Navigating the world of real estate investments can be a arduous task, to say the least. While it’s said to be one of the best sources of passive income (and it is!), that doesn’t mean that investing in real estate is always easy. Honestly, being a real estate investor can have difficult moments. You’ll have ups and downs and face daunting challenges. While some of the pitfalls of investing in real estate are impossible to avoid, there are some that you can.

As a real estate investor, one of the most challenging aspects of investing has to do with other people. Specifically, with tenants. Search the Web and you’re bound to find thousands upon thousands of hits regarding bad tenants. Some stories are so horrible that the only thing you can do is laugh — maybe because you can’t believe it yourself unless it happens to you.

For the real estate investor, there can be far more opportunities to grow your portfolio than just single-family rentals. By targeting demographics, it is possible to build a portfolio, or at least a segment of your portfolio, designed to attract a certain age demographic.  It seems like a logical decision!  We know that properties with seniors in mind are a great asset, but there are more niche demographics that can be targeted for valuable tenants and real estate investing at a slightly different pace.

How many of us have heard some version of the following story?

"My Aunt Bernice got taken for a ride by this contractor she hired last year. She hired him because he quoted her a great price, but the whole situation ended up being a nightmare. He was never on time, the work was shoddy, and he went WAAAAAY over-budget."

What about this one?

"Yeah, my friend Derrick totally got scammed by some fly-by-night 'contractor.' He answered an ad on Craigslist because the guy sounded legit and only charged 10% up front. The guy took the money and ran. Derrick hasn't heard from him since."