probably over half the people in NZ live somewhere where it doesnt really get that cold ever.

I never wanted to be a landlord. You are only going to make good income if you deal with the tenants yourself, and do many of the maintenance fixes yourself. Ugh, on both counts. For me. (N.B. I'm not dissing property ownership)
But it does only become passive income when you farm it out to RE management company - and they take a good chunk. Which means a larger portfolio is necessary to sustain income.

Still most or many (I reckon) landlords are in it for capital gains which is why NZ tenants get a raw deal coz there is a lot of turnover by the landlords to cash up.