How Many Rentals Do You Need to Retire?
How many rentals do you need to retire? This is a deeply personal question that only you can answer. Before diving into the numbers, you need to consider how much money you truly need to retire. Not just a vague figure like a million dollars or $10,000 a month, but a realistic amount based on your current and future needs.
My name is Marc Ruiz, and I've spent the last 20 years investing in real estate. We've remodeled hundreds of rent houses and currently manage a couple hundred more. With this experience, I have a deep understanding of how the rental process works and what it takes to succeed.
To figure out how many rentals you need to retire, you must first define what retirement means to you and calculate your financial needs. Let's say you aim for $10,000 in monthly rental income. You could achieve this with 10 houses free and clear, or 50 leveraged houses.
The key factors are how much capital you have to invest and how much leverage you're comfortable with. Ten houses might seem less stressful than managing fifty, but there's safety in numbers. If one of ten houses goes vacant, that’s 10% of your income lost. However, with fifty houses, a single vacancy is a much smaller hit to your income.
Your timeline also matters. If retirement is just around the corner, paying off fifty houses might not be feasible. However, if you have more time, building a foundation with fifty houses can lead to significant long-term benefits. Over time, paying off these properties increases your income and provides more tax benefits.
Managing a larger number of properties forces you to implement systems and processes, or better yet, hire a property manager. This approach ensures you can enjoy the benefits of real estate without becoming an active landlord.
In the end, it’s about what retirement means to you and how much you need to make it happen. Real estate might not be the sole solution, but it can significantly enhance your retirement. Join our Facebook group, Rugged Real Estate Investing, for more insights and discussions. Let's build a successful real estate journey together.






