The use of real estate as an asset class

 In some Indian communities, where the family lives in one city and does not plan to move out (like mine - Punjabi trading class), real estate is used as a long term investment for future goals. 

For instance: 

This house is for that daughter. 

This shop is for the younger son. 

This house we will reverse mortgage when we are old. 

This house is for contingencies like loss in business, partner fraud, etc. 

So, one invests in home/small business loans and picks up residential / commercial property in a neighbourhood one knows well at a young age, and sells them when they are 50 or something, linked to specific goals. But the children know while growing up that this property is earmarked for them. 

This does not work so well for families that migrate or families that don't know the lay of the land so well.