Have you ever thought about owning a rental property but resisted? Or perhaps you already own rental properties but you don’t have the time to expand your holdings.

Owning real estate is something many of us think about, sometimes quite often, but for whatever reason don’t act upon. We all know that historically real estate produces stable, predictable growth with steady cash flow. Yet most of us just talk about it and never actually get into it.

Owning property traditionally involves not just owning but also managing the asset. Managing involves dealing with resident issues, both day and night when emergencies arise. Then there’s the maintenance factors and upkeep of the property. It’s enough to scare off most investors who want into the market.

If this sounds like you, then keep reading.

There’s an easy answer to this problem that will enable you to enjoy all the benefits of real estate without the headaches of becoming a landlord. Take the hassles out of owning rental property by enjoying the comforts of investing in rental properties. Let me introduce you to Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).

REITs offer investors a completely different real estate ownership option. A REIT, in its simplest form, is a pool of investors that use their money to buy real estate. Instead of buying a piece of real estate on your own, you pool your money with other like minded investors and buy properties as a group.

Each REIT will have a stated investment objective, management structure and investment structure much like any other investment you may be looking at. Looking closely, you will learn what the REIT is investing in and what the overall asset mix is. For example, many REITs invest in apartment buildings, office, retail, commercial, hotel or industrial space. Most will invest predominately in one type and mix in a little of the other types to add some balance to the portfolio.