Legal Definitions - REIT

A REIT is a Real EstateInvestment Trust. This is a company that owns, operates, or finances income-producing real estate in different sectors of the economy. For example, they may own warehouses, office buildings, apartments, shopping malls, and hotels. REITs do not develop real estate properties to resell them, but instead, their business is to operate and own the real estate as part of their portfolio of investments.

• Equity REITs: These are the most common REITs. The company owns the real estate, which tenants lease. Shareholders receive annual dividends that come from the payments made by the tenants for the lease after deducting the expenses associated with operating the properties.
• Public non-listed REITs: These REITs are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) but their shares are not traded on national stock exchanges. Any person may acquire the stock of a publicly non-listed REIT through an authorized broker or financial adviser.
• Publicly traded REITs: These REITs are registered with the SEC and their shares trade on national stock exchanges, such as the New YorkStock Exchange (NYSE) or the NASDAQ. Any person may acquire the stock of a publicly traded REIT through an authorized broker.
• Private REITs: These REITs are exempt from SEC registration and their shares do not trade on national stock exchanges. Commonly, these types of REITs are sold exclusively to institutional investors.
• Mortgage REITs: These REITs provide financing for income-producing real estate by purchasing or originating mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. These REITs generate income from the net interest margin on their mortgage assets after deducting the funding cost and expenses.

REITs allow any person to indirectly invest in commercial real estate assets and earn part of the income produced by the investment without buying the property themselves. For example, if you invest in an Equity REIT that owns a shopping mall, you will receive a portion of the rental income paid by the tenants of the mall. This is a way for individuals to invest in real estate without having to buy and manage the property themselves.