Buying shares in real estate companies can give you the same benefits as investing in real property. You could be earning passive income from rental revenue and capital gains without hammering a nail.
Real estate stocks give you exposure to companies that develop and manage commercial, residential and industrial properties. These companies share a piece of the action with you through publicly-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs).
Like any other stock, you trade REITs in the open market. These real estate stocks provide a low-cost way of sharing in real estate revenue and gains. There are other stocks that provide exposure to the real estate market. Nevertheless, the publicly-traded REITs category dominates real estate stocks.
The following list of top real estate stocks reflects this.
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Overview: Real Estate Stocks
As a means of including the average investor into the lucrative real estate market, the U.S. Congress passed the Real Estate Investment Act in 1960. The bill’s sponsors wanted to duplicate the success of the mutual fund industry as a way of attracting capital to the real estate industry. So, they used the mutual fund equity structure to design a mutual fund for real estate. This became a means for people without much investment capital to benefit from the real estate market.
Although REITs had been around for over 30 years, these funds did not become popular until the credit crunch hit in 1992 or so. The hotel industry, in particular, turned to REITs as a source of financing when the banks turned them away. Residential and industrial divisions soon followed the commercial real estate industry. By the end of 2001, REITs had become the No.1 institutional source of real estate capital with equity of $146 billion — or 39% of capital sources.
By law, REITs must distribute 90% of net income to the shareholders in the form of dividends. The dividend revenue comes from rental income and capital gains. Publicly traded REITs typically have higher dividend yields than other equity investments. Since you can easily trade REITs, you can tap in into this reliable real estate income source without losing your investment’s liquidity.
Best Online Brokers for Real Estate Stock
Online brokers can simplify the process of trading real estate stocks. You’ll be able to thoroughly research your investment options, make smooth trade and keep track of your portfolio in one central space.
Commissions
$0
Account Minimum
$0
1 Minute Review
Webull, founded in 2017, is a mobile app-based brokerage that features commission-free stock and exchange-traded fund (ETF) trading. It’s regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Webull offers active traders technical indicators, economic calendars, ratings from research agencies, margin trading and short-selling. Webull’s trading platform is designed for intermediate and experienced traders, although beginning traders can also benefit.
Webull is widely considered one of the best Robinhood alternatives.
Best For
- Active traders
- Intermediate traders
- Advanced traders
Pros
- Commission-free trading in over 5,000 different stocks and ETFs
- No account maintenance fees or software platform fees
- No charges to open and maintain an account
- Leverage of 4:1 on margin trades made the same day and leverage of 2:1 on trades held overnight
- Intuitive trading platform with technical and fundamental analysis tools
Cons
- Does not support trading in mutual funds, bonds or OTC stocks
Commissions
$0
Account Minimum
$0
1 Minute Review
TradeStation is for advanced traders who need a comprehensive platform. The brokerage offers an impressive range of investable assets as frequent and professional traders appreciate its wide range of analysis tools. TradeStation’s app is also equally effective, offering full platform capabilities.
Best For
- Advanced traders
- Options and futures traders
- Active stock traders
Pros
- Comprehensive trading platform and professional-grade tools
- Wide range of tradable securities
- Fully-operational mobile app
Cons
- Confusing pricing structure to leave new traders with a weak understanding of what they pay
- Cluttered layout to make navigating TradeStation’s platform more difficult than it should be
Commissions
$0
$6.95 for OTC Stocks
Account Minimum
$0
1 Minute Review
This publicly listed discount broker, which is in existence for over four decades, is service-intensive, offering intuitive and powerful investment tools. Especially, with equity investing, a flat fee is charged, with the firm claiming that it charges no trade minimum, no data fees, and no platform fees. Though it is pricier than many other discount brokers, what tilts the scales in its favor is its well-rounded service offerings and the quality and value it offers its clients.
Best For
- Novice investors
- Retirement savers
- Day traders
Pros
- World-class trading platforms
- Detailed research reports and Education Center
- Assets ranging from stocks and ETFs to derivatives like futures and options
Cons
- Thinkorswim can be overwhelming to inexperienced traders
- Derivatives trading more costly than some competitors
- Expensive margin rates
Features to Look for in Real Estate Stock
- Earnings growth: The key earnings indicator of real estate stocks is the funds from operations (FFOs). You calculate the FFO by subtracting the gains from the sales of property from the net income and adding depreciation and amortization. The FFO per share is your dividend yield. Ideally, a company should show a gradual increase in this metric. You can find a real estate company’s FFO history in the quarterly income report on the company’s website. The 4th quarter report also has year-end totals.
- Management team: A good management team is imperative to the consistent operation of a real estate company. Poor management can result in cost overruns and sluggish rental income. In the company’s income report, you can use the cash flow summary to get some insight into the management’s operating, investing and financing activities. While you are on the company’s website, take a look at the executive profiles.
- Diversification: Before you decide to buy a real estate company’s stock, take a look at its basket of properties. Are the properties in the same area? Does the company provide only one or two services? Be careful. Real Estate companies with a narrow reach may lack diversification, leaving them subject to the same risk factors such as hurricanes, service specific restrictions or local strife.
Significance of Investing in Real Estate Stocks
Real estate stocks in the form of REITs present an investment opportunity for you to earn better-than-average income without assuming much risk or losing liquidity from your investment capital. The 5 real estate stocks we have highlighted are an elite group in this sector.
