7 Types of CRE You Might Not Know You Can Invest In

When you think of real estate investing, you might imagine things like residential rental properties, offices, stores, and warehouses. But real estate actually offers several avenues of investing that you may not be aware of if you haven't thoroughly explored your options. Let's check out a few of the less obvious real estate investing options and see if any pique your interest.

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We love to tell you all about the latest investing trends so that you can decide whether they might make sense for your portfolio. First constructed in the 1830s, billboards clearly don't qualify as a hot new trend. But in this case, old doesn't mean outdated. With their U.S. market value projected to hit over $52 billion by 2027, billboards don't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Outfront Media and Lamar Advertising are the two real estate investment trusts (REITs) investing in this space and may be worth checking out.

ALSO READ: Why Metaverse Billboards Could Be Big Business in 2022

Dating back to the 1600s, casinos are even less of a new trend than billboards. But from last year through 2025, they're projected to grow by over $11 billion.

A night at a casino can be an exciting, nostalgic experience, which is exactly the kind of thing many people were missing during the height of the pandemic. And it looks like these experiential properties can expect to see continued growth going forward.

And speaking of experiential properties, amusement parks are another type that many real estate investors never think of. But now may be a great time to start.

Like casinos, they're heating up as the pandemic wanes. And many amusement parks have built-in customer bases that come back year after year. If you're looking to add some fun to your portfolio, experiential REITs that hold amusement parks could be worth a look.

ALSO READ: 2 Real Estate Stocks to Buy for a Travel Boom

Iconic landmarks are another less common type of real estate to invest in and another example of real estate that's getting a lot of attention as people become more comfortable traveling again.

Immortalized in countless films and television series, The Empire State Building in New York is a cultural icon that happens to be owned by a REIT. And the same goes for Hong Kong's absolutely massive tourist attraction and business center, International Commerce Center.

Museums are a lovely way to spend the day, taking in the culture and art in your own city or while at a travel destination. Touring these buildings is often the closest we'll ever get to eras, people, and cultures otherwise long gone. They're important institutions of art and history, and they're increasingly being purchased by REITs.

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You might think of medical marijuana as strictly a traditional stock investing opportunity. But it all has to be grown somewhere, and cannabis REITs lease out real estate for growing medical marijuana. It's a growing sector as an increasing number of states legalize medical marijuana, and sales continue to rise.

ALSO READ: 7 Reasons Why You Should Be Investing in Cannabis REITs

Most people probably think of buildings when they think about real estate, but land can be a powerful real estate investment all on its own.

From buying and holding to developing or leasing to farmers, there are several ways to make money with land yourself. And if you don't want to take on that big of an investment on your own, or it's just not in your budget, you could instead invest in timberland or farmland through REITs.

Whether experiential properties sound like a fun addition to your portfolio or you like the idea of being invested in the growth of food, medical marijuana, or timber, real estate offers a wide variety of options for you to explore.

Do a deeper dive into any that catch your interest and see how they align with your investing goals and values. Your next real estate venture just might be a solid investment and an interesting conversation starter, too.

Nell McPherson has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Outfront Media. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.