Kartik Kapoor doesn’t own real estate. He doesn’t have investors. He didn’t inherit wealth. Yet, at 27, he operates 11 rental properties across NCR, generating over ₹14 lakhs in monthly revenue.
Welcome to rental arbitrage. A business model most Indians have never heard of. But for Kartik, it wasn’t a discovery. It was an obsession waiting to happen.
Small Town Roots, Corporate Disillusionment
Kartik grew up in a small town in Uttar Pradesh. Middle-class family. Traditional expectations. He completed his MBA, landed a corporate job paying ₹80,000 monthly, and checked every box society handed him.
But the boxes felt like cages.
“I have ADHD,” Kartik shares openly. “My brain was never designed for 9-to-6. Sitting through endless meetings, pretending to care about KPIs I didn’t believe in, it was slowly killing me. I wasn’t lazy. I wasn’t broken. I was just playing the wrong game.”
An Idea That Never Left
Unlike most entrepreneurs who stumble upon their business model by accident, Kartik had been circling this idea for years.
“I’d stayed at Airbnbs as a guest multiple times. Every single time, the same thought hit me – someone is making serious money from this. Not the property owner. But the person running this listing. That model always intrigued me.”
Around February-March 2024, the simmering turned into action. By June, he was done thinking.
₹2 Lakhs and a Leap of Faith
June 2024. Kartik transferred his entire savings, ₹2 lakhs – toward his first property. A studio apartment in Noida.
Rent: ₹50,000.
Minimal furnishing. Professional photos. Listed on Airbnb.
First month revenue: ₹1.1 lakhs. Profit: ₹47,000.
“One apartment — that I don’t even own, had just made more than half my corporate salary. That moment changed something in me.”
Within three months, he resigned. Within six months, six properties. Today – eleven.
The Man Behind The Numbers
“Eighteen months ago, I dreaded Sunday nights. Felt sick on Monday mornings. I wasn’t living. I was surviving till weekends.”
Today looks different.
“I wake up without alarms. Bookings came in while I slept. Done before breakfast. The rest is mine.”
He pauses. “Freedom isn’t being rich. Freedom is owning your time.”
A New Chapter: Content Creation
In March 2025, Kartik made another leap. He started sharing his journey on Instagram.
“I had no strategy. No fancy equipment. Just my phone and my story. I thought maybe a few people would relate.”
A few turned into thousands. Then tens of thousands.
Ten months later, Kartik has built a community of 75,000 followers. People message him daily, some seeking guidance, some just wanting to say his content gave them hope.
“I never planned to be a creator. I just started talking about what I knew. What I lived. God has been more than kind to me.”
Beyond Properties: Finding Purpose
Today, through Instagram and consultations, Kartik guides aspiring entrepreneurs.
“I get messages from people stuck in jobs they hate. Waiting for the right time. I was that person. The permission never comes. You have to give it to yourself.”
Last month, someone messaged him. Quit their job after watching his content. Made ₹52,000 in month one.
“That message meant more than any booking notification ever has.”
The Bigger Picture
“I’m not special. I didn’t have more money, time, or connections. I just started before I was ready.”
He pauses.
“The ₹2 lakhs didn’t change my life. The decision to move did.”
