From becoming a landlord, to starting a realty busienss, we put together 28 potential business ideas you can build around the real estate industry!
Check out the list.
1. Become a real estate agent ($4.2M/year)
Grigory Pekarsky from Chicago, Illinois, USA started Vesta Preferred Realty over 11 years ago, a real estate agent.
- Revenue: $350,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 2
- Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
I stumbled into real estate. There is no personal history with real estate in my family or in anything I got into as a young kid trying to find my way.
I realized my real competitive edge was that I always picked up the phone, showed up every day and just did the work. Everyone always thinks there is some secret the most successful real estate agents keep to themselves.
My studies were actually centered in Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University (Go Green!). By Junior year it became apparent to me that I love animals but not so much the idea of being a Vet. So I did a 180 degree turn and finished with a Finance Major.
2. Become a freelance app development business ($960K/year)
Andrew Askins from started Krit almost 7 years ago, a freelance app development business.
- Revenue: $80,000/ month
- Founders: 3
- Employees: 8
- Location:
I never set out to start a software agency. Growing up I never thought I would be an entrepreneur, or even get into tech.
But when I got to college I decided to take an intro to Computer Science class. My plan at the time was to teach math in the Peace Corps. I didn’t like math enough to be a math major but figured Computer Science would be interesting and involve a lot of math.
Learn what makes you great and where you need help. It will be worth every penny.
3. Start an airbnb management company ($420K/year)
Gary Fox from Dublin, Ireland started Host Butlers over 5 years ago, a airbnb management company.
- Revenue: $35,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 4
- Location: Dublin, Ireland
I’ve been starting businesses since I was 15. During school, I worked part-time in a mobile phone store and learned how to fix phones. During the weekends, I started my own market stall and advertised online to fix phones, replace screens, and started to earn cash that way. During college, I scaled up this business to a physical location at the University I was attending here in Ireland. I approached the college and rented an office space from them and opened my first store!
I was terrified of running out of money and for the first 18 months, I ran the company entirely on my own. I remember one particular day where I met 18 different guests at 18 different locations across the city.
Between classes, I would work in the store and when I was in class, I hired classmates and friends to work for me. Looking back now, it was an incredibly fun time but I wish I hadn’t reinvested so much money in the college bar!
4. Start a real estate investment club ($7.2M/year)
Greg Salley from San Diego, California, USA started Equity Residences over 8 years ago, a real estate investment club.
- Revenue: $600,000/ month
- Founders: 3
- Employees: 4
- Location: San Diego, California, USA
My background is varied as an experienced investor, management executive, and consultant. I’ve worked in several industries spanning technology, automotive, media, and entertainment. However, my passions include real estate design and architecture, investing, and travel. Living in London, Paris, Nice, Sydney, and Singapore has helped me develop a global perspective.
I’ve invested in residential real estate for nearly twenty years with experience ranging from new construction, to remodels and distressed assets. After the 2008 financial crash, I began acquiring foreclosures in California and Nevada at deep discounts. Based on this success, I decided to launch an investment fund.
While researching target markets, I noted that second homes in vacation destinations were taking longer to recover from the financial crises than primary residences and could be acquired at deep discounts. Cap rates were also attractive with the right vacation rentals able to generate as much rent in one week as many long-term rentals might generate in a month. It was also an opportunity to capitalize on an emerging trend for the shared use of assets.
5. Start a moving company ($1.38M/year)
Max Maher from Chandler, Arizona, USA started Skinny Wimp Moving about 5 years ago, a moving company.
- Revenue: $115,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 40
- Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA
I didn’t exactly come up with the initial idea for this company because this is a franchise which means for me that I license out the name “Skinny Wimp Moving”. However, because it was the first franchise location I was able to be in a prime decision-making seat and guinea pig for all ideas enabling me to test out theories on marketing and customer service which have no become standard across the brand.
Put yourself out there and ask for their business. Sure be conscious that you may get rejected but don’t be afraid to ask more than once. It won’t work every time but it will work 100% more than not trying at all.
We realized people simply don’t want a moving company that sucks. So we asked ourselves what can we do to make the stressful experience of moving suck a little less and the answers we came up with and stuck to were very common sense:
6. Start a cleaning service ($7.2M/year)
Ron Holt from Birmingham, Alabama, USA started Two Maids & A Mop almost 18 years ago, a cleaning service.
- Revenue: $600,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 500
- Location: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
I can still remember my first day on the job. I had just been hired as a Chemist for a particle analysis laboratory.
The job made a lot of sense at the time. I had recently graduated college with a Biology degree, and there’s only so many careers the degree can take you. So I took the first job offer that was presented to me and proudly bragged about my $22,500 annual salary. It seemed like so much money at the time, and I just knew that I was going to climb the corporate ladder quickly.
The true secret to my success has been to simply outwork and outpassion everyone in my path, every single day for nearly twenty-five years
7. Become a landlord
Examples of a successful landlord:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a landlord:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Section 8 Bible, Vol. 1: How To Succeed In The Section 8 Housing Industry
- The Successful Landlord: How To Make Money Without Making Yourself Nuts
8. Start an online courses business ($60K/year)
Lidiya Kesarovska from The Netherlands started Let's Reach Success almost 8 years ago, a online courses business.
- Revenue: $5,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location: The Netherlands
Back in 2013, I had already discovered my passion - personal development - and had realized writing is the best way to express myself. So I combined these and started a self-improvement blog.
Starting the blog was the best decision and not giving up on it over the years (even when no traffic or money was coming in) was what helped me move forward.
It was first just a hobby and I knew nothing about blogging. Over the years, after publishing a ton of content, gaining traffic, learning about SEO, email marketing, social media, and all the ways to monetize a blog, it became a real business.
9. Start a property flipping business
Examples of a successful property flipping business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a property flipping business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Book On Flipping Houses: How To Buy, Rehab, And Resell Residential Properties
- The Book On Flipping Houses: How To Buy, Rehab, And Resell Residential Properties
10. Become a property manager
Examples of a successful property manager:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a property manager:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Property Management Business
- Rental Property Management How To Start A Property Management Business: Commercial Property Management & Residential Property Management
11. Become a real estate bird dog
Examples of a successful real estate bird dog:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate bird dog:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Crushing It In Apartments And Commercial Real Estate: How A Small Investor Can Make It Big
- A Guide To Making It In Real Estate: A Success
12. Start a real estate appraisal service
Examples of a successful real estate appraisal service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate appraisal service:
- How To Become A Licensed Residential Appraiser
- Real Estate Appraiser Salary (2019) – Real Estate Appraiser Jobs
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Invest In Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Getting Started
- How To Start A Real Estate Brokerage - On A Tight Budget
13. Become a real estate photographer
Examples of a successful real estate photographer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate photographer:
- Getting Started In Real Estate Photography
- Want To Make Fast Money In Photography?! Intro To Real Estate Photography & Videography
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Full Time Real Estate Photographer
- Business Techniques For Real Estate Photography: How To Make Money Shooting Homes
14. Start a construction company
Examples of a successful construction company:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a construction company:
- How To Start A Contracting Business And Have Success Immediately
- Starting A Construction Company - 4 Step Checklist
For further info, check out these books and products:
15. Become a real estate broker
Examples of a successful real estate broker:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate broker:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Succeed In Commercial Real Estate
- Starting & Succeeding In Real Estate: The Original New Agent's Guide
16. Become a real estate investor
Examples of a successful real estate investor:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate investor:
- How To Become A Millionaire Through Real Estate Investing (Newbies!)
- How To Get Started In Real Estate Investing: First Steps To Becoming A Real Estate Investor
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Invest In Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Getting Started
- How To Be A Real Estate Investor
17. Start a real estate marketing agency
Examples of a successful real estate marketing agency:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate marketing agency:
- How To Start A 6-Figure Real Estate Social Media Marketing Agency In 2020
- How To Start A Real Estate Social Media Marketing Agency
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Beginner Real Estate Agent: How To Start Your Career As A Residential Real Estate Agent
- How To Start A Real Estate Brokerage - On A Tight Budget
18. Start a real estate blog
Examples of a successful real estate blog:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate blog:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Invest In Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Getting Started
- How To Start A Real Estate Brokerage - On A Tight Budget
19. Become an airbnb host
Examples of a successful airbnb host:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a airbnb host:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Airbnb: Beginner's Guide To Hosting: How To Set Up And Run Your Own Airbnb Business
- Every Airbnb Host's Tax Guide
20. Start a real estate podcast
Examples of a successful real estate podcast:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate podcast:
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Podcast For Real Estate Investors
- How To Succeed As A New Real Estate Agent Within Your First 5 Years
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Invest In Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Getting Started
- Financial Freedom With Real Estate Investing
21. Start a real estate inspections business
Examples of a successful real estate inspections business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate inspections business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Real Estate Home Inspection
- How To Start A Foreclosure Cleanup Business: Property Preservation Industry
22. Start a home staging service
Examples of a successful home staging service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a home staging service:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Building A Successful Home Staging Business: Proven Strategies From The Creator Of Home Staging
- Home Staging For Profit
23. Start a home repair services business
Examples of a successful home repair services business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a home repair services business:
- How To Start A Property Maintenance Company – Doing It Successfully
- How To Start a Profitable Handyman Business
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How to Start a Home-Based Handyman Business: *Turn Your Skills Into Cash *Schedule Your Jobs *Build Word-Of-Mouth Referrals *Manage Insurance Issues ... Smart And Safe (Home-Based Business Series)
- How To Start And Run Your Own Computer Repair Business
24. Start a landscaping business ($13.2M/year)
Examples of a successful landscaping business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a landscaping business:
- How to Start a Landscaping Business RIGHT NOW with NO Startup Money
- How To GROW A Landscaping Business | How To Start Landscaping
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start & Run a Landscaping Business (Start & Run Business Series)
- Start Your Own Lawn Care or Landscaping Business
Check out all of our landscaping business case studies ➜
And for some real world inspiration, give Terry Morrill's story on creating Pacific Outdoor Living a read:
I'm Terry Morrill, the owner of Pacific Outdoor Living, Pacific Pavingstone, and creator of the AIMM System. At Pacific Outdoor Living, our main product that we sell is a complete landscape design-build project to high-end residential customers. We refer to our primary customer base as the "mass affluent". I run Pacific Outdoor living and its sister company, Pacific Pavingstone, with my two sons, Trent and Chad Morrill.
Our office, located in Sun Valley, has a staff of over 80 employees. Within the staff, we have specialized crews in demolition, landscaping, pavers, and pools. These specialized crews are experts in their field and have been trained with the highest certifications in each division.
This year, we will end up grossing around 16 million in gross sales, which is a significant increase from the years prior.
25. Become a real estate developer
Examples of a successful real estate developer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a real estate developer:
- How To Become A Real Estate Developer
- How To Become A Real Estate Developer [Everything You Need To Know]
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Making It In Real Estate: Starting Out As A Developer
- Property Development For Beginners: A Beginners Guide To Property Development

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thanks for the valuable info
great content!thank you