Real estate is all about land and anything that is permanently attached to it, such as houses, apartments, stores, and warehouses. It’s about how people buy, own, manage, rent, or sell the buildings and land. The goal? To make money or grow your investment. Here’s the catch: real estate usually takes big money, a long-term plan, and smart management skills.

Your first step? Learn the basics of traditional real estate so you can see how real estate shapes your community and how you might get involved one day.

You just learned how real estate can be a powerful way to build wealth — but also how it can take a lot of time, money, and effort. Now imagine being able to invest in real estate without buying a building, fixing leaky roofs, or finding tenants. That’s where REITs, or Real Estate Investment Trusts, come in. In this section, you’ll discover how REITs let anyone — even students like you — become part of the real estate world while earning income and making an impact.