What is the best type of REIT to invest in?
Publicly-traded REITs tend to have better governance standards and be more transparent. They also offer the most liquid stock, meaning investors can buy and sell the REIT's stock readily — much faster, for example, than investing and selling a retail property yourself.
Publicly-traded REITs tend to have better governance standards and be more transparent. They also offer the most liquid stock, meaning investors can buy and sell the REIT's stock readily — much faster, for example, than investing and selling a retail property yourself.
- American Tower Corp. (AMT)
- Welltower Inc. (WELL)
- Public Storage (PSA)
- Crown Castle Inc. (CCI)
- Realty Income Corp. (O)
- Extra Space Storage Inc. (EXR)
- AvalonBay Communities Inc. (AVB)
- Equity Residential Properties Trust (EQR)
Company (ticker) | Dividend yield | 5-year dividend growth |
---|---|---|
National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) | 5.5% | 15.6% |
Crown Castle (CCI) | 5.5% | 8.9% |
Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT) | 5.5% | 6.5% |
CareTrust REIT (CTRE) | 5.1% | 8.3% |
To qualify as a REIT, a company must have the bulk of its assets and income connected to real estate investment and must distribute at least 90 percent of its taxable income to shareholders annually in the form of dividends.
While real estate has never been a big part of Buffett's investing strategy, Berkshire Hathaway has owned shares of STORE Capital, a REIT focused on single-tenant operational real estate.
REIT | Forward dividend yield |
---|---|
Blackstone Mortgage Trust Inc. (BXMT) | 12.1% |
KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. (KREF) | 13.5% |
Easterly Government Properties Inc. (DEA) | 8.3% |
Realty Income Corp. (O) | 5.5% |
Risks of investing in REITs include higher dividend taxes, sensitivity to interest rates, and exposure to specific property trends.
Does Warren Buffett invest in REITs? The short answer is yes. Berkshire Hathaway does allocate capital real estate ownership throughout REITs. Learn Warren Buffett REIT investments below.
The value of a REIT is based on the real estate market, so if interest rates increase and the demand for properties goes down as a result, it could lead to lower property values, negatively impacting the value of your investment.
Is 2024 a good time to buy REITs?
Analysts and talk show hosts may be bullish on REITs at the start of 2024, but it's necessary to address some drawbacks and potential downsides. Like any stock, the price of a REIT can roller coaster up and down with the market. While threats of a looming recession are fading, the market is always unpredictable.
With rate cuts on the horizon, many publicly traded REITs have rebounded, and the industry as a whole seems well-poised for a recovery in the coming year. Ultimately, the decision on whether or not to buy REITs will depend on the specific circ*mstances and risk tolerance of each investor.
Payments can be made monthly, quarterly, once every six months, or even less frequently. There are companies whose investors receive no dividends at all because not every company is a dividend-paying one. REITs (real estate investment trusts) are funds that promise their investors no less than 90% of their earnings.
“I recommend REITs within a managed portfolio,” Devine said, noting that most investors should limit their REIT exposure to between 2 percent and 5 percent of their overall portfolio. Here again, a financial professional can help you determine what percentage of your portfolio you should allocate toward REITs, if any.
According to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit), non-traded REITs typically require a minimum investment of $1,000 to $2,500.
The majority of REIT dividends are taxed as ordinary income up to the maximum rate of 37% (returning to 39.6% in 2026), plus a separate 3.8% surtax on investment income. Taxpayers may also generally deduct 20% of the combined qualified business income amount which includes Qualified REIT Dividends through Dec.
An eye-popping yield likely inspired Jeff Yass of Susquehanna to buy 1.4 million shares of AGNC in the third quarter. Yass isn't the only billionaire placing bets on this mortgage REIT. John Overdeck and David Siegel of Two Sigma Investments scooped up 1.2 million shares.
# | Name | C. |
---|---|---|
1 | Prologis 1PLD | 🇺🇸 |
2 | American Tower 2AMT | 🇺🇸 |
3 | Equinix 3EQIX | 🇺🇸 |
4 | Simon Property Group 4SPG | 🇺🇸 |
In 2023, Forbes proclaimed Buffett a billionaire due to his $180-million stake in Margaritaville, an estimated $570 million from touring and recording, $140 million in planes, homes, and shares in Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett's company — no relation, though they are close friends), and a $50 million music catalog ...
Is a Roth or traditional IRA the best choice? To be clear, retirement accounts are ideal places to hold REIT investments, as the benefits of tax-deferred investing can magnify the already tax-advantaged nature of these companies.
How to buy REITs for beginners?
As referenced earlier, you can purchase shares in a REIT that's listed on major stock exchanges. You can also buy shares in a REIT mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF). To do so, you must open a brokerage account. Or, if your workplace retirement plan offers REIT investments, you might invest with that option.
Camden Property, Prologis, and Realty Income have some of the safest dividends in the REIT industry. All three companies have top-tier financial profiles, enabling them to sustain their dividends even during tough times. They're great options for investors seeking rock-solid passive income streams.
REITs historically perform well during and after recessions | Pensions & Investments.
Any increase in the short-term interest rate eats into the profit—so if it doubled in our example above, there'd be no profit left. And if it goes up even higher, the REIT loses money. All of that makes mortgage REITs extremely volatile, and their dividends are also extremely unpredictable.
Key Points. REITs have outperformed stocks on 20-to-50-year horizons. Most REITs are less volatile than the S&P 500, with some only half as volatile as the market at large.