What is a REIT?

A REIT, or Real Estate Investment Trust, is a company that owns, operates or finances income-producing real estate. Established by Congress in 1960 and modeled after mutual funds, REITs provide all Americans the opportunity to invest in large, diversified portfolios of income-producing real estate in the same way they typically would invest in other businesses, buying stock either directly or through mutual funds.

More than 80 million Americans invest in REITs through their retirement savings and other investments.

Choose your Ride and Scroll:

Office

REITs own properties in all 50 states

The REIT approach to real estate investment has been embraced by nearly 40 countries.

View REITs Across America

Est. 1960

REITs were established by Congress in 1960 and are modeled after mutual funds.

$1.7 Trillion

Listed REITs have an equity market capitalization of more than $1.7 trillion.

503,000

More than 503,000 REIT-owned properties across the U.S. in almost every city.

REIT Property Sectors

Select Below

$88.8 Billion in Dividends

REITs paid out $88.8 billion in dividend income in 2020.

The REIT Way

2 Primary Types:

mREITs
Equity REITs

Equity REITs

Equity REITs earn income by collecting rent or through the sale of the properties they own.

mREITs

mREITs, or Mortgage REITs, provide financing for real estate by purchasing or originating mortgages and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and earning income from the interest on these investments.

145 million Americans

Invest in REITs through their retirement savings and other investment funds.

Why invest in REITs?

Select below

Diversification

Low Correlation with Broader Market
Historically Increases Return/Reduces Risk
Completes Asset Allocation

Liquidity

Bought & Sold Like Other Equities
Tactical Asset Allocation
Portfolio Rebalancing

Transparency

Strong Corporate Governance
Tax Transparency
Market Transparency

Dividends

Dividends & Wealth Accumulation
Reliable Income Returns
Helps Reduce Portfolio Volatility

Performance

Outperformed S&P Over Most Periods
Better Returns vs. Corp. Bonds
Historically Deliver Growth/Income

Wherever you go, REITs are all around you.

REITs allow anyone to invest in portfolios of large-scale properties the same way they invest in other industries-through the purchase of stock. In the same way shareholders benefit by owning stocks in other corporations, the stockholders of a REIT earn a share of the income produced through real estate investment-without actually having to go out and buy or finance property.

Learn more at thereitway.com

Copyright® 2020 by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit) Sponsored by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts®, the worldwide representative voice for REITs and listed real estate companies with an interest in U.S. real estate and capital markets. All data is sourced from the “Economic Contribution of REITs in the United States,” EY study sponsored by NAREIT, SNL or NAREIT unless otherwise noted.

Designed and Developed by

Boston Properties - Salesforce Tower - San Francisco, Calif.

Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc. - Rincon Center - San Francisco, Calif.

First Potomac Realty Trust -1750 H Street - Washington D.C.

Office REITs

From the Empire State Building to suburban office complexes, REITs own office buildings of all shapes and sizes, providing the space for employees in any industry to get the job done. Even if you work at home or on the road, REIT-owned properties (including hotels, cell towers and data centers) are there to make it possible.

REITs own nearly 3,000 office buildings.
REITs directly employed an estimated 276,000 full-time employees in 2018.
REIT-related construction activity in 2018 supported the equivalent of 415,000 full-time jobs in that year.

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. - Avalon Bowery Place - New York City, N.Y.

Camden Property Trust - Camden Denver - West Denver, Colo.

Camden Property Trust - Camden Belmont - Dallas Tex.

Home REITs

Renters, students and seniors all have many options when it comes to meeting their housing needs. Regardless of a person’s desired living situation, REITs own and finance a wide array of residential properties to meet those needs. From apartments and single-family home rentals, to student housing and senior living facilities, REITs can provide the perfect location to call home.

Multifamily Rental Properties 3,600
Apartment Unitsnearly 1 million
Assisted Living Facilities2,600
Single-Family Rental Homes150,000

Federal Realty Investment Trust - Bethesda Row - Bethesda, Md.

Simon Property Group - Pentagon City Mall - Arlington, Va.

Taubman Properties - City Creek Center - Salt Lake City, Utah

Retail REITs

Next time you make a shopping list there is a good chance you will be heading to a REIT-owned property to purchase what you need. REIT-owned properties run the gamut of shopping experiences from grocery anchored shopping plazas and outlet centers to local malls and modern shopping/entertainment destinations.

Regional Malls 639
Shopping Centers3,443
Restaurants5,671
Retail Facilities17,013

Duke Realty - Baylor Charles A Sammons Cancer Center - Dallas, Tex.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. - Alexandria Center® for Science and Technology - San Francisco, Calif.

LTC Properties, Inc. - Coldspring Transitional Care Center - Cold Spring, KY

Health Care REITs

REITs not only help you invest in real estate and promote a healthy economy, they may also help improve your personal health. Hospitals, labs, medical offices and assisted living facilities, owned by REITs, help Americans every day.

Medical Facilities 8,800
Medical Offices2,300
Assisted Living Facilities2,600
Additional Health Care Facilities3,800

Hospitality Properties Trust - Royal Sonesta Hotel - Baltimore, Md.

Ryman Hospitality Properties - Gaylord Palms - Kissimmee, Fla.

Travel REITs

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, hotel and lodging REITs provide your home away from home. With properties in all 50 states and around the world, REITs own hotels and resorts at or near your next travel destination.

Limited Service Hotels 1116
Full Service Hotels580
Extended Stay Hotels570
Budget Hotels1

Cell Tower - Needham, MA

Digital Realty - 365 Main St Data Center - San Francisco, Calif.

Amazon.com Distribution Facility - Tracy, Calif.

Connected World REITs

Technology has made it possible for us to stay connected in ways never before imagined. Mobile communications and the data being shared is not merely increasing, it is exploding. It takes a lot of real estate to make your cell phone, social media platforms and office network function. That real estate is increasingly owned by REITs.

Telecommunications Towers 80,000
Data Centers210
Industrial Facilities4,400