Owning rental property can be a fantastic investment, one that appreciates, earns you monthly income and offers some hefty tax breaks. (Sound better than weeping over the stock pages?) But it’s a tricky business. To be a successful landlord, you’ve got to: find the best properties to buy right now; keep insurance bills from going through the roof; max out the tax advantages; and avoid the tenants from you-know-where. Here’s the lay of the land.