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 roof having two slopes on each side. The second slope is longer than the first part of the roof and extremely steep. ...
revising the terms of a loan such as when the borrower is experiencing severe financial difficulties. For example, a homeowner lost his job and seeks relief by requesting the lender ...
Economic principle determining the market prices of goods, services, and property. The principle states there is a pricing relationship between supply and demand for real property. Economic ...
A closed-end mortgage is a mortgage in which the collateralized property cannot be used as security for another loan. See also open-end mortgage for a better understanding of the ...
federal law protecting someone in active service from bank foreclosure of their property that was bought before entering the armed services. ...
People say time is money. The old-age cliche applies more than ever in our case as we define what the Time Value of Money (TVM) means. You’ll find the term time value for money ...
Substituting one party for another in an action giving that party full rights or claims. Foe example, an insurance company pays the insured for a fire loss caused to the home by a third ...
Process of the borrower giving the lender security to obtain the loan. ...
Nationwide group of independent real estate brokers who cooperate together and share information regarding clients who are seeking to relocate from one area of the country to another. The ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.