REITs in the U.S. were established by Congress in 1960 to democratize investments in real estate. On February 17, 2011 a resolution was introduced and passed unanimously with the following title:
Recognizes the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the law that created real estate investment trusts (REITs) and the enhanced opportunities for investment and retirement security that have been afforded to Americans from all walks of life as a result of this law. -S.RES.60
The statement above is true, but it isn’t the whole story. Far from it actually. While almost anyone can invest in publicly traded REITs, the community is small and while publicly traded REITs share all the information required of them the story of REITs in America is still unfolding.
The best part about publicly traded REITs is that anyone with a few hundred dollars can be in an industry that was once limited to the ultra-rich. Many of us work, shop, eat or even sleep in buildings owned by REITs, which means it could be owned, in part, by the person standing next to you. -The Complete Guide to Investing in REITs
At REIT Media we take REITs seriously, but we don’t take ourselves or the stodgy press releases generated by the investment class too seriously. REITs can be fun and financially rewarding. More participation is required by ordinary investors. REIT Media is here to challenge REIT management, their investor relations departments and the individual investors to be smart about owning shares in America’s built environment.