Equity Trusts
Definition of "Equity trusts"
Same as term REIT: Type of investment company that invests money in mortgages and various types of investment in real estate, in order to earn profits for shareholders. Shareholders receive income from the rents received from the properties and receive capital gains as properties are sold at a profit. REITs have been formed by a number of large financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies. The stocks of many of them are traded on security exchanges, thereby providing investors with a marketable interest in real estate investment portfolio. By law, REITs have to distribute 95 percent of their income to shareholders, and in turn they are exempt from corporate taxes on income or gains. In exchange for this special tax treatment, REITs are subject to numerous qualifications and limitations including:
- Qualified asset and income tests. REITs are required to have at least 75% of their value represented by qualified real estate assets and to earn at least 75% of their income from real estate investments.
- Shareholder qualifications. Generally, REITs are not permitted to be closely held and must have a minimum of 100 shareholders.
Popular Real Estate Terms
A ground lease that includes only the cost of leasing the land for a period of years. Normally, a land lease is valid for an extended period of time anticipating that improvements will be ...
Civil rights acts passed by the U.S. Congress includes those of 1866, 1870, 1871, 1875, 1964, and 1968. The first two acts gave blacks the rights to be treated as citizens in legal actions, ...
An individual's possessions at his residences, such as furniture. A listing of items and their costs is recommended to obtain proper insurance coverage and as support for insurance ...
Compilation of all real estate properties in a given tax district that are subject to real estate taxes. The tax roll indicates the taxable assessed values of all properties in the district ...
Doing business as, or DBA, means an official moniker for your enterprise or company. Regularly, a DBA is a state certificate serving as a registration name and issued under a ...
Extended area of land commonly held for subdividing and development into residential units. ...
Statement made verbally. It is better legally to have a written statement because verbal ones without witnesses may be denied. ...
An unpreventable, overwhelming, and irresistible force. It is common to place a force majeure clause in a construction contract to indemnify a construction deadline in the event an act of ...
Broker employed by and therefore loyal to the buyer. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.