Real Estate Investment Trusts (A-REITs) – Listed property

An Australian real estate investment trust (A-REIT), or listed property trust, is a unitised portfolio of property assets, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Investors are issued units that can be traded on the ASX through a stockbroker. The assets of a real estate investment trust can include commercial office buildings, industrial properties, retail shopping centres, hotels and/or leisure venues. In addition to different types of real estate, real estate investment trusts may offer diversification through owning assets in different geographic locations.

The benefits of real estate investment trusts (REITs) are that they have the potential to provide investors with returns in the form of capital gains and regular distribution income. They also enable investors to gain exposure to the commercial property market without the requirement to manage the properties themselves.

Some factors to consider when investing in listed property funds include, but aren’t limited to, share market volatility, property valuation metrics, balance sheet fundamentals, cash flow sustainability, tenant demand and supply fundamentals, gearing and interest cover ratios of the fund. You also need to understand the individual properties held by the fund and their characteristics.

Centuria has two listed property trusts: Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX:CIP)  which is included in the S&P/ASX 200 index and Centuria Office REIT (ASX:COF) which is included in the S&P/ASX 300 index.