Vanguard Real Estate ETF

VNQ

Market cap $34B

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.

REIT investing can be rewarding but also very punishing. The worst mistake you can make is to ignore the management quality. This is the No. 1 cause for big losses when investing in REITs.

A new trade war threat from President Trump just reshuffled the entire stock market. I discuss what the big gift to dividend investors is. I also share how I am taking advantage of President Trump's gift.

Most investors are excessively focused on short-term results. This often leads to some interesting opportunities to buy the dip. I present 2 of my favorite dividend stocks to buy right now.

The Fed is now cutting interest rates once again. The debt market expects 5-6 additional rate cuts in the next 12 months. This could be a very powerful catalyst for the REIT sector. I explain why.

High-yielding stocks with sustainable cash flows and inflation-beating dividend growth potential are ideal for retirees. They are even more attractive if they have defensive business models. I share several 8%+ yields that all retirees should own, especially after their recent dips.

If you want to protect your portfolio and generate passive income, consider yielding exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Not only do ETFs offer a good deal of diversification, but they can also help lower your overall risk compared to investing in an average security.

If I could only buy 3 REITs, I would stick to blue chips. REITs with fortress balance sheets and exceptional track records. These would be my 3 picks.

The US stock market is highly concentrated, with technology and tech-related stocks now comprising about 55% of total market cap. This concentration justifies higher valuation multiples for SPY, as tech companies have stronger margins and more stable earnings than defensive sectors. There is a stark divergence in performance between speculative tech ETFs like ARKK and CHAT versus defensive dividend ETFs such as SCHD and VNQ.