How many REITs should I invest in?
The optimal percentage of your portfolio to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) depends on your individual circ*mstances, including your risk tolerance, investment goals, and time horizon. However, most financial advisors recommend that investors allocate between 2% and 15% of their portfolios to REITs.
Invest at least 75% of its total assets in real estate. Derive at least 75% of its gross income from rents from real property, interest on mortgages financing real property or from sales of real estate. Pay at least 90% of its taxable income in the form of shareholder dividends each year.
Payout ratio
Be sure you're comparing the dividend to FFO, not to a REIT's net income. REITs tend to have higher-than-average payout ratios, and 70–80% of FFO is common. But if this percentage is too close to (or higher than) 100%, a dividend cut could be on the horizon.
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.
| REIT stock | Forward dividend yield |
|---|---|
| Realty Income Corp. (O) | 5.9% |
| Extra Space Storage Inc. (EXR) | 4.5% |
| AvalonBay Communities Inc. (AVB) | 3.8% |
| Equity Residential Properties Trust (EQR) | 4.4% |
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.
A REIT may incur indebtedness for a variety of purposes, including to smooth out cash flow, as a bridge to an additional capital raise, and/or to leverage its assets for the purpose of acquiring additional assets.
To determine an asset's cash flow and earnings, investors generally refer to financial results as explained through generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). At first glance, a REIT's GAAP earnings might reveal that it hasn't made any money at all and, therefore, does not need to issue a dividend payment.
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.
When you're ready to invest in a REIT, look for growth in earnings, which stems from higher revenues (higher occupancy rates and increasing rents), lower costs, and new business opportunities. It's also imperative that you research the management team that oversees the REIT's properties.
Why are REIT dividends so high?
It is beneficial for a company to become a REIT as it results in no income tax obligations on the corporate level. Instead, these taxes are passed on to the individual investors. In return, these companies distribute at least 90% of earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends, resulting in very high yields.
As of Dec. 12, publicly traded U.S. equity REITs posted a 1-year average dividend yield of 4.09%, according to S&P. As of Dec. 12, 2023 publicly traded U.S. equity REITs posted a one-year average dividend yield of 4.09 percent.
This is known as the geographic market test. Section 856 (d)(2) (C) excludes impermissible tenant service income (ITSI) from the definition of rent from real property, making it “bad income” for the 75% and 95% REIT gross income tests.
1. Federal Realty: The king. Federal Realty has increased its dividend annually for 54 consecutive years, which it claims (and there's no reason to doubt it) is the longest streak of any publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT).
When investing in a REIT, the maximum loss is the total invested amount. The two ways an investor can benefit from an investment in a REIT are the regular income distributions and a potential price increase. Generally speaking, returns on REITs are from dividends rather than price appreciation.
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.
As we dive into 2024, the Fed's accommodative approach to tackling inflation is likely to provide an impetus to the REIT sector, which depends highly on the debt market to carry out business activities. These companies benefit from lower borrowing costs. Moreover, low interest rates contribute to higher valuations.
| Symbol | Fund name | 1-year return |
|---|---|---|
| BRIIX | Baron Real Estate Institutional | 13.13% |
| RRRRX | DWS RREEF Real Estate Securities Instil | 9.65% |
| CSRIX | Cohen & Steers Instl Realty Shares | 8.93% |
| AIGYX | abrdn Realty Income & Growth Instl | 8.53% |
A lot of REIT investors focus too way much on the dividend yield. They think that a high dividend yield implies that a REIT is cheap and a good investment opportunity. In reality, it is often the opposite, and the dividend does not say much, if anything, about the valuation of a REIT.
Can You Lose Money on a REIT? As with any investment, there is always a risk of loss. Publicly traded REITs have the particular risk of losing value as interest rates rise, which typically sends investment capital into bonds.
Is it time to buy REITs now?
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.
REIT bankruptcies have indeed been a rarity since the REIT debacle of the mid-1970s, when high leverage and highly speculative real estate investments resulted in numerous REIT failures. Thereafter, REIT managers became far more conservative in their investment and financing practices.
Dividends are particularly valuable in retirement because they provide a consistent stream of income that can help cover living expenses. And, unlike bonds, dividend stocks offer the potential for capital gains as well as income. That means your portfolio can continue to grow even as you withdraw money from it.
The FTSE Nareit All Equity index, consisting of REITs that exclude mortgages, generated a 15.9% annualized return during recessions and 22.7% in the year following the end of a downturn, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts.
For investors seeking a steady stream of monthly income, real estate investment trusts (REITs) that pay dividends on a monthly basis emerge as a compelling financial strategy. In this article, we unravel two REITs that pay monthly dividends and have yields up to 8%.
