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With elevated home prices these days, buying a house can be a significant challenge. But for “Rich Dad Poor Dad” author Robert Kiyosaki, it’s a breeze.
During an interview with personal finance YouTuber Sharan Hegde, Kiyosaki stated, “I own 15,000 houses.”
The median house price in the U.S. was $410,800 in Q2 of 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Hegde asked if Kiyosaki rents out these houses to collect income, to which Kiyosaki simply responded, “Yeah.”
The famed author elaborated on the topic of purchasing a house, explaining,
“Nothing wrong with buying a house. The difference is, I use debt to buy it, and I pay no taxes. It’s not the house, it’s not the stock, it’s not the bond, it’s not the ETF. It’s your brains.”
Kiyosaki is referring to a strategy often employed by real estate investors. They often use borrowed money (debt) to finance their purchases. This allows them to acquire more assets than they could with their own money alone. Mortgage interest from these loans can be deducted from taxable income, lowering their overall tax burden.
In addition, investors can claim expense deductions for property taxes, property insurance, and costs associated with managing and maintaining the property, such as repairs, maintenance, and property management fees.
By leveraging debt and taking advantage of tax deductions, real estate investors can boost their returns while minimizing taxes.
If this is an approach you want to take, it should be done with caution — and hiring a financial advisor is a smart approach.
Advisor.com can quickly match you with an advisor who can guide you through your options. The platform’s advisors are fiduciaries, meaning they are legally obligated to act in your best interest.
Just answer a few questions about your investment timeline and your goals, and Advisor.com will match you with a reputable financial advisor.
Book a free, no-obligation call today to see if they’re the right fit for your needs.
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Kiyosaki distinguishes between income-generating properties and a primary residence, emphasizing they serve different financial purposes.
“Your house is not an asset,” Kiyosaki said.
According to Kiyosaki, there’s an easy way to determine if something is an asset.
“What is the definition of the word? If it puts money in my pocket, it’s an asset. If my house is taking money from my pocket, it’s a liability,” he explained.
By this definition, a primary residence is not an asset. Most homeowners face mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance and maintenance costs, which take money out of their pockets.
If you want to use real estate to generate income, you can still benefit from home ownership without buying a house. New investing platforms are making it easier than ever to tap into the real estate market.
For accredited investors, Homeshares gives access to the $36 trillion U.S. home equity market, which has historically been the exclusive playground of institutional investors.
With a minimum investment of $25,000, investors can gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund — without the headaches of buying, owning or managing property.
With risk-adjusted internal returns ranging from 14% to 17%, this approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in owner-occupied residential properties across regional markets.
If you’re not an accredited investor, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allows you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100.
Arrived offers you access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals, curated and vetted for their appreciation and income potential.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level. Their flexible investment amounts and simplified process allows accredited and non-accredited investors to take advantage of this inflation-hedging asset class without any extra work on your part.
Of course, you can invest in income-producing real estate assets. After all, in an era where passive income has become a big buzzword, one of the most popular ways to create a passive income stream is through real estate — at least in theory.
The good news? These days, you can invest in real estate without becoming a landlord. For instance, necessity-based commercial real estate are properties that serve an essential function – like health-care facilities or grocery stores – making these properties in demand because they are always in need regardless of economic conditions.
Mogul is a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 A.M. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10 to 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
Every investment is secured by real assets, not dependent on the platform’s viability. Each property is held in a standalone Propco LLC, so investors own the property — not the platform. Blockchain-based fractionalization adds a layer of safety, ensuring a permanent, verifiable record of each stake.
Getting started is a quick and easy process. You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
