Real Estate BrokerOne making money in real estate option is to become a broker. Basically a broker is licensed to act as a representative between buyers and sellers of properties and the broker gets a commission on each sale. 
Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent is basically a salesperson who works under a broker. For each sale that they complete, their brokers share the commission with them. To become an agent, it is necessary to take a real estate course and test for licensure.
Real Estate Investments
Investing in real estate and holding it until the market price goes up and then selling it at a profit is one way of making money with real estate. Most real estate investors also engage in other types of making money in real estate to get income coming in over the term that they hold the property.
We could be experiencing a buying opportunity right now. Interest rates are low and prices are lower in some regions than anyone would have ever thought possible. If inflation kicks in heavy down the road, those with good investment properties might be happy they bought into this market. Only time will tell.
Landlord
Some real estate investors are landlords. They rent or lease the property for a fee. Being a landlord can be hard work because in many instances the tenants destroy part of the property and the landlord has to fix it before renting it again. They also face problems of tenants not paying rent. They incur expenses for upkeep and maintenance of the property as well as insurance costs and property taxes. Not everyone has the personality makeup to be successful as a landlord, but those that do can become wealthy. This method is certainly a tried and true way of making money in real estate.
Property Flippers
Flipping real estate is probably the most risky way to make money with real estate. There are several ways to flip a property including buying a run down property and immediately reselling it to a renovator, renovating it yourself and reselling it for a profit, buying it and reselling it as is for a profit, etc.
Flipping was hot several years back. It was fairly easy to make money, even for a novice. One has to be very savvy to make money as a flipper nowadays. If you are counting on luck and a rising tide, you will probably lose a lot of money.
In property flipping, there is also money making potential for scouts. Basically, a scout is someone who finds deals for investors and sells the information to the investors or gets paid for providing leads to properties that investors close on. Like flipping, this was a good way to make quick money a few years ago. Today, there aren't a lot of people willing to take a chance on what you find.
Contract Holders
Another type of real estate investment involves selling properties on contract and carrying the note. This is a wise option for real estate investors that intend to make money off the property for the long term. Usually, the people that buy this type of property cannot qualify for a mortgage. The owner of the property can sell the property at market price and collect down payments and interest as well. The person who buys a property on contract is responsible for home repairs, upkeep and insurance. If the buyer defaults, the owner can foreclose on the property and sell it again.
