How to Earn REIT Passive Income (2024)

FAQs

How to Earn REIT Passive Income? ›

REITs generate passive income primarily through leasing space and collecting rent on their properties. This rental income is the main source of revenue for REITs, and is then distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends.

You can buy shares in REITs similar to stock, and you mainly make money from REITs through dividends. REITs often own apartments, warehouses, self-storage facilities, malls and hotels. You can purchase REITs through an investment account, also called a brokerage account, similar to stocks.

REITs and stocks can both pay dividends, usually on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis.

If you were to invest in a company offering a 4% annual dividend yield, you would need to invest about $900,000 to generate a monthly income of $3000. While this might seem like a hefty sum, remember that this investment isn't just generating income—it's also likely to appreciate over time.

Invest at least 75% of total assets in real estate, cash, or U.S. Treasurys. Derive at least 75% of gross income from rent, interest on mortgages that finance real estate, or real estate sales. Pay a minimum of 90% of their taxable income to their shareholders through dividends.

If you invested more money into REITs or those producing a higher average annual return, you could become a millionaire even faster. Here's a closer look at three wealth-creating REITs that could help make you a future millionaire.

REITs generate passive income primarily through leasing space and collecting rent on their properties. This rental income is the main source of revenue for REITs, and is then distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends. By law, REITs must pay out at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders.

Reinvesting REIT dividends can help retirement savers grow their portfolio's investment, and historically steady REIT dividend income can help retirees meet their living expenses.

Over a 15-year period, according to Cohen & Steers, actively managed REIT investors realized an annualized 10.6% return. Of the other active strategies, opportunistic real estate funds placed second, at 9.8%. Core and value-added funds had average annualized returns of 6.5% and 5.6%, respectively, over 15 years.

How much does it take to make $1000 a month in dividends? ›

Dividend investing can be a way to build a nest egg and let your money work for you. Getting to $1,000 in monthly income means you would have to generate $12,000 in dividends annually. To do that, you must have stocks meeting a few criteria. They have to provide a consistent and stable dividend payment.

That usually comes in quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments. Shares of public companies that split profits with shareholders by paying cash dividends yield between 2% and 6% a year. With that in mind, putting $250,000 into low-yielding dividend stocks or $83,333 into high-yielding shares will get your $500 a month.

Receiving $4,000 per month translates into an annual total of $48,000, excluding the need to pay any income taxes. With a 4% dividend yield, it'd take a required portfolio size of $1.2 million to make that cash flow of $48,000. Of course, having a higher dividend yield would mean less of a required nest egg.

80-20 Rule: At least 80% of a REIT's asset value must be in completed and income-generating real estate, with the remaining 20% able to be invested in riskier assets such as under construction buildings, equity shares, bonds, cash, or under-construction commercial property.

As referenced earlier, you can purchase shares in a REIT that's listed on major stock exchanges. You can also buy shares in a REIT mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF). To do so, you must open a brokerage account. Or, if your workplace retirement plan offers REIT investments, you might invest with that option.

By law, REITs must distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders. This means most dividends investors receive are taxed as ordinary income at their marginal tax rates rather than lower qualified dividend rates. Any profit is subject to capital gains tax when investors sell REIT shares.

The REIT business model involves buying real estate, leasing space in those assets, and collecting tenant rents. These rents generate income, which is paid out to shareholders through dividends. This is the case for REITs that manage real estate assets.

You get steady dividends

Since REITs are legally required to pay out 90% of their annual income as shareholder dividends, they consistently offer some of the highest dividend yields in the stock market. This makes REIT investing a favorite among those looking for a steady stream of income.

While a REIT is still open to public investors, investors may be able to sell their shares back to the REIT. However, this sale usually comes at a discount; leaving only about 70% to 95% of the original value. Once a REIT is closed to the public, REIT companies may not offer early redemptions.

REITs own and finance real estate and pay 90% of their income from rent, interest and capital gains as dividends. While REITs tend to produce reliable income, they are subject to real estate cycles of boom and bust and are also sensitive to interest rate changes.