Want to invest in real estate? Has the recent crisis put you off? Don’t worry, the sector is still swinging. Real estate will always be in demand, and now there are more ways than one to make it pay.

Your elders always drilled it into you that you’ve got it made when you can buy or build your own home. This is one injunction kids all over the world are given, regardless of culture. The solidity that a piece of land gives is a great comfort. Despite the jitters the market gave you after the ‘sub-prime contagion,’ real estate is still hot. All the world’s a village now, and if you would rather avoid U.S. real estate for whatever reason, invest in international real estate, by all means. Do it through real estate stocks.The first way to do this is invest in property development companies. These guys issue IPOs, and then are traded on the secondary market. You can pick them up from either place.The second way is through Exchange Traded Funds or ETFs.If your country has recognized real estate investment trusts (REITs), these are safer than either of the previous two options. Real estate stocks are not exactly property, but give you market beating returns that are real enough. Do you agree? What have you invested in?