WHAT IS A REIT?

What Is a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)?

A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is a company that owns—and often manages—income-generating property such as office buildings, apartment blocks, warehouses, shopping malls, hotels, hospitals, and even timberland. These companies are known as REITs (pronounced “reets”), and they allow everyday investors to earn a share of the income produced by commercial property — without having to buy or manage the real estate themselves.

Most REIT companies are listed on major stock exchanges, including those in London, New York, and Sydney, making them easy to buy and sell like any other share. This has made REIT investing a popular choice for investors looking to build long-term wealth through property without the usual costs or responsibilities.

How Do REITs Work?

To qualify as a REIT, a company must meet specific legal and financial requirements. One of the key features is that a REIT is allowed to deduct dividends paid to its shareholders from its corporate income tax. This means that instead of paying tax at both the corporate and individual level, most REIT property income is passed directly to investors.

In fact, many REITs distribute up to 100% of their taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends. Investors then pay tax on those dividends and any capital gains when selling their shares. It’s important to note, however, that unlike partnerships, REITs do not allow investors to claim tax losses against their personal income.

Why Consider REIT Investing?

If you're looking for a way to invest in property without buying real estate directly, REITs may offer a compelling alternative. They're especially useful for:

  • Investors seeking passive income through dividends
  • Those wanting exposure to property markets without the hassle of being a landlord
  • Anyone exploring how to invest in REITs as part of a diversified portfolio

WHY WERE REITs
CREATED?

US Congress created REITs in 1960 to make investments in large-scale, income-producing real estate accessible to average investors. Congress decided that a way for average investors to invest in large-scale commercial properties was the same way they invest in other industries — through the purchase of equity.

In the same way shareholders benefit by owning stocks of other corporations, the stockholders of a REIT earn a pro-rata share of the economic benefits that are derived from the production of income through commercial real estate ownership. REITs offer distinct advantages for investors: portfolio diversification, strong and reliable dividends, liquidity, solid long-term performance and transparency.

WHAT QUALIFIES A
COMPANY AS A REIT?

To qualify for a REIT, a company has to:

  • Distribute at least 90% of the company’s taxable income to its investors.
  • Have no more than 50% of shares held by less than five shareholders during the last half of each taxable year.
  • Have at least 75% of assets allocated to real estate.
  • Have at least 75% of gross income from rents or mortgages.
  • Have no more than 25% invested in taxable REIT subsidiaries.

HOW MANY TYPES
OF REITs ARE THERE?

There are three types of REITs, namely equity, mortgage and hybrid REITs.

Equity REITs mostly own and manage income-producing properties and operate them as part of their own portfolio. They engage in a number of real estate activities, including leasing, maintenance and development of real property and tenant services. Their revenues come principally from rentals generated by their properties.

Mortgage REITs loan money for mortgages to real estate owners, or buy existing mortgages or mortgage-backed securities. They generate revenues through the interest earned on mortgage loans and for the most part, extend mortgage credit on existing properties only.

Hybrid REITs as the name suggests, are a combination of both equity and mortgage REITs and invest in both properties and mortgages.

WHAT ARE THE
BENEFITS OF REITs?

REITs offer investors the following significant benefits:

  • Competitive long-term rates of return
  • Significantly higher dividends on average than other equities
  • Liquidity – REITs are traded on the major stock exchanges
  • Monitoring by independent directors, analysts and auditors, and the business and financial media
  • Management by skilled real estate experts
  • Portfolio diversification
  • Regulation

HOW MANY REIT
SECTORS EXIST?

There are currently 28 US REIT sectors and sub-sectors. Most REITs specialise in a single property sector, with diversified REITs investing in more than one. While some invest nationally or globally, others specialise in just one region.

US REIT Sectors:

  • Regional Malls
  • Shopping Centres
  • Free Standing Malls
  • Traditional Office
  • Life Science Office
  • Co-working Office
  • Industrial
  • Logistics
  • Cold Storage
  • Student Accommodation
  • Net Lease
  • Data Centres
  • Self-storage
  • Infrastructure
  • Timber
  • Towers
  • Healthcare
  • Lodging/Hotels
  • Diversified
  • Single-Family
  • Multi-Family
  • Manufactured Homes
  • Farmland
  • Prison
  • Gaming/Casino

WHAT TYPES OF
PROPERTIES DO REITs
OWN AND MANAGE?

REITs own and manage a variety of property types: shopping centers, health care facilities, apartments, warehouses, office buildings, hotels and others. Most REITs specialise in one property type only, such as shopping malls, timberlands, data centers or self-storage facilities.

Some REITs invest throughout the country or in some cases, throughout the world. Others specialise in one region only, or even in a single metropolitan area.