Comment by pixelatedindex
2 days ago
> Landlords have to allocate capital to fixing and improving the house, as well as taking care of insurance and taxes.
These costs aren’t that high though, compared to rent. 3 months of rent covers a year of property taxes where I live. Major repairs are about a couple months rent. There is still another half year of rent that’s pure profit. Then they raise your rent every year, demonize rent increase caps, and then vote for reduced housing builds. I find it very difficult to accept them. If I had the money and the capital I absolutely would own a dozen homes and rent it all out, you would make insane money. Not to mention the mortgage costs being so low during ZIRP days. At the rate of AI coming for SWE jobs, landlords seem untouchable.
> 3 months of rent covers a year of property taxes where I live. Major repairs are about a couple months rent. There is still another half year of rent that’s pure profit.
You missed insurance and mortgage.
Fair. Mortgage during the ZIRP days and prior was really low though. A 3K mortgage then is like a 6-7K mortgage now. And home insurance is also relatively low, I pay like 1.5K for the whole year. Point is, it’s a great way to make money and that is why people become landlords.
> Point is, it’s a great way to make money and that is why people become landlords.
If it is, why not do it and become rich too?
It's not really a particularly good way to make money. I've run the numbers on hundreds of properties over the last two decades and I've yet to find a scenario where I could buy something and rent it out with enough profit to be worth the hassle. You'll be much better off investing in some index fund instead.
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You're assuming a mortgage.