Real Estate: Definition, Types, How to Invest in It (2024)

What Is Real Estate?

Real estate is defined as the land and any permanent structures, like a home, or improvements attached to the land, whether natural or man-made.

Real estate is a form of real property. It differs from personal property, which is not permanently attached to the land, such as vehicles, boats, jewelry, furniture, and farm equipment.

Key Takeaways

  • Real estate is considered real property that includes land and anything permanently attached to it or built on it, whether natural or man-made.
  • There are five main categories of real estate which include residential, commercial, industrial, raw land, and special use.
  • Investing in real estate includes purchasing a home, rental property, or land.
  • Indirect investment in real estate can be made via REITs or through pooled real estate investment.

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Real Estate

Understanding Real Estate

The terms land, real estate, and real property are often used interchangeably, but there are distinctions.

Land refers to the earth's surface down to the center of the earth and upward to the airspace above, including the trees, minerals, and water. The physical characteristics of land include its immobility, indestructibility, and uniqueness, where each parcel of land differs geographically.

Real estate encompasses the land, plus any permanent man-made additions, such as houses and other buildings. Any additions or changes to the land that affects the property's value are called an improvement.

Once land is improved, the total capital and labor used to build the improvement represent a sizable fixed investment. Though a building can be razed, improvements like drainage, electricity, water and sewer systems tend to be permanent.

Real property includes the land and additions to the land plus the rights inherent to its ownership and usage.

Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent is a licensed professionalwho arranges real estate transactions, matching buyers and sellers and acting as their representatives in negotiations.

What Are Types of Real Estate?

Residential real estate: Any property used for residential purposes. Examples include single-family homes, condos, cooperatives, duplexes, townhouses, and multifamily residences.

Commercial real estate: Any property used exclusively for business purposes, such as apartment complexes, gas stations, grocery stores, hospitals, hotels, offices, parking facilities, restaurants, shopping centers, stores, and theaters.

Industrial real estate: Any property used for manufacturing, production, distribution, storage, and research and development.

Land: Includes undeveloped property, vacant land, and agricultural lands such as farms, orchards, ranches, and timberland.

Special purpose: Property used by the public, such as cemeteries, government buildings, libraries, parks, places of worship, and schools.

The Economics of Real Estate

Real estate is a critical driver of economic growth in the U.S., and housing starts, the number of new residential construction projects in any given month, released by the U.S. Census Bureau, is a key economic indicator. The report includes building permits, housing starts, and housing completions data, for single-family homes, homes with 2-4 units, and multifamily buildings with five or more units, such as apartment complexes

Investors and analysts keep a close eye on housing starts because the numbers can provide a general sense of economic direction. Moreover, the types of new housing starts can give clues about how the economy is developing.

If housing starts indicate fewer single-family and more multifamily starts, it could signal an impending supply shortage for single-family homes, driving up home prices. The following chart shows 20 years of housing starts, from Jan. 1, 2000, to Feb. 1, 2020.

Real Estate: Definition, Types, How to Invest in It (1)

How to Invest in Real Estate

Some of the most common ways to invest in real estate include homeownership, investment or rental properties, and house flipping. One type of real estate investor is a real estate wholesaler who contracts a home with a seller, then finds an interested party to buy it. Real estate wholesalers generally find and contract distressed properties but don't do any renovations or additions.

The earnings from investment in real estate are garnered from revenue from rent or leases, and appreciation of the real estate's value. According to ATTOM, which oversees the nation's premier property database, the year-end 2021 U.S. home sales report shows that home sellers nationwide realized a profit of $94,092, a 45.3%return on investment, up 45% from $64,931 in 2020, and up 71% from $55,000 two years ago.

Real estate is dramatically affected by its location and factors such as employment rates, the local economy, crime rates, transportation facilities, school quality, municipal services, and property taxes can affect the value of the real estate.

Pros

Cons

  • Is usually illiquid

  • Influenced by highly local factors

  • Requires big initial capital outlay

  • May require active management and expertise

Investing in real estate indirectly is done through a real estate investment trust (REIT), a company that holds a portfolio of income-producing real estate. There are several types of REITs, including equity, mortgage, and hybrid REITs, and are classified based on how their shares are bought and sold, such as publicly-traded REITs, public non-traded REITs, and private REITs.

The most popular way to invest in a REIT is to buy shares that are publicly traded on an exchange. The shares trade like any other security traded on an exchange such as stocks and makes REITs very liquid and transparent. Income from REITs is earned through dividend payments and appreciation of the shares. In addition to individual REITs, investors can trade in real estate mutual funds and real estate exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Another option for investing in real estate is via mortgage-backed securities (MBS), such as through the Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF(VMBS), made up of federal agency-backed MBS that have minimum pools of $1 billion and minimum maturity of one year. or the iShares MBS ETF (MBB) which focuses on fixed-rate mortgage securities and tracks the Bloomberg U.S. MBS Index. Its holdings include bonds issued or guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

What We Like

  • Liquidity

  • Diversification

  • Steady dividends

  • Risk-adjusted returns

What We Don't Like

  • Low growth/low capital appreciation

  • Not tax-advantaged

  • Subject to market risk

  • High fees

Mortgage lending discrimination is illegal. If you think you've been discriminated against based on race, religion, sex, marital status, use of public assistance, national origin, disability, or age, there are steps you can take. One such step is to file a report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

What Are the Best Ways to Finance a Real Estate Investment?

Real estate is commonly purchased with cash or financed with a mortgage through a private or commercial lender.

What Is Real Estate Development?

Real estate development, orproperty development, includes activities that range from renovating existingbuildingsto the purchase of rawlandand the sale ofdeveloped landor parcels to others.

What Careers are Common in the Real Estate Industry?

Common careers found in the real estate industry include leasing agent, foreclosure specialist, title examiner, home inspector, real estate appraiser, real estate agent, and mortgage broker.

Real Estate: Definition, Types, How to Invest in It (2024)

FAQs

Real Estate: Definition, Types, How to Invest in It? ›

Real estate investments can occur in four basic forms: private equity (direct ownership), publicly traded equity (indirect ownership claim), private debt (direct mortgage lending), and publicly traded debt (securitized mortgages). Many motivations exist for investing in real estate income property.

What are the 4 types of real estate investments? ›

Real estate investments can occur in four basic forms: private equity (direct ownership), publicly traded equity (indirect ownership claim), private debt (direct mortgage lending), and publicly traded debt (securitized mortgages). Many motivations exist for investing in real estate income property.

What are the 5 categories of real estate investments? ›

There are five main categories of real estate which include residential, commercial, industrial, raw land, and special use. Investing in real estate includes purchasing a home, rental property, or land. Indirect investment in real estate can be made via REITs or through pooled real estate investment.

How do you successfully invest in real estate? ›

  1. Make a Plan. Real estate investors must approach their activities as a business professional to establish and achieve short- and long-term goals. ...
  2. Know the Market. ...
  3. Be Honest. ...
  4. Develop a Niche. ...
  5. Encourage Referrals. ...
  6. Stay Educated. ...
  7. Understand the Risks. ...
  8. Invest in an Accountant.

What are at least 3 types of real estate investments? ›

Let's explore a few of the options available to you.
  • Residential Real Estate.
  • Commercial Real Estate.
  • Raw Land.
  • Real Estate Trust Investments (REITs)
  • Real Estate Crowdfunding.
Apr 21, 2023

What are the 7 types of investment? ›

Read on to know what's right for you.
  • Stocks. Stocks represent ownership or shares in a company. ...
  • Bonds. A bond is an investment where you lend money to a company, government, and other types of organization. ...
  • Mutual Funds. ...
  • Property. ...
  • Money Market Funds. ...
  • Retirement Plans. ...
  • VUL insurance plans.

What is the core 4 in real estate investing? ›

Commercial real estate is “vast” in almost every sense. That is good for investors, as it provides numerous entry points into investments and enables investors to easily diversify growing real estate portfolios. The “Core Four” in real estate are generally viewed as office, industrial, retail, and multifamily.

What are the 6 investment asset classes? ›

Equities (e.g., stocks), fixed income (e.g., bonds), cash and cash equivalents, real estate, commodities, and currencies are common examples of asset classes.

What are the 3 major types of investment styles? ›

It will be the way you divide your contributions among the three basic investment categories: stocks, bonds and stable value money market funds.

What is the 1 rule in real estate investing? ›

What Is The 1% Rule In Real Estate? The 1% rule of real estate investing measures the price of the investment property against the gross income it will generate. For a potential investment to pass the 1% rule, its monthly rent must be equal to or no less than 1% of the purchase price.

Do most millionaires invest in real estate? ›

Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world have built their wealth through real estate. In fact, it's estimated that 90% of all millionaires invest in some form of real estate. There are several reasons for this, but in today's article, we'll share seven reasons why millionaires invest in real estate.

What are 3 ways real estate investors make money? ›

Let's dive in and see how you, too, can become a lucrative real estate investor.
  • Leverage Appreciating Value. Most real estate appreciates over time. ...
  • Buy And Hold Real Estate For Rent. ...
  • Flip A House. ...
  • Purchase Turnkey Properties. ...
  • Invest In Real Estate. ...
  • Make The Most Of Inflation. ...
  • Refinance Your Mortgage.
Mar 31, 2023

What are the three C's of real estate? ›

They evaluate credit and payment history, income and assets available for a down payment and categorize their findings as the Three C's: Capacity, Credit and Collateral.

Which investment is best in real estate? ›

Commercial Real Estate

One reason commercial properties are considered one of the best types of real estate investments is the potential for higher cash flow.

How many ways can you invest in real estate? ›

REITs, RELPs, and crowdfunding are indirect ways to invest in real estate, without requiring hands-on management. More direct real estate investments include buying your own home, a rental property, or a property to fix up and flip.

What are four types of investments you should avoid? ›

8 Types of Investments You Might Want to Avoid
  • Penny stocks. ...
  • Companies whose business you don't understand. ...
  • Promises that seem too good to be true. ...
  • Buzzworthy stock making headlines. ...
  • Tips from family members or friends. ...
  • Company stock. ...
  • Cash. ...
  • Companies with changeable leadership.
Feb 16, 2023

What is the investing rule of 7? ›

Divide 72 by your average expected annual return

The answer you get is how many years it should take for your money to double. In this case, it would take you 7.2 years to double your money.

What is the rule of 7 investment? ›

In investing terms, it means that if you get a 10% return. every 7 years, you'll double your money 🤑 🤑 🤑 That's a much better return than the 1.5% you get from.

What are the levels of investment? ›

The pyramid, representing the investor's portfolio, has three distinct tiers: low-risk assets at the bottom such as cash and money markets; moderately risky assets like stocks and bonds in the middle; and high-risk speculative assets like derivatives at the top.

What are the phases of real estate investing? ›

The real estate cycle comprises four main phases: recovery, expansion, hyper supply, and recession. This implies that historically, there has never been a sustained expansion or hyper-supply period without an eventual recession, followed by recovery.

What are the four pillars of value investing? ›

The four pillars are:
  • Quality of information.
  • Consistency of earnings growth.
  • Finding opportunities around your investment style.
  • The importance of management and how to find.
Sep 12, 2022

What are the 2 major types of investing strategies? ›

INVESTMENT STYLES

There's much debate about the relative merits of active and passive — two common investing styles — which are based on very different views of how capital markets operate. You can find out more about active and passive investing in Beyond the benchmark: active or passive investment management?

What are the three 3 key elements of an investment strategy? ›

There are three key factors that determine which investment strategy is right for you.
  • Risk tolerance.
  • Expected returns.
  • Effort required to implement the strategy.

What are 3 short term investments? ›

Common examples of short-term investments include CDs, money market accounts, high-yield savings accounts, government bonds, and Treasury bills. Although short-term investments typically offer lower rates of return, they are highly liquid and give investors the flexibility to withdraw money quickly, if needed.

What are the top 5 investment classes? ›

The five most common asset classes are equities, fixed-income securities, cash, marketable commodities and real estate.

What are the 5 major assets? ›

The five main asset classes are cash and cash equivalents, fixed-income securities, stocks and equities, funds, and alt investments.

What are the 5 broad categories of assets? ›

Common types of assets include current, non-current, physical, intangible, operating, and non-operating.

What is the core investment style? ›

Core. This style tends to encompass both growth and value stocks. The core investment style is generally representative of the overall market and has no intentional style bias. One of these styles isn't better than another.

What are the four most popular types of investments? ›

Bonds, stocks, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are four basic types of investment options.

What are different investing styles? ›

There are at least eight investing styles to consider. Active, passive, growth, and value investing are four key strategies. Market capitalization, buy-and-hold, indexing, and dividend growth are four other investing styles.

What is the 50% rule in real estate? ›

Like many rules of real estate investing, the 50 percent rule isn't always accurate, but it can be a helpful way to estimate expenses for rental property. To use it, an investor takes the property's gross rent and multiplies it by 50 percent, providing the estimated monthly operating expenses. That sounds easy, right?

What is the 80% rule in real estate? ›

The 80% rule means that an insurer will only fully cover the cost of damage to a house if the owner has purchased insurance coverage equal to at least 80% of the house's total replacement value.

What is the 4 3 2 1 rule in real estate? ›

THE 4-3-2-1 APPROACH

This ratio allocates 40% of your income towards expenses, 30% towards housing, 20% towards savings and investments and 10% towards insurance.

What is best type of real estate to invest in? ›

One reason commercial properties are considered one of the best types of real estate investments is the potential for higher cash flow. Investors who opt for commercial properties may find they represent higher income potential, longer leases, and lower vacancy rates than other forms of real estate.

What are the 2 most common types of properties in real estate? ›

There are three main types of real estate properties: vacant land, residential properties, and commercial properties.

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