Real estate investment includes the buying, holding, management, occupancy, improvement and/or resale of real estate as a part of an overall real estate investment plan. Other types of real estate investment strategies are real estate speculation, business opportunities related to real estate investment, land and property investment, residential real estate investment, commercial real estate investment, foreclosure properties, residential real estate investment, commercial real estate investment, alternative investments, land trust investment, land speculation and sales and rental properties, and tax lien investing. For investors who do not wish to have all the research and analysis that is required before buying real estate can make good use of real estate investment trusts (REITs). An example of such a trust would be a partnership agreement between two or more investors where each investor would invest a predetermined portion of the funds into a real estate investment trust.
The scope of real estate investment properties can cross boundaries and jurisdictions. Some areas are more promising than others depending on what type of neighborhood the properties are in. Areas like single family neighborhoods offer lower but steady income homes. Middle to upper class neighborhoods on the other hand offer higher but more fluctuating income. Condos in middle and upper class areas command higher prices. There are also neighborhoods that combine the two such as middle to upper class apartments with some form of middle class commercial property and high end residential neighborhoods.
The demand for and success in real estate investment properties depend on the state of the real estate market. On one hand, the job market may not be doing so well in certain areas that would mean people moving out and finding another place to live. On the other hand, the job market may be very strong in some neighborhoods that would mean people buying their own homes rather than renting. When investing, one should keep tabs on local news sources and any announcements made by local officials so as to stay apprised of current trends in the areas where they plan to invest.