3 Super-Reliable Real Estate Stocks to Buy and Hold for Passive Income

Core Insights - The article highlights three reliable dividend-paying REITs: Essex Property Trust, Federal Realty Investment Trust, and Realty Income, emphasizing their strong track records in generating passive income from real estate investments [2][15]. Essex Property Trust - Essex Property Trust is a residential REIT focused on the West Coast, benefiting from high housing demand and occupancy rates, which drives steady rent growth [4]. - Over the past 20 years, Essex's same-property net operating income has grown by 126%, significantly outpacing the 103% average growth rate of its multifamily REIT peers [5]. - Essex has increased its dividend by 216% over the same period, compared to a 97% average for its peers, and has raised its dividend for 31 consecutive years by a cumulative 516% [6]. - The company maintains a conservative dividend payout ratio and a strong balance sheet, allowing for continued investment in its portfolio [7]. Federal Realty Investment Trust - Federal Realty is a retail REIT that focuses on high-quality mixed-use properties in affluent metro markets, emphasizing quality over quantity [8]. - Since 2005, Federal Realty has increased its FFO per share by over 134%, while larger peers have shown significantly lower growth rates [9]. - The company has maintained its dividend for 58 consecutive years, supported by a strategy of recycling capital to invest in higher-quality properties [10][11]. Realty Income - Realty Income aims to provide dependable monthly dividends, having increased its payment 131 times since its public listing in 1994, with a record of 111 consecutive quarters of dividend increases [12]. - The REIT focuses on properties that generate stable rental income, secured by long-term net leases with leading companies, particularly in resilient industries [13]. - Realty Income's adjusted FFO per share has grown at a rate of over 5% annually, supporting a compound annual dividend growth of 4.2% [14].