What Is a REIT?

REITs, or real estate investment trusts, are companies that own or finance income-producing real estate across a range of property sectors. These real estate companies have to meet a number of requirements to qualify as REITs. Most REITs trade on major stock exchanges, and they offer a number of benefits to investors.

A real estate investment trust (“REIT”) is a company that owns, operates or finances income-producing real estate. REITs provide an investment opportunity, like a mutual fund, that makes it possible for everyday Americans—not just Wall Street, banks, and hedge funds—to benefit from valuable real estate, present the opportunity to access dividend-based income and total returns, and help communities grow, thrive, and revitalize.

REITs allow anyone to invest in portfolios of real estate assets the same way they invest in other industries – through the purchase of individual company stock or through a mutual fund or exchange traded fund (ETF). The stockholders of a REIT earn a share of the income produced – without actually having to go out and buy, manage or finance property. Approximately 145 million Americans live in households invested in REITs through their 401(k), IRAs, pension plans, and other investment funds.

What assets do REITs own?

In total, REITs of all types collectively own more than $3.5 trillion in gross assets across the U.S., with stock-exchange listed REITs owning approximately $2.5 trillion in assets, representing more than 500,000 properties. U.S. listed REITs have an equity market capitalization of more than $1 trillion.

REITs invest in a wide scope of real estate property types, including offices, apartment buildings, warehouses, retail centers, medical facilities, data centers, cell towers, infrastructure and hotels. Most REITs focus on a particular property type, but some hold multiples types of properties in their portfolios.

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Guard Against Greed. I have had the pleasure of sharing God’s word concerning financial stewardship for many years. I have witnessed the great good that comes from the blessings that God bestows on us all. Unfortunately, the evil that originates from the lack of good stewardship is profound. I see people divorcing because of money issues. I see dangerous depression because people have allowed themselves to be buried in debt. I have seen greed destroy relationships time and time again. Money isn’t evil, but the love of money is. It creates so many avoidable problems. God knew we were going to struggle with money. God gave us very clear instructions on how to manage money to the point it is the most discussed topic in scripture. I want to focus on Luke 12:15

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

We all have one thing in common. Mortality is 100% we begin to die the day we are born. Regardless of how many possessions we have at our death, we will take nothing with us to our eternal home. Why then do we focus so much on earthly possessions rather than our heavenly treasures? I am a firm believer in that Satan uses money to separate us from God. We must be vigilant and obedient in our stewardship to prevent the mishandling of God’s assets.

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The topic of inflation has been a topic for a couple of weeks now across the news stations as well within the financial markets. We talk about hedging against inflation by investing in certain cyclical and noncyclical sectors. What the public doesn’t discuss is the topic of hedging against politics. Inflation is predictable to a certain extent. What the politicians say or do can be very unpredictable. Most recently, the CDC relaxed mask requirement. You and I both know that was politically driven. If you had the vaccine, you may go without a mask. My wife and I both had the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and we both caught the virus after the fact. You hear that we are following science. That is nonsense. This virus has been political from day one and really became profound during the 2020 election. We see the conflicts rising in the Middle East with Israel and Hamas. The United States is silent, yet still funding those people who are attacking Israel. What are we to do with the bumbling government in regards to our stewardship. The best advice still comes from King Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 11:2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Diversification is still the answer and always will be. While you are diversifying your portfolio, focus on being Biblically Responsible in the process and avoid those companies that support and profit from activities that are contrary to your faith.

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I feel the need to revisit the topic of inflation as is has been all over the news stations this past week. Inflation is simply the value of our dollar is less than what it was previously because the cost of some goods have increased. We have seen the cost of gas increase $1 a gallon in the last 4 months. The cost of lumber has increased 30% in many cases. Real estate prices are skyrocketing. Some medications are at all-time highs. Inflation is basically a tax on everyone, but affects the poor and middle class more than the wealthy. For those that are on a fixed income, inflation is dangerous. As of today, we haven’t seen a response from the Biden administration on how they are going to fight this. The fact is, they are responsible for much of it as printing money causes inflation. There is more money than goods which cause the cost of goods to increase. That is 8th grade economics.  The solution for those of us on the street is complicated. Many will need to cut spending. We made need to travel less, eat out less, reduce our grocery spending. The unfortunate issue is that some people cannot cut anything else from their budget. If you are an investor, it is imperative you speak with an advisor who is knowledgeable on the topic of hedging against inflation. I don’t have a positive outlook on a quick fix to our current inflationary situation. On an individual basis, if you would like to discuss your current financial plan and it’s exposure to inflation, I would be happy to help you. God Bless and please pray for our elected officials .

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A topic that I have not discussed for several years is now a cause for concern again. That topic is inflation. Inflation has been relatively low for several years, but now, it is being monitored closely. We can see inflation in lumber prices, real estate, and gasoline over the last few months among several other items. What is Inflation:

In economics, inflation (or less frequently, price inflation) is a general rise in the price level of an economy over a period of time. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money – a loss of real value in the medium of exchange and unit of account within the economy. The opposite of inflation is deflation, a sustained decrease in the general price level of goods and services. The common measure of inflation is the inflation rate, the annualized percentage change in a general price index, usually the consumer price index, over time.

Inflation is dangerous to those people living on a fixed income, normally retires. One of the very few places to generate income that outpaces inflation is in the equity markets which is a problem for people who have low risk tolerance. The solution can be found many times in diversifying across liquid and illiquid investments such as equities and fixed annuities. Every person’s situation is different and there is not a one size fits all solution. I encourage you to review your personal plan now. You can reach us at 888-226-7614.

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Evolution is happening right in front of us. Evolution of communicating. The Pandemic put this evolution into warp speed. In my opinion, this change in our ability to communicate with one another is destructive. When is the last time you phoned or visited someone on their birthday to wish them well? Did you do as so many choose to do now and send them a text, or maybe a Facebook post? How many of you choose to buy things online, such as car insurance or life insurance because you do not want to deal with a salesman? How many of you manage investment accounts online to avoid dealing with a broker? You make excuses about saving money, but in reality, you just don’t want to talk with someone. My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is unhealthy. We need to interact personally with one another. From a position of being a Financial Planner, I can see the destruction of a person’s good intentions when they attempt to do everything themselves. What actually happens is they leave their estate in disarray at death. Things that a professional could have prevented are now a problem for the loved ones of the deceased. I have seen this time and time again and it’s getting much more frequent. Beneficiaries of an estate coming to me for advice because they are at a loss on how to settle an estate. Many of the issues I see could have been prevented if the deceased had a professional planner in their life in lieu of a customer service representative available at a toll free number in the Philippines call center for an online financial company! You must avoid the trend of avoiding personal contact. People have lost their ability to communicate, have lost their ability to disagree, and have lost their ability to problem solve with other human beings. God gave us the ability to speak with one another, put it to use.

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It’s very common to feel helpless as we watch the world decay around us. We turn on the evening news and see nothing but hate, often driven by the media and political operatives. What do we do as Christians? Is there an option to have a voice against this moral decline? Outside of the obvious answer, which is to pray for our nation, as Christians, we do have a voice. There are approximately 70% of the people in the United States who identify as Christian. What would happen if those 70% took a hard stand and said we will not own a company that utilizes Life Ending Scientific research or supports the abortion industry. I can assure you that things would change. That 70% could have a massive influence on our culture today, but it doesn’t. It has very little influence because people are not living their beliefs. It is no different than a vegetarian eating only beef. Our beliefs dictate our behavior. When a Christian man settles down and watches porn on his computer, is he guided by his Christian beliefs? When we visit the gas station and buy $20 worth of Powerball tickets, are we living our Christian beliefs? When we verbally abuse our spouse and children, are we living by our Christian beliefs? We can make a difference in how this world develops, but until we can individually hold ourselves to be obedient in our Christian lives, it is all a smoke screen with no base.

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One of the largest requirements in our lives is the need of healthcare insurance. I am dismayed at the number of people who think they cannot afford healthcare options. I am not a fan of “ObamaCare”, but it is an option for lower income households as they receive a subsidy to lower the monthly premium. The reality of purchasing healthcare on Healthcare.gov is the ridiculously high deductibles and lack of options. Very few people can afford to cover the deductibles which can be well over $10,000 annually. If you are fortunate enough to have group health insurance through your employer, count your blessings. For those who must purchase healthcare through other avenues, let me make a suggestion. As believers, we have options available through various ministries. To be clear, it is not health insurance, but it is very similar. Each is unique in their options. Deductibles, monthly share costs, pre-existing conditions all vary among plans. The biggest difference I see in the contrast between ObamaCare and Christian Healthcare is the monthly cost. I personally have saved $9000 annually in premium. That difference in premium allows me to pay cash for services rendered at a deep discount. When lined up in a side by side comparison, I am saving approximately $7500 a year for my household. That’s a $625 monthly savings. Christian Healthcare options may or may not be a viable solution for you or your family. The pre-existing condition issue may be the determining factor on what you choose, but it is worth your time to investigate.

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This past weekend I had an opportunity to spend a couple of days at an event for conservatives. As a sponsor of this event, I had a booth with brochures, etc., available for the attendees that discussed Biblically Responsible Investing. Approximately half of those attending the event showed some interest in the topic. Many were intrigued that their investments may be supporting and profiting from activities that are contrary to their faith. The remaining attendees were quick to brush off the conservation with comment that had nothing to do with being a good steward. Many people related were happy with their current investments. Others stated they had a good advisor. These responses were focused on making money, not being an obedient steward. I have seen this attitude anytime we are in a bull market. People have tunnel vision on their statements, not on how the profits were being generated or who the company supports. These issues are alarming and should rattle all of us. Is it ok to invest in a company that uses fetal tissue in their product development as long as the investor is making money? Are could lay out a series of similar questions. The fact is, the steward either cares or doesn’t care. I find it hypocritical that a person cheers for the prolife political agenda, yet holds a myriad of investments that financially support planned parenthood. Can you see the irony? Where we invest and where we spend our money can and does make a difference. I heard people at the event stating they will not use Amazon because Amazon hurts the small business, yet they hold a mutual funds that owns Amazon. It is willful ignorance. If you want to know what you own, I would be happy to screen your current portfolio for you. Book a consultation by calling 888-226-7614.

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When you check into a hotel room for a long weekend or on a week-long vacation, do you make changes to the hotel room? Do you hire a construction crew to replace the shower, put in beautiful marble countertops, replace the carpet with oak flooring, paint the walls a different color, and add a den? Of course you don’t. Why not? Because you are only there for a short while. Why do we do that to our earthly home? Why do we focus on material things in a place where we are here just for a short time? God has entrusted us with blessings of many things that we are to steward. Should we be buying million dollar homes? Should we be buying $400,000 sports cars? Should we be getting plastic surgery? The answer really is between you and God. Are you obedient first to the Kingdom? Are you caring for the sick, the needy, the widows and orphans before your own materialistic needs? Should we not be preparing our heavenly home by storing our treasures in Heaven? I urge you to answer these questions and understand that we are here for a short while, but eternity is forever!

1 Chronicles 29:15 We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.

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