With housing prices decreasing, many self directed IRA investors have been running from real estate. It’s true that residential real estate is struggling in many parts of the country, but the fact is, real estate is still a must for any investor’s portfolio over the long term. Why? Because real estate serves as a counterweight to inflation. Investment experts agree that a portfolio should have between 5% and 20% invested in real estate that’s not a primary residence. Real estate can take the form of everything from single homes and duplexes to apartment buildings, medical offices and retail spaces. With so many real estate investment opportunities out there, your financial planner  is often the best place to start. Many financial planners offer real estate funds which offer investors another level of diversification that’s important in today’s market. There are many types of real estate investment trusts, each playing off different economic drivers – some have a sector focus, others have a broader domestic or international focus. Broad Financial’s real estate IRA fund is based on profitable multifamily apartment communities in strong submarket locations in the Southeastern United States, and this strategy has a proven track record of yielding higher than market returns.