If you are looking to profit from the real estate market these days, don't let a slow market scare you away from the potential to earn a bit of extra money and seriously increase your cash flow. There are ways around a slow market that will allow you to earn an income, even while the home sales in your area are low.

One of the best ways to make real money in real estate is to buy and fix distressed properties, or to "rescue" foreclosed properties from auction. Buying houses at such a discounted price means that you can fix them up and sell them under the market average and still make a tidy profit in the mix.

If you are not a handyman, and don't want to learn, you can still hire out the work on these properties, but be prepared for a slimmer profit margin. Focus on the less expensive but more valuable repairs, and never over improve a property. Pay attention to the condition of the houses in the area, basically you do not want the nicest or the ugliest house on the block. Fix your house up somewhere in between and you will have yourself a saleable home that will bring a nice profit.

If you are looking for more than a quick fix of income, consider keeping the property on as a rental property or lease it out to tenants. This can keep the cash flowing your way for years to come, and if you find yourself reliable tenants, the income could be steady for decades to come. If your tenants moves, you may typically only need to touch up the house to re-rent it.

The question is if you can make money in a strong or hot market, wouldn't you be able to make money in a cold market? In a hot market, property is scarce and finding a "deal" on a property just becomes that much more difficult. Let's face it, in a cold market there are more houses on the market than the demand. This creates a great opportunity to acquiring wholesale properties. The truth is investing in real estate can net you large profits no matter what type of market were in. Just play your cards right, invest in one property that can soon become two then three, and before you know it you will be able to live on your real estate income alone.