REITs & Real Estate

Owning real estate through the stock market.

1. How REITs Work — A real estate investment trust lets you own a slice of office towers, warehouses, apartments or cell towers by buying a stock. Here is how REITs are structured, the rules they follow and why they pay such large dividends.
2. Equity vs. Mortgage REITs — Some REITs own buildings; others own loans. They behave very differently. Here is how equity REITs and mortgage REITs make money, and why the highest yields come with the biggest risks.
3. REIT Dividends and FFO — Ordinary earnings make REITs look worse than they are, because accounting rules subtract depreciation on buildings that often gain value. That is why REIT investors use funds from operations instead. Here is how FFO works and how to judge dividend safety.
4. Interest Rates and Real Estate — Real estate runs on borrowed money, and REIT dividends compete with bond yields. That makes REITs especially sensitive to interest rates. Here is how rates affect real estate and what 2026 has looked like.
5. REITs vs. Owning Property — Should you buy a rental property or buy REITs? Each path offers real estate exposure with very different amounts of money, work, control and risk. Here is a side-by-side comparison.
6. Real Estate ETFs — A real estate ETF holds dozens or hundreds of REITs in one fund. It is the simplest way to add property to a portfolio. Here is what they hold, what they cost and what to check before buying.