Real estate investors come in all shapes and sizes. Some want to put their money to work in apartment buildings, others prefer something a bit more industrial, and some want to put their money in digital land. The metaverse is a virtually wide-open space to invest in right now, but just because it's wide open doesn't mean that it's empty or that the only thing you can buy there is virtual land.

In fact, metaverse real estate comes in lots of different types, too. As the metaverse starts to catch on with investors, the offerings are getting much more diverse. You don't have to buy only a lot, you can also buy an estate, which can either be a group of empty lots that are touching and bundled together, or, more interestingly, a pre-constructed structure and the land it sits on.

Estates can be really good investments, depending on your investment goals. Here are three reasons you should buy one.

A person uses a laptop to log into the metaverse.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. It's often ready to go as a turnkey operation

In real-world real estate, there's little better than a cash-flowing turnkey business. You buy the owner out, sit down in the big chair, put your feet up on the desk, and watch as your newly acquired business keeps on running pretty much the way it did the day before. Sure, you may choose to make some innovations or improve some processes, but all and all, the point of buying a turnkey business is to let it keep making money the way it did with the previous owner.

The same type of investing can be done in the metaverse. Picking up pre-made storefronts with renters, billboards that have contracts, or experiences that are raking in ticket-sale money are great ways to ensure continued success with your metaverse ventures. Just like buying any turnkey, make sure that you have a good long look at the books before making any kind of offer to purchase.

2. It's a shortcut to your digital dreams

Plenty of people invest a lot of time and energy into buying a piece of land and improving it with whatever they imagine should be there. And for them, this is both a labor of love and a purposeful act in expressing their understanding of the culture of their metaverse platform. If you're new to the metaverse or are simply there because you want to invest without really being a part of the community (no judgement), it can help to start with someone else's creations.

Not only will you save yourself the time and effort of trying to learn how to use the built-in builder software for your metaverse platform (especially important if you're buying in several platforms, as each can have different builder software), but you'll also save figuring out what kind of aesthetics make sense in that world. You'll still need to consider the property's highest and best use for the best financial outcomes, but time is actually money in this case.

3. It can save you money

Choosing an estate that's in line with your investing goals in the metaverse will save you time and get you up and running faster -- plus it can often save you money. You don't need to hire a metaverse architect or a digital designer because everything's ready to go and waiting. Troubleshooting is also not necessary; so you have the benefit of knowing the environment is already working properly.

In addition, in many cases, you can make money by choosing an estate, since you may be able to acquire multiple lots along with your structure. Keep the part you need and sell the rest off to another metaverse land buyer -- everybody wins!

Estates can be good first investments for buyers new to the metaverse

If you're looking to make an initial purchase in the metaverse with the idea of buying and holding, an estate is a really good choice. As long as you put in the research to make sure the property you've chosen will be one that's of interest to potential renters or event-goers, you'll be in possession of virtual real estate that's going to require very little input on your part.

As you get more invested in your metaverse, you may want to change the narrative a bit and create something truly unique from scratch, using that original acquisition as collateral for a metaverse mortgage or as an anchor structure for a metaverse real estate empire.

Choosing an estate over a single lot gives you a bigger stake in the metaverse platform of your choice, and it also can mean bigger returns over time with minimal additional effort.