from Rentals, 5 sources

[John Fitzmaurice]

This site has lots of discussions about deals and rental incomes but fewer on the benefits over decades of being in the business.

As I see it

1. Rent, after expenses
2. Taxes, depreciation.
3. paying down you mortgage, especially with current low rates this will happen quickly. I just refinanced but before that I was paying down my mortgages fairly quickly.
4. Price appreciation of the property, which is hard to distinguish from #5.
5. Degradation and inflation of the currency means your debt is worth less every year.

In the long run #4 and #5 might make the most benefit. Number one is what you have to manage to keep afloat.

Does anybody see any other benefits? I am a long term buy and hold kind of investors, no flipping.

[b