To Live Off Rental Income, Some Advice Needed

[Mark S.]

About two years ago, I sold a business that I created to a large corporation. With those funds - I purchased (in full with cash), numerous investment properties.

I focus on nice-sized condos or townhouses in high demand areas with good equity growth.

I currently own 9 rental properties. I own all of my properties free and clear. I also own my home free and clear.

At the moment, minus HOA fees and the percentage taken by my property manager, I bring home 9,000-9,700 per month.

Some of the people I've come across who invest, they have like 12-15 properties but make around the same amount of money as me (some even less) - because they have mortgages on all of them. And when the units are vacant, it really hurts their pockets due to the mortgages, where I only pay my HOA fee.

Obviously there are property taxes, income taxes and various other expenses that come up.

And my revenue depends on all properties being rented at the same time. Currently they are. With Vegas being a hot market and owning nice units in nice areas, they don't last too long once vacant. And rent prices, and property prices, are rising at a rapid rate year to year (probably a big boost once Raiders start playing here).

The company that bought my business have me under contract to continue running it until mid-2022.

When my contract ends, they might re-sign me or they might let me go.

If they let me go, who knows how long it might take me to find another job, certainly one even close to the level of pay that I'm making now.

I viewed those properties as a security blanket in the event of being let go at the end of my contract, so I took what I bought, and property upgrades, very seriously.

I wondering if I banked enough properties to live on? I do have a wife and 2 small kids. My biggest cost would likely be medical insurance, food being the second, quarterly tax payments, normal bills for the home.

Is anyone here living off their rental properties? How is my situation looking if I find myself without a job by mid-2022.

[Nathan Gesner]

$10,000 is a pretty good income in most markets. The national average family income is $60,000. Keep in mind, the vast majority of families are paying rent or a mortgage. If you are debt free and making $10,000 a month, that means you're making double what the average family makes in this country.

Personally, I think you should take some of the equity from your existing homes and leverage that to buy a few more investments. Let's say each investment was worth $100,000 and you had ten of them. You could pull 30% equity out of each one, which comes to $300,000. Split that into six payments of $50,000 and buy six more rentals. Yes, you will have a mortgage on 16 properties but the income will cover all your expenses and still produce some cash flow. It may be slightly less than what you make now but it will grow over time as rents go up.

This is a very basic example. Personally, I would cash out 50% of the equity in my existing homes and look at buying a larger, cash-flowing apartment complex in the midwest. It will maximize the income and diversify your portfolio away from Vegas where appreciation can drop like a lead balloon in a New York minute. I bought a brand new house in Vegas in 2000 for $127,000. Sold it in 2005 for $265,000. In 2011, it sold for $85,000. It's currently worth $255,000 which means it hasn't caught up to the price from 15 years ago. 

And if Vegas ever runs out of water...