Residential REITs own and manage various forms of residences and rent space in those properties to tenants. Residential REITs include REITs that specialize in apartment buildings, student housing, manufactured homes and single-family homes. Within those market segments, some residential REITs also focus on specific geographical markets or classes of properties.
Who Invests in Residential REITs?
Approximately 170 million Americans live in households that invest in REITs. With their historically competitive total returns and comparatively low correlation with other assets make them an attractive addition and diversifier for many Americans’ portfolios.
How to Invest in Residential REITs
There are 18 residential REITs listed on the FTSE Nareit US Real Estate Indexes. Many investors acquire shares in these REITs via REIT mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but individuals can also invest directly in a REIT with the help of a broker.
Overview
4/30/2025, Source: FTSE
Number of REITs
18
Dividend Yield
3.55%
YTD Total Return
0.26%
April Total Return
-3.97%
2024 Total Return
12.83%
Quarterly Data
Source: Nareit T-Tracker
| Q4 2024 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| FFO ($M) | $2,497 | $10,441 |
| NOI ($M) | $3,727 | $14,879 |
| Dividends paid ($M) | $1,787 | $7,037 |
| SS NOI | 2.70% | |
| Occupancy Rate | - |
