Private investors have populated their investment portfolios with stocks and bonds since the time that private investment began. These are asset classes investors understand, and they are easily accessed. But in today’s investment climate, concentrating on just two asset classes might not diversify a portfolio enough to withstand future economic shocks. Hence, alternatives, such as real assets, including infrastructure, are attracting greater attention from investors and advisers alike.

Real assets are not new, but some sectors have been more accessible and attractive than others. Real estate, for example, has attracted so much interest that many would argue that it is no longer an alternative, but a true mainstream investment. Commodities are also finding their way into more adventuresome portfolios. As food and construction prices continue to rise, agriculture and timber investments begin to look interesting.

Even infrastructure, one of the more difficult subsector