Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS)

REITS in a Nutshell

  • Unit investments in commercial real estate portfolio
  • REITS (or real estate investment trusts) own, and in most cases, are operating income-producing property
  • Passes most of its earnings and capital gains onto shareholders
  • Closed-end funds (unlike ETFs)
  • Listed and traded on stock exchanges

Issues surrounding privately held real estate

  • Liquidity
  • Management
  • Pricing & Valuation
  • Exit
  • Geographical Limitation
  • Personal Liability
  • High Leverage
  • Transaction Fees

Benefits for the Developer

The REITS provides the real estate owner with the means to:

  • Partially exit - large real estate buyers are not easy to find
  • Release locked-in capital
  • Raise capital to repay debt
  • Recycle capital to fuel growth in other projects
  • Receive similar cash flows
  • Retain a liquid unit investment in the real estate
  • Achieve continuity but with better corporate governance

Benefits for REITS Investors

  • Liquidity - you can buy and sell them like stocks
  • Transparency - regulated and required audited financial statements
  • Performance - they offer attractive risk adjusted returns
  • Passive dividend income - they provide steady cash flow
  • Diversification
  • Smaller ticket size
  • Low transaction costs

Local REITS Structure (QFC Collective Investment Scheme)

  • Run by a fund manager (the operator)
  • Has an "independent entity" providing custoday services
  • Property management company services physical assets
  • Independent valuator provides regular valuations
  • Min 75% of asset value all times invested in at least 3 income-generating assets
  • Max 30% of asset value invested in assets under development
  • Obligation to distribute at least 80% of the annual net income

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS)

REITS in a Nutshell

  • Unit investments in commercial real estate portfolio
  • REITS (or real estate investment trusts) own, and in most cases, are operating income-producing property
  • Passes most of its earnings and capital gains onto shareholders
  • Closed-end funds (unlike ETFs)
  • Listed and traded on stock exchanges

Issues surrounding privately held real estate

  • Liquidity
  • Management
  • Pricing & Valuation
  • Exit
  • Geographical Limitation
  • Personal Liability
  • High Leverage
  • Transaction Fees

Benefits for the Developer

The REITS provides the real estate owner with the means to:

  • Partially exit - large real estate buyers are not easy to find
  • Release locked-in capital
  • Raise capital to repay debt
  • Recycle capital to fuel growth in other projects
  • Receive similar cash flows
  • Retain a liquid unit investment in the real estate
  • Achieve continuity but with better corporate governance

Benefits for REITS Investors

  • Liquidity - you can buy and sell them like stocks
  • Transparency - regulated and required audited financial statements
  • Performance - they offer attractive risk adjusted returns
  • Passive dividend income - they provide steady cash flow
  • Diversification
  • Smaller ticket size
  • Low transaction costs

Local REITS Structure (QFC Collective Investment Scheme)

  • Run by a fund manager (the operator)
  • Has an "independent entity" providing custoday services
  • Property management company services physical assets
  • Independent valuator provides regular valuations
  • Min 75% of asset value all times invested in at least 3 income-generating assets
  • Max 30% of asset value invested in assets under development
  • Obligation to distribute at least 80% of the annual net income

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS)

 

REITS in a Nutshell

  • Unit investments in commercial real estate portfolio
  • REITS (or real estate investment trusts) own, and in most cases, are operating income-producing property
  • Passes most of its earnings and capital gains onto shareholders
  • Closed-end funds (unlike ETFs)
  • Listed and traded on stock exchanges
 

Issues surrounding privately held real estate

  • Liquidity
  • Management
  • Pricing & Valuation
  • Exit
  • Geographical Limitation
  • Personal Liability
  • High Leverage
  • Transaction Fees
 

Benefits for the Developer

  • Partially exit - large real estate buyers are not easy to find
  • Release locked-in capital
  • Raise capital to repay debt
  • Recycle capital to fuel growth in other projects
  • Receive similar cash flows
  • Retain a liquid unit investment in the real estate
  • Achieve continuity but with better corporate governance
 

Benefits for REITS Investors

  • Liquidity - you can buy and sell them like stocks
  • Transparency - regulated and required audited financial statements
  • Performance - they offer attractive risk adjusted returns
  • Passive dividend income - they provide steady cash flow
  • Diversification
  • Smaller ticket size
  • Low transaction costs
 

Local REITS Structure (QFC Collective Investment Scheme)

  • Run by a fund manager (the operator)
  • Has an "independent entity" providing custoday services
  • Property management company services physical assets
  • Independent valuator provides regular valuations
  • Min 75% of asset value all times invested in at least 3 income-generating assets
  • Max 30% of asset value invested in assets under development
  • Obligation to distribute at least 80% of the annual net income