Indeed. I find the people who complain most loudly about how easy and profitable it is to be a landlord generally have no first-hand experience on the topic.
Just talk to professional landlord about cap rates. Generally you aim for 10%+ cap rates, which are exceeding difficult to find with the exception of a few markets.
If your cap rate is less than 10%, you’re on thin margins and a new roof would probably push you into the red.
It’s definitely work and a lot of risk unless you were gifted property in a high demand urban area or vacation hotspot.
Putting your money in VOO or a bunch of FAANG stock will prob net you a lot more for a lot less work based on how the government needs to keep the equity markets appreciating.
Real estate purchased decades ago in hot spots might be easy money, but buying it these days is just for diversification of assets for me.