Even on paid off properties, a surprising amount of money goes toward keeping the house fixed up and looking good. This does in turn allow me to charge higher rents, but then there are the tenants who damage the place, etc.
Add to that the hassle of cities wanting licensing fees and regulation. Granted, I would need 300K in index funds to make the equivalent income that I get from 75K invested in two rentals, but still. I'm exposed to the potential for lawsuits, dealing with conflict with neighbors who don't like my tenants, flaky and dishonest contractors, etc.
Just wondering if anyone else got out of the rental game. This would be a good part time retirement job I suppose. but it also ties you down to an area, unless you want to pay a ridiculous amount of money for property management, on the full amount of the rent, most of which goes to mortgage, expenses, taxes, etc.
Seems like when it comes to real estate, everyone and their mother is getting rich off the property owner. The agent, the inspector, the city, the feds, the property manager, the lawyer, etc. What's left is mine to keep for bearing all risks...