08/29/2026
Your rental property might be producing less than a savings account — and most investors never realize it, because they focus on property value instead of return on equity.
Here's the math. You might own a rental worth over $1M. Sounds great. But if it only produces $30K–$40K a year after expenses, that's a 3–4% return. Meanwhile, some high-yield savings accounts, treasuries, and money markets have been paying close to 4–5% — with no tenants, no repairs, no vacancies.
Real estate can be an incredible wealth-building tool. But retirement changes the math. The question becomes: how efficiently is your equity actually producing income? That's the number most people never calculate.