Build Passive Income with Real Estate
Who says you need to work until you’re 65?
A Passive Income Blog for the Obsessed
Want to work forever?
We certainly don’t. Which is why we’re so obsessed with passive income. And while we love stocks, our true passion is passive real estate investing.
My name is Brian Davis, and Iām a passive real estate investor, personal finance writer, co-founder of SparkRental, and world traveler. I get to spend most of the year living abroad hiking, scuba diving, wine tasting, and breaking toes trying to learn how to surf.
Deni (my partner) and I have a simple goal: to help 5,000 people reach $5,000/month in passive real estate income. Want to be one of them? To start stacking up streams of passive income? To reach financial independence and retire early with rental properties or real estate syndications?
We created this real estate investing blog to help you stop relying so heavily on your 9-5 salary and start living more intentionally. Welcome!
The Latest from Our Real Estate Investing Blog
Home Loans vs. Investor Loans: The Ultimate Guide
The Big Picture on Home Loans vs. Investor Loans: Investment property loans tend to have higher interest rates than home loans, typically 0.375% to 0.625% more, due to the higher risk for lenders. Investment property loans demand larger down payments, often between...
Real Estate During a Recession – How Stable Are Rental Properties?
The Big Picture On Buying Real Estate During a Recession: Real estate, particularly rental properties, tends to be more stable during recessions compared to other investments. While home values may dip slightly, rents remain steady, and demand for rentals can even...
Passive Income Real Estate Strategies for 2024
The Big Picture On Passive Income From Real Estate: Many strategies are designed for investors seeking minimal involvement, offering ways to generate income without actively managing properties, including rental properties, syndications, REITs, storage facilities,...
Tax-Sheltered Real Estate Accounts: Make Your Kids Rich by 18
The Big Picture On Tax-Sheltered Real Estate Accounts: Setting up a self-directed Roth IRA for your child with annual contributions as early as age 14 allows for tax-free growth and the power of compounding. Even with modest contributions, the account can grow...
Leverage in Real Estate: How Does It Help Investors?
The Big Picture On Using Leverage In Real Estate: In real estate, leverage allows investors to purchase properties using borrowed money, typically putting down only 20% of their own cash. Using leverage can amplify returns. For example, a $200,000 property bought with...
Real Estate Investment Terms: Glossary of Real Estate Vocabulary
The Big Picture On Real Estate Investment Terms: Mastering real estate terminology is essential for effective communication and deal navigation in the industry. Key financial metrics like cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and IRR help investors evaluate and compare...
How to Negotiate with Contractors: The Definitive Guide
The Big Picture On Negotiating With Contractors for Real Estate Projects: Build relationships with contractors before you need them. Create a network of trusted professionals for different specialties to prepare you for issues. Gather 3-5 quotes for each job, learning...
Heat Map: The Hottest Real Estate Markets in Q4 2024
The Big Picture on The Hottest Real Estate Markets: As affordability becomes a concern in larger cities, more buyers are seeking opportunities in smaller towns. These emerging markets offer lower entry prices, attracting remote workers and investors searching for...
Real Estate Quotes ā Centuries of Wisdom in One Place
The Big Picture On Real Estate Investment Quotes: Real estate is a rock-solid investment. It's not going anywhere, and the big names in business know its lasting value. Rental properties are passive income machines. They put money in your pocket month after month...
Can You Use A Personal Loan To Buy A House?
The Big Picture On Using A Personal Loan To Buy A House: Personal loans and credit cards can supplement real estate financing but have limitations, including low limits and high interest rates. Strategies include using cards for renovation materials, maximizing cash...
Inexpensive Kitchen & Bathroom Renovations For Your Rental
The Big Picture On Affordable Rental Renovations: Renovate kitchens and bathrooms cheaply by covering flaws, painting cabinets, and updating hardware. Use rugs, paint, and new fixtures to transform spaces without costly replacements. Focus on cohesive themes and small...
The Best Real Estate Books ā Real Estate Investment
The Big Picture On The Best Real Estate Books To Read: "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" teaches the investor mindset, emphasizing assets over liabilities. "Book on Rental Property Investing" covers all aspects, from analysis to management. "Estimating Rehab Costs" is crucial for...
The “Live Off Rents” Podcast
Prefer to watch or listen to your real estate investing and FIRE tips & tricks? No sweat.
Deni and Brian have been broadcasting live every week to the SparkRental-sponsored Facebook groups since 2017, and started releasing the content via podcast in 2020. Each episode is quick, 15-20 minutes, but jam-packed with actionable content.
No fluff, just advice you can put to work immediately to build passive income from real estate.
If you enjoy the episodes, share them, and please rate and review on iTunes or wherever else you listen!
Recent Episodes
Who Is this Real Estate Investing Blog For?
Well, sure, it’s for aspiring and active investors and landlords. We write about the nuts and bolts of investing passively in real estate syndications or actively in rental properties. We cover topics ranging from real estate crowdfunding to tax benefits, tenant screening to collecting rents, single-family to multifamily to self-storage and beyond.
But while the āhow-tosā and āavoid these mistakesā are important, theyāre only part of the picture.
The bigger picture? How real estate investing fits into your larger strategy for building wealth and passive income.
Specifically: reaching financial independence to give you the freedom to retire early, if you so choose. Or to supplement your current lifestyle so you can live better or switch to your dream work.
So who is this āreal estate investing blogā for? Itās not just for passive real estate investors or active landlords ā itās for anyone looking for creative ways to reach FIRE through real estate investing.
Beyond Education: Group Real Estate Investments Club
Learning is wonderful, and we offer nearly endless free education content for real estate investors and landlords. But nothing beats getting in the trenches and actually investing to earn real returns.
At your request, we created a real estate investment club that lets you “earn while you learn” with a club full of other investors. Every month, we propose a new passive real estate investment. These group real estate investments ā also known as real estate syndications ā let you buy fractional ownership in an apartment complex, self-storage facility, retail or other large property. You get all the benefits of real estate investing, from cash flow to appreciation to tax benefits, without the headaches of buying properties yourself.
Best of all, you can invest with a lot less money. Rather than the $50-100K needed for a typical real estate syndication or rental property down payment, you can invest with $5,000 per deal.
Oh, and non-accredited investors are welcome on all deals. We intentionally propose inclusive deals open to all investors.
Real Estate Investing & Landlord Education
Our real estate investing blog includes hundreds of articles personal finance articles, property management tips, and detailed real estate investing advice. Browse it, search it, use it as a free resource.
But our landlord education doesnāt end with the blog.
We offer a range of free webinars and online masterclasses for real estate investors. We offer a premium course called FIRE from Real Estate, to help you reach financial independence and retire early in years rather than decades. Our weekly newsletter keeps you abreast of rental industry trends, landlord tips, and the best of real estate investing blogs from around the web. And every week, Deni & Brian hop on live video on Facebook for a 15-minute live vlog and answer questions.
What for? Why do real estate investors and landlords need continuing education, anyway?
Because investing in rental properties is not like throwing money in an index fund.
Buying real estate investment properties takes skill (at least if you want to make money). Managing rental properties takes skill.
Your returns on rental investment properties are directly proportionate to your knowledge and skill, both as an investor and as a landlord. If you want to reach financial independence from real estate, youāre going to need to know what youāre doing.
Thatās why weāre obsessed with ongoing real estate education at SparkRental. We want you to make as much passive income as possible, as fast as possible, on the fewest real estate investments possible.
Beyond the Real Estate Blog: More Resources for Investors
Had enough of us going on about the importance of real estate investing education?
āCut to the goods already Brian! Gimme some free stuff!ā
All right, all right. Here are some free real estate investing resources, to help you on your quest for financial independence from real estate:
Real Estate Investing Calculators
Real estate investing involves math. But it doesn’t have to be hard math. Use our free rental income calculator, house hacking calculator, property depreciation calculator and more to get ahead in the game of life.
Interactive Real Estate Maps
It’s a big country, with thousands of towns you could invest in. Where should you invest? Why? Check out our interactive maps of the hottest housing markets, cooling real estate markets, best cities for real estate investing by price/rent ratio, and more.
Real Estate Crowdfunding Comparison
Wondered whether real estate crowdfunding investments are worth considering? The answer: some are, others aren’t. But which are worth it? Check out our comparison of real estate crowdfunding platforms ā and which we invest in ourselves.
Landlord Software & Mobile App
Use our free landlord software to screen tenants, collect rent online, and automate your rental accounting. Sync your bank account, automatically label income and expenses, and use one-click Schedule E tax statements.
Want more free landlord resources? Check out our list of Free Real Estate Investing Tools.