Dimensional US Real Estate ETF

DFAR

Market cap $1.4B

After a strong August, REITs faded slightly in September (-0.73%), pulling the REIT sector's year-to-date average total return down to (-1.74%). Mid-cap REITs (-0.92%) averaged the lowest total return in September. Large caps (-0.29%), micro caps (-0.79%), and small caps (-0.83%) averaged modestly smaller declines. Only 37.4% of REIT securities had a positive total return in September.

REITs performed very well in August (+5.48%), almost pulling the REIT sector's year-to-date total return back into the black (-1.11%). Small cap (+7.52%) and mid cap REITs (+7.13%) averaged strong gains in August while large caps (+3.16%) and micro caps (+0.87%) averaged more modest returns. 83.87% of REIT securities had a positive total return in August.

After a strong June (+2.56%), the REIT sector recovery stalled in July (-1.17%) as REITs fell to a -6.42% year-to-date return. Micro cap REITs (-0.20%) outperformed in July while mid caps (-1.18%), small caps (-1.33%) and large caps (-1.55%) averaged slightly deeper negative returns. 60.65% of REIT securities had a negative total return in July.

REITs had another month of recovery in June (+2.56% average total return), but despite back-to-back gains remain in negative territory YTD (-5.65%). Micro cap REITs (+7.19%) outperformed for the first time this year in June, while small caps (+2.99%), mid caps (+1.80%) and large caps (+0.03%) saw smaller gains. 63.87% of REIT securities had a positive total return in June.

REITs saw a month of recovery in May (+2.08%), but still have a long way to go to get back into the black in 2025 with an average -7.33% return. Micro cap REITs (-0.73%) continued to struggle, while small caps (+4.28%), mid-caps (+1.83%) and large caps (+0.91%) saw gains. 62.58% of REIT securities had a positive total return in May.

The REIT sector saw another month of red in April (-6.45%) and REITs now average a -9.10% return over the first 4 months of the year. Microcap (-8.87%) and small-cap REITs (-8.69%) endured bigger average losses than mid-caps (-5.45%) and large-caps (-2.93%). 84.62% of REIT securities had a negative total return in April.

REITs finished the first quarter of 2025 in the red (-3.36%) with a brutal -4.92% average total return in March. Large cap (-2.04%) and mid cap REITs (-2.63%) saw modest losses, but small caps (-4.16%) and micro caps (-16.19%) had a particularly bad month. Only 29.49% of REIT securities had a positive total return in March.

REITs bounced back (+1.77%) in February and now have a positive year-to-date total return (+0.79%) after the first two months of the year. Large cap (+4.58%), small cap (+2.00%) and mid cap REITs (+0.98%) performed well in February while micro caps (-1.55%) continued to badly underperform their larger peers. 64.97% of REIT securities had a positive total in February.

After a brutal December (-6.85%), the REIT sector averaged negative total returns again in January (-1.29%). Large cap (+0.30%) and mid cap REITs (+0.09%) averaged small gains in January, whereas small caps (-0.95%) and micro caps (-7.80%) started the year in the red. Only 42.58% of REIT securities had a positive total during the first month of 2025.

The REIT sector bounced back from a rough October with a strong +3.19% average total return in November. Small cap (+4.19%), mid cap (+3.70%), and large cap (+3.39%) REITs averaged gains in November, while micro caps (-0.81%) finished the month in the red. 74.19% of REIT securities had a positive total return in November.