The Rental Market Rebound: The 5 Largest Apartment REITs to Consider in 2024

Despite a cooling trend in the rental market in 2023, a major downturn was avoided, thanks to factors like solid job growth, high homeownership costs, and demographic shifts. As 2024 approaches, this ongoing stability in the market, coupled with the potential for rent growth, highlights the interesting position of the top five apartment REITs in the current economic landscape.

AvalonBay Communities

AvalonBay Communities AVB, a prominent real estate investment trust (REIT), specializes in developing, acquiring, and managing luxury apartments. With a dividend yield of 3.7%, AvalonBay’s portfolio is centered in high-demand urban and suburban markets, focusing on high-income areas in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Pacific Northwest. The company’s strategy to cater to upscale tenants in regions with high barriers to entry supports its strong and stable dividend yield.

Equity Residential 

Equity Residential EQR, with a dividend yield of 4.4%, is a leading REIT in the residential space, primarily targeting young professionals and millennials in key urban and high-density suburban markets. Operating in cities like New York, Boston, and San Francisco, Equity Residential’s focus on high-quality apartment properties aligns with the trend of urban living, ensuring a consistent demand for its properties and supporting its robust dividend yield.

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Essex Property Trust

Essex Property Trust ESS offers a 3.8% dividend yield and is recognized for its focus on multifamily residential properties, particularly in the West Coast’s lucrative markets. Concentrating on middle to high-income tenants in areas such as Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, Essex benefits from the strong rental market in these regions, driven by the tech industry’s growth and the limited housing supply.

Mid-America Apartment Communities

Mid-America Apartment Communities MAA, with a dividend yield of 4.4%, is a REIT known for its multi family homes spread across the Southeast, Southwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. MAA’s strategy of diversifying across growing urban and suburban areas positions it well to capitalize on regional population and employment growth, underpinning its stable and attractive dividend yield.

UDR, Inc. 

UDR, Inc. UDR stands out with a dividend yield of 4.5%, focusing on urban and suburban apartment communities. Its significant presence in major markets like New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles allows UDR to leverage the high demand and premium pricing in these high-density areas. This strategic market presence helps ensure a steady income stream, supporting UDR’s strong dividend yield.

Another way to invest in residential real estate

Arrived Homes also offers a way for investors to gain exposure to residential real estate. It's an alternative investment platform, backed by Jeff Bezos and Dara Khosrowshahi, that allows individuals to easily invest in real estate by purchasing shares of rental properties. Investors on the platform earn passive income through the rental revenue while waiting for the properties they invest in to appreciate in value over time.

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• Collecting passive income from real estate just got a whole lot simpler. A new real estate fund backed by Dara Khosrowshahi gives you instant access to a diversified portfolio of rental properties, and you only need $100 to get started.

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