When the market crashed, buyers disappeared, and most wholesalers quickly dropped out.

Real estate values and market conditions fluctuate for many reasons. Economic factors like interest rates, inflation, and employment levels play a role, but market psychology—driven by confidence, fear, social and political narratives—also have a significant impact. Even when the fundamentals are strong, fear and uncertainty can stall the market. After the 2008 financial crisis, many investors stayed on the sidelines or completely exited out of real estate, haunted by memories of foreclosures and plummeting property values.

Anyone who survived 2008 and is still investing today will tell you: never rely on just one strategy. I learned that lesson the hard way. When the market collapsed, I was hit hard. I was in debt to the tune of $1.5 million. I promised myself that if I made it through, I would never be in that vulnerable position again. It wasn’t until 2015 that I completely dug myself out and was once again debt free.

So, how can you protect yourself against market downturns, safeguard your finances, and thrive in any market cycle?

The answer: multiple streams of income.

There are many ways to create income through real estate investing. Below, I’ll share some of the income streams I’ve developed and use today. While this isn’t a complete list, it will give you insight into how I structure my business to remain successful, no matter what the market does.

Wholesaling

Wholesaling has evolved significantly. While it remains the entry point for many real estate investors, advancements in technology and third-party services have transformed the process. You can still start with minimal investment, or you can spend thousands building a system and a marketing strategy.

I continue to wholesale properties but rarely spend money on marketing to secure contracts (a topic for a future article). However, last October, I decided to try a lead generation service—and it was a costly failure (“How I Lost $10K with a Lead Gen Service”). Despite that setback, wholesaling remains a key part of our business.

Fix & Flip

We always have multiple renovation projects in progress. These include:

• Retail flips—renovated properties sold to owner-occupants.

• Turnkey flips—rental properties renovated and sold to investors.

Long-Term Rentals

The best hedge against market uncertainty. Our low cost basis ensures strong cash flow, with rental income coming in every month, regardless of market conditions. While property values may decline in a downturn, as long as we hold onto our rentals, we remain financially secure. When the market recovers, our equity increases again. After all, you don’t make or lose money until you sell.

Short-Term Rentals

Our short term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, Direct Bookings) generate up to 5X more income than long-term rentals. They are a critical part of our rental strategy, particularly because we focus on affordability and necessity. Thanks to our low cost basis, we can remain profitable even at 30% monthly occupancy—though we currently maintain 75% occupancy.

Mid-Term Rentals

For guests needing stays of 30 days or more, mid-term rentals provide a 10X increase in rental income by hosting displaced homeowners, contractors, and corporate employees. We’ve hosted guests for anywhere from one to nine months, with rents ranging from $3,500 to $7,500+ per month. Check out “Increase Profits with These Short-Term Rental Strategies” for more tips.

Money Brokering

Through REIBrokers.com, we help investors secure funding for bridge loans and rental property refinancing. We act like Lending Tree for real estate investors, connecting them with the best rates and terms. Although lenders pay us, our loyalty is always to the client. We facilitate multiple loans every month.

Real Estate Brokerage

As the broker for Real Equity, Inc., I represent investors in buying and selling investment properties, earning commissions on each transaction. I also earn commissions when representing my own investment company in acquisitions, helping to offset project costs.

Real Estate Education & Coaching

April 1, 2025 marks one year since launching REI.School, where I’ve published over 150 real estate articles and coached investors at different stages of their careers through one-on-one sessions. As I enter my second year, I plan to expand with paid courses and premium content, turning education into another revenue stream. After years in this business, I want to share my knowledge while building a sustainable, scalable income source.

There you have it. All my streams of income all under one roof. I hope this will give you a few ideas to eventually scale your REI business to the next level. As always I am here to help so if you have any questions or need support, reach out to me at guru@rei.school