Three Rental Checks. $10,000 in Repairs. This Is Why I Became the Bank.
- Hananda Whittingham
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
You want passive income.
But the rental that was supposed to create freedom keeps draining your time, money, and peace of mind.

I get it—because I’m living it too.
Some things look good on paper… until real life kicks in.
I own rentals. One of them made sense for personal reasons. But the most recent one? It reminded me, loud and clear, that rental income is often anything but passive.
Here’s how the first three months went:
Month 1: Rent check arrives—great! The very next day, the AC goes out.
Month 2: Another rent check clears—followed by German roaches. That wasn’t a $60 spray—it was a $500 professional extermination.
Month 3: Rent arrives—then the message: “Hey, I think there’s mold.”
Three rent checks in, and I was already $10,000 in the red.

That money doesn’t come back. There’s no refund on broken air conditioners and pest control.
This is the part of real estate investing most people don’t talk about:
The work.
The unpredictability.
The feeling of holding your breath, hoping nothing else breaks.
That’s why—alongside real estate—I also invest in mortgage notes.
When I buy the debt instead of the property, I’m not the landlord.
I’m the bank.
That means:
No midnight maintenance calls
No navigating insurance claims
No emergency repair bills
Just monthly income, backed by real estate, without the weight of owning the property.
If you’ve bought into the rental dream and now you're wondering if you missed something—don’t beat yourself up.
The rules have changed.
The numbers don’t always work.
You’re not alone in rethinking your strategy.
And if you’ve never invested in a note before? That’s exactly why I created Guided Growth.
Through Guided Growth, I walk women through their first investments step by step—breaking down what to look for, how to structure the deal, and how to build confidence in a strategy that actually feels passive.
I’ve bought multiple notes myself and have helped others move from nervous first-timers to proud owners collecting monthly cash flow—without the stress of managing a property.
Guided Growth is for women who want real estate-backed income—without being on-call for repairs.
📩 Ready to explore a better fit than your next rental?
or
Comment with the word GROWTH , and I’ll send you the details.
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