REIT

REIT

See: Real Estate Investment Trust

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REIT

See real estate investment trust.

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Real estate investment trust (REIT). REITs are publicly traded companies that pool investors' capital to invest in a variety of real estate ventures, such as apartment and office buildings, shopping centers, medical facilities, industrial buildings, and hotels.

After an REIT has raised its investment capital, it trades on a stock market just as a closed-end mutual fund does.

There are three types of REITs: Equity REITs buy properties that produce income. Mortgage REITs invest in real estate loans. Hybrid REITs usually make both types of investments.

All three are income-producing investments, and by law 90% of a REIT's taxable income must be distributed to investors. That means the yields on REITs may be higher than on other equity investments.

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REIT

See real estate investment trust.

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Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

What Does Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Mean?

A security that trades like a stock on an exchange; REITs invest directly in real estate through either properties or mortgages. REITs receive special tax considerations and typically offer investors high yields as well as opportunities to invest in the real estate market without buying properties. REITs include equity REITs, in which one invests in and owns properties and thus is responsible for the equity or value of the real estate assets; the revenues come principally from the properties' rents. Mortgage REITs involve investment in and ownership of property mortgages; these REITs loan money for mortgages to owners of real estate or purchase existing mortgages or mortgage-backed securities. The revenues are generated primarily by the interest earned on the mortgage loans. Hybrid REITs combine the investment strategies of equity REITs and mortgage REITs by investing in both properties and mortgages.

Investopedia explains Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

Individuals can invest in REITs by purchasing their shares directly on an exchange or by investing in a mutual fund that invests in real estate. An additional benefit to investing in REITs is the fact that many are accompanied by dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs). Among other things, REITs invest in shopping malls, office buildings, apartments, warehouses, and hotels. Some REITs invest specifically in one area of real estate—shopping malls, for example—or in a specific region, state, or country. Investing in REITs is a liquid, dividend-paying means of participating in the real estate market.

Related Terms:
• Asset
• Derivative
• Dividend
• Mortgage-Backed Securities—MBSs
• Stock