Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
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
Government official who values real estate property for tax purposes and ascertains the annual property tax assessments that must be collected. ...
Time period for which one expects to keep property such as a real estate investment. ...
Something that is of good value for the money and an attractive deal. ...
To default on a loan means to intentionally or unintentionally miss several consecutive monthly payments over the course of a few weeks or months. Most borrowers learn the definition of ...
Absence of a personal liability such as when a creditor may seize an office building used as security for the obligation but cannot attach any other assets of the debtor. ...
The definition of obligee is the person to whom a debt or obligation is owed. An obligee is one party of a contract to who the other party, the obligor, is obligated. An obligee is also the ...
Items of real and personal property that usually have a long life, such as housing and other real estate. ...
Corporation having only one person, A corporation sole is primarily used for the purposes of a nonprofit ecclesiastic church related organization. Ina church, the corporation sole is headed ...
(1) Type of loan where the final payment is substantially greater than the previous payments; also termed partially amortized loan. A debt agreement might stipulate a balloon payment when ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.