So I picked up this book called Real Estate Investment Trust Investing: The Secret to Passive Income from REITs by Mike Hartley (published 2023), and honestly? It changed how I think about building wealth through real estate.
Alright, let’s get into the actual meat of things. What even is a REIT?
In Real Estate Investment Trust Investing by Mike Hartley, the first chapter lays out the foundation for everything that follows. And it starts with a simple idea: you should be able to invest in real estate the same way you invest in any other business. By buying shares.
Now that you know what REITs are and why they exist, let’s talk about the different flavors they come in.
So you know what REITs are and you know the three types. But there’s another layer to this. Not all REITs are created equal when it comes to how you actually buy and sell them.
Alright, this is the part a lot of you have been waiting for. We’ve covered what REITs are, the different types, and the various ways they’re structured. Now let’s talk about how you actually put your money to work.
OK so you’ve decided you want to invest in REITs. You know the types, you have a brokerage account, and you’re ready to go. But how do you actually pick a good one? You can’t just close your eyes and throw a dart at a list.
Financial statements sound boring. I get it. But here’s the thing: if you’re putting your money into REITs, these documents are literally telling you whether that’s a smart move or a terrible one. You just need to know how to read them.
Every investment has risks. Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something. REITs are no different. They can be fantastic investments, but you need to go in with your eyes open.
So you understand the metrics, you can read financial statements, and you know the risks. Now comes the fun part: actually building a REIT portfolio.
If you’ve been following this series on Mike Hartley’s Real Estate Investment Trust Investing, you already know the basics of how REITs work and how to build a portfolio. But here’s the thing. The REIT world isn’t standing still. Technology is changing everything, global markets are expanding, and economic shifts keep reshaping the landscape. So let’s talk about where REITs are headed.
So we’ve talked a lot about investing in REITs as a way to earn passive income. But have you ever wondered what happens on the other side? Like, how do these buildings actually get built, and what role do REITs play in making that happen? Chapter 10 of Mike Hartley’s book breaks this down, and it’s pretty interesting stuff.
Nobody gets excited about taxes. I get it. But if you’re investing in REITs, understanding how they’re taxed is genuinely important because it directly affects how much money you actually keep. Chapter 11 of Mike Hartley’s book covers this, and I’ll try to make it as painless as possible.
Real estate finance sounds intimidating, but it really comes down to a few core ideas. Chapter 12 of Mike Hartley’s book walks through the fundamentals, and honestly, this is stuff that’s useful whether you’re investing in REITs or just trying to understand how money moves through the real estate world.
I know what you’re thinking. Ethics and corporate governance? That sounds like the most boring chapter in the book. But hear me out. This stuff directly affects whether your REIT investment is safe and whether the company is being run in your interest or someone else’s. Chapter 13 of Mike Hartley’s book makes a strong case for why you should care about this.
So the book ends with a bonus chapter. And honestly, it’s one of the most practical parts of the whole thing. Mike Hartley drops 50 tips for REIT investors, split across five categories with 10 tips each. Think of it as a cheat sheet for everything the book covered.
And that’s a wrap. We’ve gone through every chapter of Real Estate Investment Trust Investing: The Secret to Passive Income from REITs by Mike Hartley (published 2023), and it’s been a ride. Sixteen posts covering everything from “what even is a REIT” to estate planning and ethics. So let me share some final thoughts.