There was a major sell-off in the king of commodities, crude oil, in June, with a sharp rebound in July. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose about 23% during the month, from $73 per barrel to $90 per barrel. So, anyone willing to invest in oil right now is basically engaging in speculation. Real estate might be a better bet right nowMeanwhile, a more durable trend is unfolding that might reward a modest investment. U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs), as measured by the Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ -1.51%), climbed 2.6% in July.