What is Passive Income? Wikipedia Say's: Passive income is an income received on a regular basis, with little effort required to maintain it. The American Internal Revenue Service categorizes income into three broad types, active (earned) income, passive income, and portfolio income. It defines passive income as income from "trade or business activities in which you do not materially participate."

For those looking for true financial independence and freedom, there are few if any ways that can match the power of building a portfolio of passive income investment properties. Whatever your magic number is for enabling you to break free from the 9-5 grind you can find it through cash flowing investment property. With home prices and interest rates on mortgages at all time lows, the current housing market offers more attractive opportunities than ever for real estate investors.

Even lower end properties can have an ROI (return on investment) of several hundred dollars a month. The savvy real estate investor can quickly build a rental portfolio capable of providing full time income. While every area of the country has bargain priced deals on investment property many are finding that South West Florida or SwFl, offers the best value and security for rental properties. The demand for rents and quality of investment property available, makes it easy to turn a profit even as a novice investor.

Regardless of what type of properties you are most interested in such as, gulf access, seasonal rentals, annual rentals, pool homes,you will find SW Florida packed with home buying opportunities. Lehigh Acres offers affordable family homes in the $50,000-$150,000 range, while Cape Coral provides a range of investment property ranging from $60,000 to $350,000. Cape Coral is known as the Venice of Florida boasting more gulf access properties than anywhere else in the State.

Recently Cape Coral was named #1 in the nation for property appreciation or increase in home value over the past year posting a gain of nearly 30%. But don't worry there are still great deals and room for future property appreciation as current values are still of what they were in 2006! Within the last year there has been a resurgence of people retiring and relocating to the SW Florida area. Gulf coast investment property also has the power to draw extremely high seasonal rents from visitors. In many cases you will find that even renting out your property for 6 months will turn significant cash flow, leaving you the choice of enjoying the property yourself for your own vacation off season or renting it out for additional profits.

Charles D. Sanders, a Realtor with Island Harbor Re/Max understands the ins and outs of buying Florida bank owed properties also know as, REO's. Charles can help you make the right choices when it comes to buying homes in need of rehab or opting for properties that have already been recently renovated to better than new condition and that offer turnkey passive income solutions, meaning they are tenant ready so you can start bringing in profits from day one!