Return on Investment - What's a minimum?

[Chet Hingle]

If I spend 50k on a rental, and I want to do absolutely nothing to earn profit, what is the bare minimum annual % return I should expect. I thought it was 10%. 

Opinions welcomed.

[Nathan Emmert]

It's whatever you think is acceptable.

Some people buy negative cash flowing properties (they pay the mortgage out of pocket each month)... why?  Well, they may have other properties doing great and need the tax write off... maybe they're expecting great appreciation of the property and will sell it later... maybe rents are rapidly rising and they expect to be cash flow positive in 20 years when they plan to retire anyhow... or after the mortgage is paid off...

Who knows?

This isn't much different then investing in the stock market... there is risk and there is reward. There is investment of time, and reward for that time. You can spend no time and risk little and get an easy 8% return (pick a turn key and go). You can take some risk and get an easy 10% (buy a rental off the MLS)... or you can invest some time and inherit more risk (buy directly from sellers or distressed properties with unknown issues) and get even higher.

What are you comfortable with?

My goal is a minimum of 10%... but I'm really targeting 15 - 20% Cash on Cash.  I'm not as creative as some with funding sources and haven't established access to the private funding others have (yet... hopefully)... so for me, at present, cash for future down payments is key.