What is a real estate investment trust (REIT)?

@richie 

A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a company that owns, operates, or finances income-generating real estate assets. REITs are designed to give individuals the opportunity to invest in large-scale, income-producing real estate properties, such as office buildings, shopping malls, apartments, hotels, and industrial facilities.

REITs can be publicly traded on stock exchanges, allowing investors to buy and sell shares like any other publicly traded stock. They are structured as trusts and are required by law to distribute a significant portion of their taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends.

By investing in a REIT, individuals can access real estate markets and potentially earn regular income through dividends, as well as benefit from the potential capital appreciation of the underlying real estate assets. REITs provide a way for investors to diversify their portfolios and participate in the real estate market without directly owning or managing properties themselves.