Real Estate ETFs See Longest Inflow Streak Since March 2022 As Investors Jump On The Rate Cut Bandwagon

All the stars seem to be aligned for real estate stocks, setting the stage for a potential structural rebound after years of lackluster performance.

As the economy shows robust growth and inflation continues its downward trend, investors are increasingly optimistic about the Federal Reserve’s anticipated interest rate cuts, sparking renewed enthusiasm for real estate investments.

Investors have channeled significant amount of capital into real estate investment trusts (REITs) in August, speculating on the much-anticipated decline borrowing costs as a factor to revitalize the sector.

Bank of America reports that the bank’s private clients flocked to REIT exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in August, driving the highest weekly inflow since March 2024, with $0.8 billion pouring into these funds, and the longest four-week streak since March 2022.

The top five real estate ETFs have collectively attracted over $2.4 billion last month alone, according to data from TradingView. This amount represents a staggering amount that represents two-thirds of their total inflows for the past year.

Top 5 REIT ETFs Attracted Over $2.4 Billion in August

Here’s a breakdown of the leading ETFs by inflows:

Fund Name	1-Month Inflows (USD)	1-Year Inflows (USD)
iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF	$853.814 million	$1.328 billion
Vanguard Real Estate ETF	$650.912 million	$42.887 million
Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund	$600.587 million	$2.105 billion
SPDR DJ Wilshire REIT ETF	$168.303 million	$129.095 million
iShares Residential and Multisector REIT ETF REZ	$136.758 million	$92.397 million

In terms of market performance, the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund XLRE surged over 4% in August, making it the second-best performing sector behind consumer staples.

Year-to-date, the real estate sector has lagged behind the broader market, trailing the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY by 10 percentage points.

Notably, in the past two months—coinciding with increased expectations for rate cuts in September—real estate stocks have posted a remarkable 14% gain, significantly outpacing the S&P 500’s modest 3% increase during the same period.

Chart: Real Estate Stocks Outperformed Broader Market In Recent Months

Earnings for real estate companies are also beginning to exceed expectations. “At the sector level, the Health Care (86%), Real Estate (84%), and Industrials (82%) sectors had the highest percentages of companies reporting earnings above estimates,” highlighted John Butters, senior earnings analyst at FactSet.

On the data front, there's more good news for U.S. homebuyers as mortgage rates continue their downward trajectory. For the week ending August 23, the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances (up to $766,550) dipped to 6.44% from 6.50%, marking the lowest level since April 2023 and the fourth consecutive week of declines.

Recent economic data has also dispelled fears of an imminent recession. The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3% in the second quarter, surpassing earlier estimates of 2.8% and more than doubling the 1.4% growth recorded in the first quarter. This marks the eighth consecutive quarter of expansion, driven by a significant upward revision in consumer spending.

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