36% of Americans think real estate is the best long-term investment. Here's the easiest way to get started

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Some Americans believe real estate is the best long-term investment. If you are among them, real estate investment trusts, or REITs, might be the easiest way to tap the market. About 36% of surveyed Americans ranked real estate as the top long-term investment, more than cited stocks or mutual funds (22%), gold (18%) and savings accounts or certificates of deposits (13%), according to a recent survey by Gallup, a global analytics and advisory firm. Fewer of the surveyed adults believe bonds and cryptocurrency are good investments for the long haul, at 4% and 3%, respectively, the report found. The firm polled 1,001 U.S. adults through telephone interviews from April 1-22. More from Personal Finance: 5 ways to maximize your vacation days Average 401(k) savings rates recently hit a record Here's what's wrong with TikTok's viral money hacks For those people who see long-term investment potential in real estate, REITs can be a great way to start as they have a "low barrier to entry," said Stacy Francis, a certified financial planner and president and CEO of Francis Financial in New York City. An REIT is a publicly traded company that invests in different types of income-producing residential or commercial real estate. In many cases, you can buy shares of publicly traded REITs like you would a stock, or shares of a REIT mutual fund or exchange-traded fund. REIT investors typically make money through dividend payments. Some, "you can invest in for as little as $25," said Francis, a CNBC Financial Advisor Council member.