Real Estate can be a great home based business IF you know how to find deals.
The problem with being in real estate is that right now everybody and his brother wants to get in to it. They watch shows like Flip This House and Property Ladder and just assume that any old idiot can go out there and make a ton. While you don't need to be a Harvard scholar to be successful in this business, you do need some knowledge and expertise to do this business well.