Demographic shifts have long influenced REIT performance, often acting as early indicators of real estate demand.  In 2025, key demographic trends – including an aging population, migration shifts, affordability constraints, and income disparities – are shaping sector allocations and investment strategies as they have for years.  However, while demographics provide valuable context, we recognize that […]

In December 2024, the Chilton REIT Strategy celebrated its 20th year since being founded by Bruce Garrison in January 2005.  Over this period, the strategy produced an annualized total return of +9.3% gross of fees (+8.5% net of fees), which compared to the MSCI US REIT Index (Bloomberg: RMZ) at +7.0% and the Vanguard Real […]

From January to November, 2024’s REIT market went largely as predicted in the 2024 Chilton REIT Forecast, a welcome feat in the fast-paced modern world, especially given some of the unexpected exogenous economic and political events.  Our forecast of +12% to +16% was higher than any sell-side forecast we saw, and we appreciate the confidence […]

Commercial real estate fills many roles in society and, arguably, none is more essential than feeding the population.  The first thought might be grocery stores, but today’s report dives deeper into the extensive infrastructure and logistics existing between food producers and consumers.  Not only are frozen food sales growing rapidly (estimated 5% compound annual growth […]

Originally created in 1960, the REIT structure’s purpose was to democratize real estate for the masses.  In addition to managing properties, reporting and complying with SEC requirements, and paying dividends from cash flow, they also employ finance, investment, development, and strategic personnel to make decisions that can grow value beyond a steady state portfolio.  In […]

In recent history, e-commerce can be argued as the biggest societal shift to impact commercial real estate.  We’ve detailed the topic in retail outlooks from November 2022 and November 2021, and more recently in our Industrial Outlook from March 2024.  Many expected the surge in online shopping during the pandemic to supercharge the “death of […]

Unfortunately for REIT investors, REIT prices have yet to decouple from movements in long term interest rates – and rates are rising again in 2024 as of April 30.  Because real estate typically generates a steady (and growing) yield, there has historically been a playbook that REIT prices should trade down when rates are rising, […]

In March 2024, the MSCI US REIT Index (RMZ) produced a total return of +2.0%.  The Chilton REIT Composite underperformed the benchmark for the month by producing a total return of +1.7% both gross and net of fees.  Year to date, the Chilton REIT Composite has underperformed the RMZ by producing a total return of […]

2023 could be described as nothing short of a rollercoaster, as shown in Figure 1.  Our 2023 total return forecast of +8% to +12% ended up being too low relative to the actual calendar year total return of +13.7%, in spite of mid-year prices on the MSCI US REIT Index (Bloomberg: RMZ) falling to levels […]

In November 2023, the MSCI US REIT Index (RMZ) produced a total return of +10.4%. The Chilton REIT Composite outperformed the benchmark for the month by producing a total return of +11.2% both gross and net of fees. Year to date, the Chilton REIT Composite has outperformed the RMZ by producing a total return of […]