How to Invest in Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

As we know, real estate ownership is one of the oldest forms of investment. However, the expenses and hazards may no longer suit your portfolio. REITs, or real estate investment trusts, offer benefits and drawbacks. Therefore, you should read this article to understand it clearly.

What Exactly Is a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)?

A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a firm that owns, manages, or funds real estate that generates revenue. Significantly, REITs are similar to mutual funds in that they combine the capital of several participants. This enables private investors to get profits from real estate investments without purchasing, managing, or financing properties themselves.

The Working Principles of REIT

Genuinely, Congress founded REITs as an amendment to the Cigar Excise Tax Extension in 1960. Previously, only affluent individuals and major financial intermediaries were able to purchase shares in commercial real estate portfolios. However, the provision now permits investors to do so. The examples of REIT’s properties portfolio are apartment complexes, data centers, healthcare facilities, hotels, infrastructure (fiber cables, cell towers, and energy pipelines), office buildings, retail centers, self-storage, timberland, and warehouses.

3 Types of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

1. Equity REITs

Most REITs are equity, which owns and operate real estate earning revenue. Rents are the primary source of revenue, not reselling properties.

2. Mortgage REITs

Mortgage REITs provide money to real estate owners and operators through mortgages and loans or indirectly through purchasing mortgage-backed securities. Their primary source of income is the net interest margin, which is the difference between the interest they make on home loans and the cost of funding these loans. This model makes them potentially susceptible to an increase in interest rates.

3. Hybrid REITs

These REITs employ both equity and mortgage REIT investing techniques.

How to Invest in Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

You can purchase shares of publicly listed REITs, REIT mutual funds, and REIT exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through a broker. You can purchase non-traded REIT shares through a broker or financial advisor who participates in the offering. A rising number of defined-benefit and defined-contribution investment plans contain REITs. According to Nareit, a Washington, D.C.-based REIT research business, an estimated 145 million U.S. investors own REITs directly or indirectly via their retirement savings and other investment vehicles.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Investing in REIT

REITs can play a significant role in a diversified portfolio since they can provide a high, predictable yearly income and the possibility of long-term capital growth. The 20-year total return performance of REITs has exceeded that of the S&P 500 Index, other indexes, and inflation. As with any investment, REITs offer both benefits and drawbacks.

Conclusion

To summarize, investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT) is another good choice for investors. However, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advises investors to be aware of anybody attempting to sell REITs without SEC registration. It suggests that you should check the registration of both publicly listed and non-traded REITs. You may also utilize EDGAR to analyze annual and quarterly reports and offer prospectuses for REITs. Furthermore, it is good to investigate the broker or financial counselor that suggests the REIT. Nevertheless, the SEC provides a free tool for determining if an investment practitioner is licensed and registered.

Related Articles:

• Living Trust vs Will: Which One Is the Right Fit for You?
• How to Invest Money: An Easy-to-Follow Technique
• Fixed Income: Guides, Definition, and How to Invest
• How to Start an Airbnb Business

Read more: Investing

Source: Investopedia