Sure, buying real estate can be a costly affair. But it doesn’t have to be. In fact, you can do it directly from your smartphone—and that’s without ever managing a property, a mortgage or dealing with a dirty tenant. Check it out.

5 Ways to Invest in Real Estate Without Owning Property

REITs: REITs are publicly-traded companies that own, operate, and develop real estate.
Real Estate Crowdfunding: A relatively new way to invest in real estate, crowdfunding refers to when you buy a piece of a larger portfolio and as it grows, so does your share.
Tax Liens: When a property has unpaid taxes, a lien is issued and a tax lien certificate is created by the municipality that reflects the amount owed, plus interest and penalties. The investor willing to accept the lowest rate of interest or pay the highest premium will be awarded the lien.
Real Estate Mutual Funds: Mutual funds own shares of multiple stocks, offering access to a pool of different REITs. By owning a piece of a mutual fund, you now own a piece of multiple REITs.
REIT EFTs: A REIT EFT invests in several property-owning real estate companies at once, mitigating risk.

What’s your favorite non-property-owning method of investing in real estate?

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Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.