
The Different Flavors of Real Estate Investing
If you've ever wondered how some people make look so simple, it’s often because they’re using tools you might not know about. One of the most common is the Real Estate Investment Trust, or REIT. Think of publicly-traded REITs as the well-known players in the game—they're listed on stock exchanges and trade just like any other stock you might be familiar with. But there are also private REITs, which are less visible but offer their own unique pros and cons. And then you have Real Estate Operating Companies, which play by a completely different set of rules.