 TITLE: How to Start Investing in Real Estate CONTENT: The Different Types of Real Estate Investments\n----------------------------------------------\nDepending on your goals, how much you have to invest and how hands-on you want to be with your portfolio, there are several different types of real estate investments from which you can choose:\n*   **Residential real estate**: With this option, you can buy any type of residential property and make money by collecting rent from tenants. You can also opt to sell the property down the road to get the equity you've built up over time. Another form of residential real estate is fixing-and-flipping. With this approach, you purchase properties in poor condition at a steep discount, spend money to fix them up, then sell them for a profit—all typically within a year.\n*   **Commercial real estate**: This option is similar to residential real estate but involves buying buildings that house one or more businesses. As a landlord, you'll collect rent from the tenants as they operate their businesses.\n*   **Raw land**: Investors with a lot of capital may choose to invest in raw land, or empty lots where they or someone else may want to build residential or commercial properties in the future.\n*   **Real estate investment trusts**: Called REITs for short, these publicly traded companies own real estate portfolios, and you can purchase stock in them. REITs must return 90% of their taxable income to shareholders each year, so they can be a great way to earn dividend income. They also allow you to take advantage of the benefits of real estate investing without actually owning any property.\n*   **Crowdfunding platforms**: These investment platforms allow investors to invest in real estate properties in a way that's usually reserved for wealthy individuals. You essentially pool your money with investors around the world to purchase real estate, then earn a return based on your investment. END