Real estate is one of the largest and best understood asset classes in existence. Many investors are familiar with the concept of buying, owning and letting property; it offers essential portfolio diversification through regular income, the possibility of long-term capital growth and often provides a hedge against inflation. It is also recommended that an equity-based portfolio allocate 20% of its assets to real estate. Thus investors have traditionally gained direct exposure to the real estate market through real estate investment trusts (REITs) or direct property purchases. Yet these avenues are not accessible to all investors due to high minimum capital…