[jokethrowaway]

Real estate is an option. Buy a house, fix it up, rent it (most likely short term to avoid tenants squatting your house and being protected by the police), sell it. Repeat.

If you start a business pick a place where economic prospects look good and the government won't ruin you or kill your market. Eg. I wouldn't start anything in any high tax country in Europe or California

[tacostakohashi]

I've done a few flips, and I've found it to be a very satisfying "opposite" of tech work.

All very practical, solving real problems, tangible, working with interesting tradespeople, attorneys, surveyors. There are a few interesting technical aspect to geek out on with legal stuff, codes, heating, plumbing etc.

It's hugely satisfying seeing results of your work, and keeping the rewards, and at the end of the day the sale price or rent speaks for itself. In tech, everything is a matter of opinion, there is so much nonsense about agile and frameworks and tabs vs spaces and whatever else, and at the end of the day the company/shareholders reap the benefits, not you.

[klntsky]

Pro tip: do it in a sane country where occupation is impossible.

[dinkumthinkum]

There are also states in the US where this nonsense is not a thing.

[gndk]

Could you elaborate? I'm from Europe and did some brief research as this is a new topic for me and it seems all states have squatters rights. Are you referring to those that have the longest time until adverse possession? Easiest eviction? Gun laws to deal with it yourself?

[dinkumthinkum]

If you go to a red state, you are very unlikely to face this problem. Now, if you go to Washington, California, New York, etc, it is scary out there!

[Cloudef]

Considering the values of OP, I think real estate is not a business he wants to enter in, though I think flipping (of rundown houses) is still on the moral good side.