How much money can I make with REITs?
The FTSE Nareit All REITs index, which tracks the performance of all publicly traded REITs in the U.S., had an average annual total return (dividends included) of 3.58% during the five-year period that ended in August 2023. For the 10-year period between 2013 and 2022, the index averaged 7.48% per year.
REITs' average return
Return a minimum of 90% of taxable income in the form of shareholder dividends each year. This is a big draw for investor interest in REITs. Invest at least 75% of total assets in real estate or cash.
| TIME PERIOD | S&P 500 (TOTAL ANNUAL RETURN) | FTSE Nareit ALL EQUITY REITS (TOTAL ANNUAL RETURN) |
|---|---|---|
| Past 20 years | 9.7% | 10.4% |
| Past 10 years | 12.0% | 9.5% |
| Past 5 years | 15.7% | 10.3% |
| Past year (2023) | 26.3% | 11.4% |
Historical Returns of REITs
Over a 25 year period, the index returned 9.05% compared to 7.97% for the S&P 500 and 7.41% for the Russell 2000. 2 Historically, investors looking for yield have done better investing in real estate than fixed income, the traditional asset class for this purpose.
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.
Reinvest Your Payments
The truth is that most investors won't have the money to generate $1,000 per month in dividends; not at first, anyway. Even if you find a market-beating series of investments that average 3% annual yield, you would still need $400,000 in up-front capital to hit your targets. And that's okay.
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%.
REITs should generally be considered long-term investments
This is especially true if you're planning to invest in non-traded REITs since you won't be able to easily access your money until the REIT lists its shares on a public exchange or liquidates its assets. In many cases, this can take around 10 years to occur.
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.
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 it hard to sell a REIT?
Since most non-traded REITs are illiquid, there are often restrictions to redeeming and selling shares. While a REIT is still open to public investors, investors may be able to sell their shares back to the REIT. However, this sale usually comes at a discount; leaving only about 70% to 95% of the original value.
REITs make their money through the mortgages underlying real estate development or on rental incomes once the property is developed. REITs provide shareholders with a steady income and, if held long-term, growth that reflects the appreciation of the property it owns.
Reinvesting REIT dividends can help retirement savers grow their portfolio's investment, and historically steady REIT dividend income can help retirees meet their living expenses.
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.
| Company (ticker) | 5-year total return | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|
| Equinix (EQIX) | 125.0% | 2.1% |
| Prologis (PLD) | 121.8% | 2.6% |
| Eastgroup Properties (EGP) | 107.9% | 2.8% |
| Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI) | 99.7% | 6.0% |
“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.
| Discount Rate | Present Value | Future Value |
|---|---|---|
| 6% | $1,000 | $3,207.14 |
| 7% | $1,000 | $3,869.68 |
| 8% | $1,000 | $4,660.96 |
| 9% | $1,000 | $5,604.41 |
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Dividend-paying Stocks
Shares of public companies that split profits with shareholders by paying cash dividends yield between 2% and 6% a year. With that in mind, putting $250,000 into low-yielding dividend stocks or $83,333 into high-yielding shares will get your $500 a month.
Risks of investing in REITs include higher dividend taxes, sensitivity to interest rates, and exposure to specific property trends.
Is it a good time to get into REITs?
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.
In some cases, REITs use lots of debt to finance their holdings. Some trusts have low amounts of leverage.
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.
Whereas publicly traded REITs allow you to sell shares instantly whenever the market is open, the same isn't true for private REITs. Each company has its own rules when it comes to redemption of shares, and these can be very restrictive.
What this means is that REITs are ideal borrowers for banks. They are exactly who they want to do business with because they know that the risk of a REIT bankruptcy is extremely low. Just look at the past. There have been very few REIT bankruptcies over the past 50+ years.
