The term real estate generally refers to land and anything permanently attached to it – like houses, buildings or commercial units. In the UK, it's more commonly called either commercial, industrial or residential property, as 'real estate' is more commonly used internationally.
It can relate to residential homes, commercial premises, agricultural land or industrial sites – and includes both freehold ownership and leasehold interests. That means whether you own the land outright or have a right to occupy it for a set period, it still falls under the definition.
In some cases, 'real estate' can also refer to digital assets on virtual or online platforms, like websites and domains.