The couple manage 15 properties and call it a 10-hour-a-month job

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As more Americans seek passive income through real estate, a growing number of investors are showing how technology and the right structure can turn full-time work into semi-automation.

Ted and Jimmy Garber manage 15 properties across Florida’s Space Coast that generate six-figure annual rental income. Between the software tools, automation, and strict buy-box standards, they say the entire portfolio puts in about 10 hours of work per month.

“Every rental needs to generate cash flow immediately and, on average, pay off our initial investment within three to six years,” Ted recently told Business Insider. The couple’s properties include commercial and residential units, all of which are self-managed without a third-party real estate company.

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Ted, who runs a digital advertising agency, oversees the day-to-day management. Jamie, an attorney, handles contracts, compliance and paperwork. Together they have built something of a hands-off operation.

“It’s as automated as can be,” Ted said. “We can operate this remotely,” he said, adding, “We spend a few weeks every summer outside the country, and we have been able to do this without a hitch for the past five years.”

Its setup relies on a network of software, including AirDNA for short-term rental data.

“AirDNA gives us cash flow models,” Ted said. “LoopNet and Crexi deliver the deals. Dropbox Sign gets them to the finish line.”

Trending: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will let you do just that Become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with a minimum investment of $100.

Garbers’ system shows how efficiency and scope can turn what was once a 24/7 job into a few hours of monthly supervision. But it also points to the fundamental appeal of real estate investing itself; Fixed income, long-term appreciation and control of your own assets.

For investors who want the same benefits without the tenants, repairs or lease renewals, A A self-directed estate IRA offers a similar level of independencebut through the lens of tax benefits.

Investors can use retirement funds to purchase income-producing properties outright (residential or commercial) while deferring or eliminating taxes on the gains. Rental income grows tax deferred, or tax free, in a Roth, and investors retain full control of the checkbook to move deals forward quickly.