Logo
dictionary thesaurus

real estate

noun

Definition of real estate

1 : property in buildings and land
2 : space, capacity her desktop real estate the limited real estate on hard drives— Leonard Wiener
Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about real estate

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms for real estate

Synonyms

capacity, complement, cubage, volume

Visit the Thesaurus for More 

Examples of real estate in a Sentence

She works in real estate. the enormous difference in real estate between a high-definition disk and one in standard definition

Recent Examples on the Web

 That’s lower than the 7% threshold lawmakers had previously negotiated amid strong resistance from the real estate and development industries. — USA TODAY, "Cat burglar, prison bats, USS Arizona Memorial: News from around our 50 states," 4 Sep. 2019 Confined to six pages in the 185-page tax bill, the provision can significantly increase the profits investors reap on real estate and other transactions. — New York Times, "How a Trump Tax Break to Help Poor Communities Became a Windfall for the Rich," 31 Aug. 2019 That’s lower than the 7% threshold lawmakers had previously negotiated amid strong resistance from the real estate and development industries. — Washington Post, "California governor announces deal to cap rising rent prices," 31 Aug. 2019 Fidelity Charitable is an independent public charity that allows donors to contribute not just cash, but stock, real estate and other assets and provides assistance to maximize the impact of those contributions. — Dallas News, "Study: Dallas donates nearly $100 million to charity in 2018, showing 'astonishing' growth in giving," 20 Aug. 2019 Paul Allen’s holdings included a complex web of interests ranging from philanthropy to sports franchises to real estate and venture capital. — John Canzano, oregonlive.com, "John Canzano’s Top 25 most influential people in Oregon sports for 2019," 17 Aug. 2019 Suzann Beckett is an estate planning, real estate and bankruptcy lawyer. — Rebecca Lurye, Courant Community, "Hartford Democratic primary to pit Mayor Luke Bronin against challengers Eddie Perez and Brandon McGee, Jr.," 16 Aug. 2019 Meanwhile, Alphabet’s cash reserves have risen by $20 billion over the same period, despite heavy investment in real estate as the company buys up space for offices and data centers. — Jon Porter, The Verge, "Alphabet overtakes Apple to become most cash-rich company," 1 Aug. 2019 Hearing him complain reminded me of the adage that the most important factor in real estate is location. — Ramona Sentinel, "Ask Mr. Marketing: In real estate they say ...," 31 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'real estate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of real estate

circa 1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for real estate

real estate

noun

Financial Definition of real estate

What It Is

Real estate refers to land, as well as any physical property or improvements affixed to the land, including houses, buildings, landscaping, fencing, wells, etc.

How It Works

Vacant land and residential lots, plus the houses, outbuildings, decks, trees sewers and fixtures within the boundaries of the property are examples of real estate. Furniture, cars, paintings, jewelry and boats are examples of personal property rather than real estate.

There are a variety of ways to invest in real estate, ranging from real estate investment trusts (REITs) to buying rental property or multi-family housing.

For investors turned off by the idea of fixing plumbing and dealing with tenants, REITs offer the opportunity to participate directly in the ownership or financing of real estate projects. REITs are tradable interest (much like a share of stock) in a pool of real estate-related assets. REITs own, and often operate, income-producing real estate such as office buildings, apartments, shopping centers, warehouses and hotels. Many REITs specialize in one property type, such as offices, apartments or regional shopping malls.

Most investors buy REITs for their rich dividends, although those dividends are usually fully taxable. Keep in mind, though, that each real estate sector is affected by different economic cycles. Larger, diversified, or geographically dispersed REITs are less exposed to regional weakness and major economic cycles. On the other hand, smaller, more specialized REITs often provide the greatest growth potential.

Why It Matters

In addition to having real value that investors can touch, feel and understand, real estate can be an excellent diversification tool for investors. If you pay the right amount for your property, there's potential to reap steady, long-term returns as a landlord.

Portfolios containing real estate tend to outperform those without real estate over the long haul.  Investing in real estate can also offer reduced risk because the real estate market is not closely correlated with stock or bond markets.

[For information on real estate investment trusts, see our REITs definition.]

[InvestingAnswers Feature: Real Estate Investors' Top Strategies for Getting the Best Price on Rental Properties.]

Source: Investing Answers

real estate

noun

English Language Learners Definition of real estate

chiefly US
: property consisting of buildings and land
: the business of selling land and buildings

See the full definition for real estate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

real estate

noun

Kids Definition of real estate

: property consisting of buildings and land

Keep scrolling for more

real estate

noun

Legal Definition of real estate

: real property at property

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

expunge

play

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!