This property in Garden Grove, California was purchased as our family’s primary home originally. Over time our situation changed, and we decided to add two extra units with the proper permits so we could rent them out. That move gave us some extra income while we were still living there, which really helped the family.

Years later we moved to Huntington Beach and decided to rent out the whole Garden Grove property. Managing it myself taught me a lot about the rental business. I learned how to handle day-to-day property management, take care of common repairs, deal with all kinds of tenants, and even go through the eviction process when it was necessary.

There were stretches when I got too busy to manage everything myself, so I hired a professional property manager to take over. Looking back, I’ve found that rental real estate can be a really solid business with a lot of potential if you plan ahead and stay prepared for the long run.