By Frank Lucci (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Sep 27, 2013 04:58 PM EDT

Money is very important in the world of Grand Theft Auto 5, and players are encouraged to find any and all ways to get extra cash in the game. While players can gain plenty of cash from illegal activities, they can also find legal ways to make money and amass huge profits without having to get their hands dirty. One such method involves gamers using real estate to their advantage, and receiving added bonuses beyond just some extra cash.

Players are able to buy properties quite easily in GTA 5. Users simply look for a reality sign while wandering about town, and if they want to buy the property, they can go up to the sign and pay right there.

When buying a property, users will have to deal with both short and long-term return on investment. Some buildings will have good short-term return of investment, which will determine how long a business takes to become profitable. It will take several in-game weeks for every property to become profitable, and some will take longer than others. Long-term return on investment will determine how much money the property will ultimately give the player, which varies just as much as the short-term return of investment. Investing in the right property can give a player millions over the course of the game, so players must choose wisely.

Some properties will require users to fulfill missions to gain profits or complete maintenance requirements. For example, if players buy the Sonar Collection Dock they will get missions to retrieve lost barrels, which will give players $23,000 per barrel. Completing maintenance missions will ultimately improve how much money each property will give players over time, so they are worth completing whenever they come up.

Special properties will give player additional bonuses besides cash. For example, if Franklin purchases the Downtown Cab Company, he will never have to spend money for cab fare, in addition to getting profits from the company. Buying Los Santos Customs allows players to customize Franklin's cars free-of-charge. Buying an airfield or hanger will give players extra missions so they can get even more cash on top of the money they get from simply owning the property. Players can also sabotage rival businesses and use their properties for illegal activities to further boost their profits both from return of investment rates and playing the stock market.

Look out for more Grand Theft Auto 5 strategies right here as the online mode for the game becomes available Oct. 1.