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
Use of a parcel of land that will produce the greatest current value. ...
Style of life emphasizing outdoor activities, amenities, and recreation. Example are campers and barbecues. It is usually on a short-term basis. ...
The assessment sales ratio is a way of measuring the accuracy of a property’s assessed value when compared to the property’s selling price. This measurement gives the ...
Visible area that can be readily seen by outside traffic. This is particularly important for a commercial business. ...
Unsecured long-term debt. There is no collateral or lien on the property. A debenture can only be issued by a financially sound borrower with an excellent credit rating because no ...
An acre is defined as a land unit that is commonly used in the US customary and imperial systems of 66 by 660 feet (one chain by one furlong). An acre is a measure of volume used in many ...
Outside layer or covering for a structure. It may be a coating of material for protection against inclement weather. ...
Excess of money or fair value of property received on sale or exchange over the carrying value of the property. An example is the sale of a building when the cash received exceeda its ...
To depreciate is to lose value for something. Depreciation is the act of losing worth.Connecting with real estate, Property depreciation can be both an accounting method typically used to ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.