Legendary investor Sam Zell gained his reputation as the "Grave Dancer" in the 1970s. He spent the second half of that decade buying up distressed properties across the country. In his aptly titled article on the period, "The Grave Dancer," Zell describes how the opportunity came about.
Zell's peak grave dancing days, directly preceding the stagflationary downturn in the late '70s, are reminiscent of today. Zell talks about how the easy money periods in the late '60s, and the advent of real estate investment trusts (REITs) that funneled money into property, sewed the seeds of a crisis starting in 1973. This time around, the money was just as easy and there are even more vehicles for investing in real estate and new construction.
It's unlikely that Zell will be running around the country scooping up properties this time around, but he does still chair three REITs: Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) , Equity Lifestyle Properties (NYSE: ELS) , and Equity Commonwealth (NYSE: EQC) . The three REITs are all positioned differently for a potential recession. Let's go over each and how you should invest.
For further details see:
3 Ways to Invest in Real Estate With Sam Zell