Real estate has become a popular investment vehicle over the last 50 years or so. Here's a look at some of the leading options for individual investors, along with the reasons to invest.
A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a company that owns, and in most cases operates, income-producing real estate. REITs own many types of commercial real estate, ranging from office and apartment buildings to warehouses, hospitals, shopping centers, hotels and commercial forests. Some REITs engage in financing real estate.