Vanguard Real Estate ETF

VNQ

Market cap $36.3B

This article provides an update on the monthly moving averages we track for the S&P 500 and the Ivy Portfolio after the close of the last business day of the month. The Ivy Portfolio The Ivy Portfolio is based on the asset allocation strategy used by endowment funds from Harvard and Yale.

Smart money is piling into data centers and senior housing. One top activist REIT investor is making contrarian bets. INVH and NHI could be overlooked beneficiaries.

A common misconception is that generating enough dividend income to cover living expenses is all that you need to retire. I detail the three investments that I would use as the foundation of my retirement strategy.

Most investors think you have to choose between high yield and dividend growth. However, this is not always the case. I detail the five non-negotiable criteria for identifying high-yielding stocks that are also elite dividend growers.

REITs are finally rallying after a brutal 5-year bear market. The main bear arguments are now starting to break down. Private equity is already buying before valuations recover.

Apartment REITs benefit from rising mortgage rates and affordability constraints, as more households are forced to rent rather than buy. Supply pressures in multifamily are easing, with construction starts slowing and absorption now exceeding new deliveries, setting up for improved fundamentals. The AVB/EQR merger creates a $50B market cap leader, aiming for scale, cost synergies, and enhanced capital access in a challenging rate environment.

A historic REIT rally may now be starting. The AI disruption trade is pushing capital into REITs. Today's discounted REITs may not stay cheap much longer.

An attractive current yield, consistent dividend growth, and a monthly payout cadence make for an ideal passive income machine for retirement. I detail 2 of my favorite monthly paying dividend growth machines that combine attractive yields with consistently strong dividend growth. I share why they are also attractive in combination, as well as the risks to keep in mind.

Most REITs are not ideal “forever” holdings. A few REITs have rare long-term compounding potential. Three unique landlords could keep growing for decades.

The REIT sector roared back into positive territory after a very brutal March. REITs averaged a remarkable 8.9% April gain and now have a +6.31% year-to-date total return. Small-cap REITs (+11.35%) soared in April as large caps (+9.05%) and mid caps (+8.13%) also saw strong gains. Micro caps (+4.49%) were also in the black but badly lagged. 91.33% of REIT securities had a positive total return in April.