I’ve been both a tenant (in a large apartment complex and with single home owners) and I was a reluctant landlord myself in 2008 when the housing bubble popped because I couldn’t get full value for my home. Trust me when I say I didn’t not live off the rental income, which was something like $200/month. After maintenance expenses, I sold the home and only broke even on my mortgage. My current landlord has a full time job and kept this house after a divorce, he’s barely making anything extra per month, but i think was hoping property values would go up so he could refinance or sell, but he just learned there is a $10K issue that will need to be repaired and he can’t do it with no extra money. I would guess most people who rent out a single home, aren’t raking it in either.