The best real estate investment trusts (REITs) are those that can provide investors with market-beating total returns, which are made up of dividend yield and stock price gain as their market capitalization rises. To achieve those gains, a REIT must be able to boost its dividend by growing the income generated by its real estate assets. An income investor can buy three top REITs with outsized upside potential this month.
How are REITs doing in 2021?
So far in 2021, the REIT sector has posted increases in every month, including a +1.77 percent average total return in May. In May, 58.24% of REIT securities had a positive total return. In May, hotels and student housing REITs outperformed all other property types, while corrections and health care REITs saw the biggest drops.
Are REITs a good investment during a recession?
It’s crucial to remember that nothing can fully protect you against a recession. Any venture has weaknesses and hazards, and each economic downturn presents new obstacles.
While no recession is the same as the last, there are some real estate sectors that are more robust during a downturn. Real estate investments that meet people’s basic requirements, such as housing and agriculture, or that provide important services for economic activity, such as data processing, wireless communications, industrial processing and storage, or medical facilities, are more likely to weather the storm.
Investors can own and manage properties in any of the asset classes, but many prefer to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) (REIT). REITs can be a more affordable and accessible method for investors to enter into real estate while also obtaining access to institutional-quality investments in a diversified portfolio.
Data centers
We live in a data-driven technology era. Almost everything we do now requires data storage or processing, and the demand for data centers will only grow in the next decades as more technological or data-driven gadgets are released. During recessions, more people stay at home to watch TV, use their computers or smartphones, or, in the case of the recent coronavirus outbreak, work from home, increasing the need on data centers. According to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, there are currently five data center REITs to select from, with all five up 33.73 percent year to date (NAREIT).
Self-storage
Self-storage is widely regarded as a recession-proof asset type. As budgets tighten, some families downsize, relocating to other places to better their quality of life or pursue a new work opportunity, or downsizing by moving in with each other to save money. This indicates that there is a higher need for storage.
The COVID-19 pandemic, on the other hand, has had an unforeseen influence on the storage industry. While occupancy has remained high, eviction moratoriums and increasing cleaning and safety costs have resulted in lower revenues. According to NAREIT, self-storage REITs are down 3.51 percent year to date. However, this industry is expected to recover swiftly, particularly for companies like Public Storage (NYSE: PSA), the largest publicly traded self-storage REIT, which has a strong credit rating and a diverse portfolio.
Warehouse and distribution
E-commerce has altered the way our economy works. Demand for quality warehousing and distribution centers has soared as more consumers purchase from home than ever before. Oversupply of industrial space, particularly warehouse and distribution space, is a risk, given that this sector has been steadily growing for the past decade; however, as a result of COVID-19, it has already proven to be the most resilient asset class of all commercial real estate, making it an excellent choice for a recession-resistant investment. Prologis (NYSE: PLD), one of the largest warehouse and logistics REITS, and Americold Realty Trust (NYSE: COLD), a REIT that specializes in cold storage facilities, have both proven to be extremely resilient in the current economic climate, with plenty of room for expansion.
Residential housing
People will always require housing. Residential housing, which can range from single-family homes to high-rise flats or retirement communities, fulfills a basic need that is necessary even in difficult economic times. During economic downturns, rents may stagnate and evictions or foreclosures may increase, but residential rentals are a relatively reliable and constant source of income. Despite the COVID-19 challenges, American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH), which specializes in single-family rental housing, and Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR), which specializes in urban high-rises in high-density areas, are two of the largest players in residential housing, both of which have maintained high occupancy and collection rates.
Agriculture
Aside from housing, agriculture and food production are two additional critical services on which our country and the rest of the world rely. Our existing food system is primarily reliant on industrial agriculture, but more and more autonomous and regenerative agricultural projects are springing up, allowing for more crop diversification, increased productivity, and reduced economic and environmental risk.
Wireless communication
Wireless communication has grown into a giant sector, with American Tower (NYSE: AMT) and Crown Castle International (NYSE: CCI) being two of the world’s largest REITs. Cell tower REITs that provide telecommunication services are an important part of our world today, and while growth prospects can be difficult to come by, very good track records and rising demand make this a terrific real estate investment that will weather any economic downturn.
Medical facilities
Medical facilities, senior housing, hospitals, urgent care clinics, and surgery centers all provide a vital service that will always be in demand, even during economic downturns.
Retail centers
Before you abandon ship when you see this category, let me state unequivocally that retail is not dead, at least not in all forms. Grocery stores and other retail outlets that provide critical services and products will continue to be in demand, as they did during the last pandemic. The issue here is for retail REITs to invest in the vital service sector with such focus that other sectors such as tourism, restaurants, or general shopping and goods do not put the company or investment at risk.
Are REITs risky right now?
A real estate investment trust, or REIT, is considered a secure investment by the majority of investors. These businesses often generate consistent rental income, allowing them to pay out high dividends.
Not all REIT stocks, however, are safe investments. During market downturns, several companies have been forced to reduce or discontinue dividend payments due to a lack of financial flexibility. Some people have gotten themselves in such bad financial situations that they are struggling to make ends meet.
As a result, before purchasing REIT shares, an investor must carefully assess the REIT’s safety. Here are three excellent REITs to buy right now, as well as the characteristics of the safest REITs.
Is 2021 a good time to buy REITs?
So far in 2021, real estate investment trusts (REITs) have performed admirably. The real estate sector’s almost 30% total return (price plus dividends) until the end of August handily outperformed the S&P 500 Index’s 21%+ return.
Even better, several variables indicate that REITs will continue to outperform other assets in the remaining months of 2021.
The first is a lack of high-yielding crops. Both the 10-year Treasury note and the S&P 500 are currently yielding a pitiful 1.3 percent. REITs, on the other hand, pay out more than double that, with an average yield of 2.7 percent, making real estate equities one of the best-paying sectors in the market.
Is 2021 a good time to invest in REITs?
Three primary causes, in my opinion, are driving investor cash toward REITs.
The S&P 500 yields a pitiful 1.37 percent, which is near to its all-time low. Even corporate bonds have been bid up to the point that they now yield a poor return compared to the risk they pose.
REITs are the last resort for investors looking for a decent yield, and demographics support greater yield-seeking behavior. As people near retirement, they typically begin to desire dividend income, and the same silver tsunami that is expected to raise healthcare demand is also expected to increase dividend demand.
The REIT index’s 2.72 percent yield isn’t as high as it once was, but it’s still far better than the alternatives. A considerably greater dividend yield can be obtained by being choosy about the REITs one purchases, and higher yielding REITs have outperformed in 2021.
Why are REITs a bad investment?
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are not for everyone. This is the section for you if you’re wondering why REITs are a bad investment for you.
The major disadvantage of REITs is that they don’t provide much in the way of capital appreciation. This is because REITs must return 90 percent of their taxable income to investors, limiting their capacity to reinvest in properties to increase their value or acquire new holdings.
Another disadvantage is that REITs have very expensive management and transaction costs due to their structure.
REITs have also become increasingly connected with the larger stock market over time. As a result, one of the previous advantages has faded in value as your portfolio becomes more vulnerable to market fluctuations.
Weak Growth
REITs that are publicly listed are required to pay out 90% of their profits in dividends to shareholders right away. This leaves little money to expand the portfolio by purchasing additional properties, which is what drives appreciation.
Private REITs are a good option if you enjoy the idea of REITs but want to get more than just dividends.
No Control Over Returns or Performance
Investors in direct real estate have a lot of control over their profits. They can identify properties with high cash flow, actively promote vacant rentals to renters, properly screen all applications, and use other property management best practices.
Investors in REITs, on the other hand, can only sell their shares if they are unhappy with the company’s performance. Some private REITs won’t even be able to do that, at least for the first several years.
Yield Taxed as Regular Income
Dividends are taxed at the (higher) regular income tax rate, despite the fact that profits on investments held longer than a year are taxed at the lower capital gains tax rate.
And because REITs provide a large portion of their returns in the form of dividends, investors may face a greater tax bill than they would with more appreciation-oriented assets.
Potential for High Risk and Fees
Just because an investment is regulated by the SEC does not mean it is low-risk. Before investing, do your homework and think about all aspects of the real estate market, including property valuations, interest rates, debt, geography, and changing tax regulations.
Fees should also be factored into the due diligence process. High management and transaction fees are charged by some REITs, resulting in smaller returns to shareholders. Those fees are frequently buried in the fine print of investment offerings, so be prepared to dig through the fine print to find out what they pay themselves for property management, acquisition fees, and so on.
Do REITs pay dividends?
A REIT is a security that invests directly in real estate and/or mortgages, comparable to a mutual fund. Mortgage REITs engage in portfolios of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities, whereas equity REITs invest mostly in commercial assets such as shopping malls, hotel hotels, and office buildings (MBSs). A hybrid REIT is a fund that invests in both. REIT shares are easy to buy and sell because they are traded on the open market.
All REITs have one thing in common: they pay dividends made up of rental income and capital gains. REITs must pay out at least 90% of their net earnings as dividends to shareholders in order to qualify as securities. REITs are given special tax treatment as a result of this; unlike a traditional business, they do not pay corporate taxes on the earnings they distribute. Regardless of whether the share price rises or falls, REITs must maintain a 90 percent payment.
Which REITs pay the highest dividend?
For income investors, the beauty of REITs is that they are obligated to release 90% of their taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends each year. REITs often do not pay corporate taxes in exchange.
As a result, several of the 171 dividend-paying REITs we follow have dividend yields of 5% or more.
Bonus: Watch the video below to hear our chat with Brad Thomas on The Sure Investing Podcast about sensible REIT investing.
However, not all high-yielding stocks are a sure bet. To ensure that the high yields are sustainable, investors should carefully examine the fundamentals. This post will go through ten of the highest-yielding REITs on the market with market capitalizations over $1 billion.
While the securities discussed in this article have exceptionally high yields, a high yield on its own does not guarantee a good investment. Dividend security, valuation, management, balance sheet health, and growth are all critical considerations.
We advise investors to take the research below as a guide, but to conduct extensive due diligence before investing in any security, particularly high-yield securities. Many (but not all) high yield securities are at risk of having their dividends cut and/or their business outcomes deteriorate.
High-Yield REIT No. 10: Omega Healthcare Investors (OHI)
Omega Healthcare Investors is one of the most well-known healthcare REITs that focuses on skilled nursing. Senior home complexes account for around 20% of the company’s annual income. The company’s financial, portfolio, and management strength are its three primary selling factors. Omega is the market leader in skilled nursing facilities.
High-Yield REIT No. 9: Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (ARI)
In 2009, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. was established. It’s a debt-oriented real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in senior mortgages, mezzanine loans, and other commercial real estate-related debt. The underlying real estate properties of Apollo’s investments in the United States and Europe serve as collateral.
Hotels, Office Properties, Urban Pre-development, Residential-for-sale inventory, and Residential-for-sale construction make up Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance’s multibillion-dollar commercial real estate portfolio. Manhattan, New York, the United Kingdom, and the rest of the United States make up the company’s portfolio.
High-Yield REIT No. 8: PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (PMT)
PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in residential mortgage loans and related assets. PMT
How often do REITs pay dividends?
is a firm that maintains and operates a diverse portfolio of properties. Apartment buildings, office complexes, commercial properties, hospitals, shopping malls, and hotels are examples of these properties, while particular REITs prefer to specialize in one type of property. REITs are popular because they are required to pay out at least 90% of their earnings in dividends to their shareholders, resulting in yields of 10% or more in some cases.
Will REITs recover 2021?
In 2021, commercial real estate and REITs are expected to begin to recover, with the speed of recovery being determined by the availability and efficacy of a vaccine.
