Intelligent REIT Investing | Real Estate Investment Trusts

Interview Dr. Brad Case, Senior VP with the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts about REITs.

A real estate investment trust, or REIT, is a company that owns, operates or finances income-producing real estate. For a company to qualify as a REIT, it must meet certain regulatory guidelines. REITs often trades on major exchanges like other securities and provide investors with a liquid stake in real estate. Read more: Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

REITs are not a new financial innovation. Established by Congress in 1960 as an amendment to the Cigar Excise Tax Extension of 1960, REITs operate in a manner comparable to mutual funds as they allow for individual investors to acquire ownership in commercial real estate portfolios that receive income from properties such as apartment complexes, hospitals, office buildings, timber land, warehouses, hotels and shopping malls. Most REITs specialize in a specific real-estate sector – for example office REITs or healthcare REITs. Within this space, REITS must purchase and operate its holdings as a part of its portfolio. In most cases, REITs operate by leasing space and passing on collected rent payments to its investors in the form of dividends.

Individuals can invest in REITs either by purchasing their shares directly on an open exchange or by investing in a mutual fund that specializes in public real estate. Some REITs are SEC-registered and public, but not listed on an exchange; others are private.

Many REITs will invest specifically in one area of real estate—shopping malls, for example—or in one specific region, state or country. Others are more diversified. There are several REIT ETFs available, most of which have fairly low expense ratios. The ETF format can help investors avoid over-dependence on one company, geographical area or industry.

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