Picking the right area to invest in real estate is hard enough. But add numerous unprecedented developments to the mix—a pandemic, high interest rates, and Americans fleeing to secondary cities at historical rates—and the risk of leveraging wealth to a mortgage in the wrong location feels especially greater than buying a share of a REIT investment. Here, we take a closer look at geographic risk’s impact on direct real estate investments. Why REITs Have Lower Risk Than Direct Real Estate REIT management teams often invest in hundreds of properties across various sectors and markets, ensuring that investors take on lower geographical risks and higher diversification. Additionally, REITs tend to come…