Commercial real estate is able to find its footing again since interest rates are hovering near recent lows. The demand is being led by multifamily apartment demand, self-storage and even some strength in regional malls. Per CNBC:
Stock exchange-listed U.S. equity real estate investment trusts were up 16.25 percent, with a dividend yield of 3.52 percent, in the first half of 2014, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts. These results compare to the S&P 500 index first-half 2014 total return of 7.14 percent and a dividend yield of 2 percent.
"The outperformance compared to the S&P 500 index came from REIT sectors representing a broad range of U.S. economic activity, and was supported by good supply and demand balance in commercial real estate markets around the country," said NAREIT President and CEO Steven A. Wechsler.