One of the biggest benefits to investing in real estate is creating regular cash flow. You can easily generate an extra paycheck while someone else pays off your mortgage and associated expenses. Well not directly of course, but the rent you receive each month should be more than enough to cover the mortgage, insurance, property taxes and maintenance costs. If it is, then you get to pocket the rest!

But did you know some of the other benefits of investing in real estate?

• Tax free cash flow. It's no secret that because of depreciation and mortgage-interest deductions a portion of your cash flow should be tax-free. That’s a very compelling benefit!

• Leverage other people’s money. Real estate is one of the few investment vehicles where using the bank's money couldn't be easier. The ability to make a down payment, leverage your capital, and increase your overall return on investment is amazing.

• Grow wealth tax-free. Buying a rental property based on cash flow with appreciation over the long-run is great. In the future, your equity and created wealth can use tax options to reduce your tax burden such as a 1031 exchange, charitable trust, or an installment sale to lesson your tax liability.

• Make Inflation Your Friend. Rent always increases over time. Your cash flow and operating profit should rise as rents increase faster than your property expenses, especially if you take out a 30-year mortgage where your largest expense is fixed. That’s unique and a huge benefit.

All of these sound great, but the benefits of real estate investing also can be measured not only by the dollars you pocket each month (which is a great measure!) but in other ways, too. Are you feeling like, “Hey, I got this!” or are you stressed out each month? Are you able to put in the time needed when your property manager needs something? Sometimes, the benefits of investing in real estate boil down to more than just dollars.

With that said, it all depends on the investor. There are those with deep pockets but a shallow stress level. The slightest issue, such as a broken appliance or vacancy, makes them worry about their property each and every day. On the flip side there are those who don’t pocket much cash each month from their investments but truly enjoy being property owners. Maybe they are a do-it-yourself kind of owner and are used to fixing problems when they arise.

Understanding the benefits of investing in real estate beyond the monthly cash flow is not something beginning investors always think about. HowManyDoors has a free how-to article that will tell you if real estate investing is for you, If after reading it you believe you can stomach being an investor, keep clicking through the site to read the other articles that teach you the basics of real estate and how to get started. Even if you think that real estate investing might not beneficial for you, I invite you to keep clicking through the site to see how everything is laid out in clear, simple terms. There are checklists and worksheets on the member portion of the site that gives you everything you need to get started.

I won’t lie, it took some time for me to realize the benefits of investing in real estate. It wasn’t always easy but I’ve gathered up my experiences and developed HowManyDoors to take you from start to finish to realize your real estate investment dreams. Become a member here to learn what it takes to be a real estate investor.