At a glance
REET charges 0.14% a year, below the 0.2% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 4th cheapest of 9). It has $5.13B in assets, the 2nd largest of that group; it paid 3.6% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +4.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 5th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +13.5% a year. At its worst it fell 44.5% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 31.1% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 14 months and 40 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 41.6% of the fund, out of 343 in all.
The short version
The iShares Global REIT ETF (REET) is a BlackRock index fund. It tracks the FTSE EPRA Nareit Global REITs Index, which holds real estate investment trusts (REITs, companies that own and rent out property) in developed and emerging markets. Its 0.14% expense ratio is below the 0.20% average of similar funds. Even so, about 73% of its assets were in US companies as of July 31, 2026.
Price history
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REET +4.1% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REET official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +8.18% | — | +4.24% | +4.01% | — |
| FTSE All World Index Net index, same period | — | +22.62% | — | +11.20% | +11.70% | — |
| FTSEEPRA Nareit Global REITS Index Net index, same period | — | +7.24% | — | +3.45% | +3.18% | — |
| REET price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +7.0% | +4.1% | +13.5% | +1.0% | +4.4% | +4.3% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, REET returned +4.1%, 5th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +1.0% and its 10-year +4.4%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 44.5% and regained its old high 14.3 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-24.1%); its best was 2021 (+32.5%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 44.6% (Feb 14, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020), recovered by Jun 1, 2021.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +7.0% | — |
| 2025 | +8.0% | +8.18% |
| 2024 | +2.6% | +2.40% |
| 2023 | +10.3% | +10.43% |
| 2022 | -24.1% | -23.92% |
| 2021 | +32.5% | +32.25% |
| 2020 | -10.4% | -10.59% |
| 2019 | +24.4% | +23.89% |
| 2018 | -5.2% | -4.89% |
| 2017 | +7.5% | +7.58% |
| 2016 | +5.3% | +6.19% |
| 2015 | +0.6% | — |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 43.9% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 44.5%, back to its old high 14.3 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 31% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 31.1%, back to its old high 40 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.5600 | |
| 2025 | $0.9300 | +8.1% |
| 2024 | $0.8600 | +8.9% |
| 2023 | $0.7900 | +43.6% |
| 2022 | $0.5500 | -43.9% |
| 2021 | $0.9800 | +46.1% |
| 2020 | $0.6707 | -53.7% |
| 2019 | $1.4500 | +7.4% |
| 2018 | $1.3500 | +35.0% |
| 2017 | $1.0000 | -26.5% |
| 2016 | $1.3600 | +52.8% |
| 2015 | $0.8900 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 343 securities; the ten largest made up 41.63% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| WELLTOWER INC. | 8.85% | |
| PROLOGIS, INC. | 7.20% | |
| EQUINIX, INC. | 5.36% | |
| SIMON PROPERTY GROUP, INC. | 3.91% | |
| DIGITAL REALTY TRUST, INC. | 3.64% | |
| REALTY INCOME CORPORATION | 3.18% | |
| PUBLIC STORAGE. | 2.91% | |
| VENTAS, INC. | 2.42% | |
| GOODMAN GROUP Other | 2.22% | |
| IRON MOUNTAIN INCORPORATED | 1.93% | |
| EXTRA SPACE STORAGE INC. | 1.66% | |
| VICI PROPERTIES INC. | 1.53% | |
| AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC. | 1.38% | |
| EQUITY RESIDENTIAL | 1.32% | |
| ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST, INC. | 0.97% |
By country
United States 72.88%Australia 5.92%Japan 4.75%United Kingdom 3.74%Singapore 2.93%By asset type
Stocks 86.18%Other 13.47%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $159.1M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.27%, +2.06%, +2.68%.
How it works
REET follows the FTSE EPRA Nareit Global REITs Index. Its sponsor, FTSE International Limited, decides which companies are in the index and how much each one counts. To qualify, a company must have REIT status, or the local equivalent, in its home country. It must also pass tests for liquidity, size and EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, a rough measure of operating profit). Weights are adjusted for free float, meaning only shares available to the public count, and for limits on foreign ownership. As of April 30, 2026, the index covered countries from the US, Japan and Australia to Brazil, India and Saudi Arabia.
BlackRock Fund Advisors uses "representative sampling." Instead of buying every index member, it buys a sample built to match the index's size, industry, yield and risk profile. The fund must keep at least 80% of its net assets in index components. As of July 31, 2026, it held 343 issuers, and the top 10 made up 41.63% of assets. Welltower led at 8.9%, followed by Prologis at 7.2% and Equinix at 5.4%. Portfolio turnover was a low 5%.
The fund may use derivatives. As of July 31, it held tiny futures positions on Australian and US real estate indexes, plus some cash. It may lend out up to one-third of its assets. It stays concentrated in real estate and does not take defensive positions when markets fall.
What it really costs
- REET charges 0.14% a year, versus an average of 0.2% for the similar funds below (4th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $14 in the first year and $179 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REET | $14 | $45 | $79 | $179 |
In a retirement portfolio
REET adds income-producing property owners from the US and abroad, but its deep past losses suit a supporting slice better than a core position.
REET launched in July 2014, so it has no record from the 2008 financial crisis. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 44.5% in about a month and needed roughly 14 months, until June 1, 2021, to recover. In the 2022 bear market it dropped 31.1% and did not regain its peak until February 11, 2026, about 40 months later. Its worst calendar year was 2022, a loss of 23.92%. Anyone forced to sell shares during stretches like these would lock in losses. Income can soften that: the trailing 12-month yield was 3.6% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. Costs are low. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 would cost about $14 in the first year and $179 over 10 years. Past results don't predict future returns, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want global REITs in a single fund at 0.14% a year, below the 0.20% average of similar funds.
- Income-focused holders comfortable with quarterly payouts that can vary; the trailing 12-month yield was 3.6% as of October 27, 2026.
- Investors adding a real estate slice to a stock portfolio, with holdings such as Welltower, Prologis, Equinix and Australia's Goodman Group.
Look elsewhere if
- Investors after broad stock market growth: the fund averaged 4.01% a year over 10 years, versus 11.7% for the FTSE All World Index, through December 31, 2025.
- Investors who want mostly non-US property: about 73% of assets were in US companies as of July 31, 2026.
- Anyone who may have to sell in a downturn: REET fell 44.5% in 2020 and took about 40 months to recover from its 2022 drop.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REET this fund | — | 0.14% | $5.13B | +4.1% | +13.5% |
| DFGR Dimensional Global Real Estate ETF | 90% | 0.22% | $3.86B | +3.7% | +13.2% |
| RWO SPDR Dow Jones Global Real Estate ETF | 85% | 0.5% | $1.25B | +5.2% | +13.8% |
| AVRE Avantis Real Estate ETF | 85% | 0.17% | $861.1M | +3.5% | +12.6% |
| ERET iShares Environmentally Aware Real Estate E… | 82% | 0.3% | $14.2M | +1.9% | +12.4% |
| USRT iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 73% | 0.08% | $4.66B | +8.5% | +15.9% |
| FREL Fidelity MSCI Real Estate Index ETF | 73% | 0.084% | $1.49B | +3.2% | +13.3% |
| DFAR Dimensional US Real Estate ETF | 71% | 0.19% | $1.78B | +7.6% | +14.0% |
Questions investors ask
Does REET pay monthly dividends?
No. REET pays dividends quarterly, not monthly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $0.94 per share, a trailing yield of 3.6%. The payouts come from the REITs it holds, so they can rise or fall. The prospectus notes that companies are not required to keep paying dividends. Investors who want monthly cash flow would need to plan around a quarterly schedule.
What's the difference between REET and DFGR?
REET and the Dimensional Global Real Estate ETF (DFGR) are very similar. Both hold global real estate stocks, and their holdings overlapped by about 90% in their latest N-PORT reports. REET costs less: 0.14% a year versus 0.22%. It is also larger, with about $5.13 billion in net assets versus $3.86 billion as of July 31, 2026. As of October 27, 2026, REET's 1-year return was 4.1% versus 3.7% for DFGR, and its 3-year annualized return was 13.5% versus 13.2%.
How much of REET is invested in the US?
Most of it. As of July 31, 2026, about 73% of REET's assets were in US companies. Australia made up 5.9%, Japan 4.8% and the UK 3.7%. So the fund is global, but in practice it is heavily tilted toward the US. Investors who want only US REITs may want to compare it with the iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT), at 0.08% a year, or the Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH), at 0.07%.
How much did REET lose in 2022?
REET lost 23.92% in calendar year 2022, according to its prospectus. That was its worst full year. From its peak on January 4, 2022, to its low on October 12, it fell 31.1%. It did not regain that peak until February 11, 2026, about 40 months later. Its worst single quarter came earlier, a 30.17% drop in the three months ending March 31, 2020.
Is REET a good long-term investment?
REET's long-term record is modest. Through December 31, 2025, it averaged 4.24% a year over five years and 4.01% over 10 years. That beat its own index's 3.18% over 10 years, but trailed the broad FTSE All World Index's 11.7%. The fund offers low-cost access to global property owners and quarterly income. It has also had steep, slow-to-recover drops. Whether it fits depends on the role it plays in a wider portfolio.