It’s easy to see why the idea of passive income is so seductive. After all, who can resist the allure of earning lots of money without lots of work? While the Internet is chock full of passive income ideas (think writing and selling e-books online and affiliate marketing), income investing is still the only truly passive option that lets you earn money effortlessly. Just invest, sit back, and watch your dividends roll in.

At its core, income investing is simply investing in assets that can generate a regular stream of income. Anyone can invest for income, and once your income stream grows large enough, financial freedom becomes a choice, not a dream. Assuming monthly expenses of about $2,000 a month, you can technically retire if your annual passive income exceeds $24,000.

A well-constructed portfolio of real estate investment trusts (REITs) is one simple way of building