I’ve been a landlord since I was 28, and there are 4 reasons I think it’s a smart investment for anyone

Ex-Google exec Cami Galles saved every bonus and bit of money that came her way until she could afford to buy a three-unit rental property.

There are tax benefits, and paying my mortgage on time is great for my credit. Photo: Tom Penpark/Getty Images

By Cami Galles

At 28, I made a life-changing decision. After years of squirreling away bonuses, commissions, and any cold hard cash I could get my mitts on, I was finally in possession of a savings account that I could put to good use. Exactly what use, though, was the real question.

While it was certainly tempting to follow in my friends’ footsteps and invest in handbags and honeymoons, I knew I had bigger financial fish to fry. Having lived the daily grind as an advertising executive in New York City, I wanted a passive income stream that would give me freedom from the 9–5 world.

The author, Cami Galles. Photo: Courtesy Cami Galles

The benefits of real estate crystallized, and in 2014, I put my hard-earned cash towards a three-unit building in Chicago. There’s a plethora of reasons why this was hands-down the best decision of my 20s, and why I think real estate is a smart investing decision.

1. I owned an asset…