The broad basket of Canadian real estate investment trusts (REITs) has actually been on an impressive run in the past six months, with BMO Equal Weight REITs Index ETF (TSX:ZRE), one of my preferred gauges to check on the Canadian REITs, gaining more than 7%. Undoubtedly, interest rate cuts and the hopes for several more quarter-point reductions have ignited the property plays.
And while I’m not a big fan of chasing newfound momentum in any investment, I think that the latest upside surge could have room to extend over the next 18 months. Indeed, the ZRE is still technically in a bear market, off just over 21% from its early 2022 peak. While I wouldn’t rush into the hottest REITs on strength, I would gather a few names on a watchlist in case they pull back a bit over the near term.
Sure, September, a typically volatile month, is almost over, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to drop one’s guard, especially as valuations swell. Although I wouldn’t be a net seller of stocks or REITs, I would be just a bit more selective going into the fourth quarter, insisting on wider margins of safety because, like it or not, corrections can happen at any moment and they tend to hit by surprise.
Let’s check out two REIT plays that look like a great value right here:
Killam Apartment REIT
Killam Apartment REIT (TSX:KMP.UN) is a relatively small REIT with a $2.2 billion market cap that hasn’t really heated up all too much this year, now up just 3% on the year following the latest correction of its June highs. Indeed, Killam stands out as a smaller, more growth-oriented REIT and one that would surely welcome more rate cuts from the Bank of Canada. Looking ahead, I’d look for the new property pipeline to start moving the needle higher on distribution growth. Indeed, if rates are headed much lower from here, Killam stands out as a REIT that might not take long to make up for lost time.
For a REIT that’s so well-versed in acquiring and developing its portfolio, much lower rates could certainly set the stage for a dream scenario that’d allow the REIT to beef up its growth plans further. In any case, a big chunk of Killam’s properties are in Atlantic Canada, which has been quite a volatile property market in recent years.
Either way, I like the 4.1% yield and the longer-term growth prospects under a capable management team that might be able to make the most of a return to much-lower interest rates.
BMO Equal Weight REITs Index ETF
Perhaps sticking with an equal-weight basket of Canadian REITs is a smart way to go. That way, you’ll be able to achieve instant diversification across a broad range of real estate sub-industries, from residential to retail and even industrial. The ZRE has a bountiful 4.81% yield and is up just shy of 9% year to date.
As always, investors should look at some of the holdings underneath the hood before initiating a position. Within the ZRE, you’ll find many of the big-name REITs that most Canadian investors would be familiar with. From residential REITs, like Killam, to office-heavy REITs and retail REITs, retail investors are getting a lot from this stellar one-stop-shop ETF.
While I appreciate the equal weighting, I wish the management expense ratio, which sits at 0.61%, were a bit lower. Understandably, it’s quite labour-intensive to rebalance to achieve an equal weighting. And since it’s pretty much the only game in town for those seeking equal-weight Canadian REIT exposure, the expense ratio is well worth paying, in my view, considering the effort and commissions it’d take to build a REIT portfolio that’s similar.
Either way, the ZRE is a simple REIT to watch or consider buying gradually over the next year.
