The Historical Performance of Real Estate Investment Trusts

This empirical study investigates the performance of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Although many people have studied REIT performance, their findings on the long-term performance of REITs are generally inconclusive. The objectives of this study are: (1) to evaluate the long-term (1970-1993) performance of REITs; (2) to examine the stability of REIT performance over time; and (3) to investigate the sensitivity of a specific performance measure, the Jensen index, to two general performance benchmarks and two REIT samples. The results indicate that the performance of the REIT portfolios was consistent with the security market line for the 1970-1993 period. However, REIT performance varied over the period. This study also found that the use of the unrepresentative S&P 500 index as a performance benchmark tends to overstate REIT performance. Finally, survivor REITs in general performed better than the overall REIT population.

REITs and Inflation: A Long-Run Perspective

We examine whether REITs provide an inflation hedge in the long run. We also investigate whether the apparent lack of a positive relationship between general prices and REIT returns in prior studies arises from the impact that stock market movements have on REITs. As in most prior research, regression analysis provides no evidence that REIT returns are positively related to temporary or permanent components of inflation measures. We rule out the possibility that a stock market-induced proxy effect is the cause for the apparent lack of relationship between REITs and inflation. On the other hand, we find some evidence that REITs provide a long-run inflation hedge. Johansen (1988) tests for cointegration isolate cointegrating vectors between alternate REIT indices and the CPI over the 1972-95 interval. However, the more standard residual-based cointegration techniques failed to provide similar evidence.

Pricing Interest-Rate Risk for Mortgage REITs

Using tax-qualified mortgage REITs over three periods (1976-79, 1980-82, and 1983-90), this paper investigates the pricing of interest-rate risk for mortgage REITs at equilibrium. A system of nonlinear equations is estimated to determine the monthly interest-rate risk premium over each of the three time intervals. There is evidence to support the hypothesis that interest-rate risk is not diversifiable and hence commands a risk premium.

Apartment REITs and Apartment Real Estate

This study employs a "hedged" apartment REIT index to track the performance of apartment real estate and to assess the performance of apartments in efficient mixed-asset portfolios consisting of stocks, bonds and real estate. The hedged apartment index reflects the returns of apartment REITs after the effects of equity REITs and the stock market are removed from the apartment REIT returns. It is demonstrated that the hedged apartment REIT index captures a substantial amount of the volatility unique to apartment real estate. Furthermore, the hedged apartment REIT index does not suffer from the appraisal-smoothing problem and the apparent seasonality of appraisal-based indices, such as the Russell-NCREIF apartment index. Therefore, it would appear that the hedged apartment REIT index can be employed as a proxy for apartment real estate in portfolio allocation decisions. This study provides evidence that apartment real estate should be a candidate for some efficient mixed-asset portfolios.

Intertemporal Changes in the Riskiness of REITs

This study investigates the variability in the risk components of REITs over the 1973-1989 period using the cusum test, the cusum of squares test, and the Quandt's log-likelihood ratio method. Four REIT portfolios were formed: an all-REIT portfolio, an equity REIT portfolio, a hybrid REIT portfolio, and a mortgage REIT portfolio. The two-index model was employed and the results indicated that both the market beta and the interest-rate beta of the portfolios were time-varying. In addition, significant shifts in return-generating regimes over time were detected for all four portfolios.

Portfolio Implications of Apartment Investing

In this article, we examine the portfolio implications of apartment investing. In particular, we explore the sector’s relative stability, liquidity, and current market outlook. In general, we find support for many of the advantages attributed to apartments relative to other property types. The apartment sector has historically offered high risk-adjusted returns and a relatively low correlation with other property sectors. These features, combined with the attractive demographics and stable space market fundamentals, suggest that the current environment should be favorable for apartment investing. However, the popularity of the sector, aggressive rent growth assumptions, and potential limitations on future immigration provide sources of performance risk.

An Examination of the Small-Firm Effect within the REIT Industry

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) offer investors the ability to more easily include real estate-related assets in their investment portfolios. Certain REIT characteristics may allow some REITs to outperform others. Empirical research in the financial literature indicates that small firms earn higher average rates of return than large firms after accounting for risk. This research tests for the existence of the small-firm effect within the REIT industry. REITs provide an opportunity to examine the small-firm effect and its possible explanations using a relative homogeneous group of securities. The evidence supports a small-firm effect for REITs over the time period examined even after considering the possible explanations identified in the financial efficient markets literature.