American Homes 4 Rent vs. Essex Property Trust: Which Real Estate Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares two residential REITs: American Homes 4 Rent, which focuses on single-family rentals in the Sunbelt and Midwest, and Essex Property Trust, which operates multifamily apartments in supply-constrained West Coast markets. While both offer similar dividend yields (~3.7-4%), Essex Property Trust is recommended as the better buy due to its higher dividend per share ($10.36 vs $1.32), 32-year dividend growth history, stronger core FFO per share, and higher net margins (35% vs 27%), despite trading at a valuation premium.

06/14/2026, 12:19 PM • The Motley Fool

AvalonBay, Equity Residential Merge To Create $50B Real-Estate Giant

AvalonBay Communities and Equity Residential have approved a $50 billion merger to create a real-estate giant owning over 180,000 rental apartments. AvalonBay shareholders will receive 2.793 EQR shares per AVB share, owning 51.2% of the combined company. The deal is expected to generate $2 billion in annual cash flow with projected net synergies of $125 million, and will be led by AvalonBay's CEO Benjamin Schall.

05/21/2026, 2:20 PM • Benzinga

Why One Real Estate Fund Made a $5 Million Bet on InvenTrust Properties Despite the Stock Lagging the S&P 500

Waterfall Asset Management invested $4.97 million in InvenTrust Properties (IVT), acquiring 164,962 shares as a new position. Despite underperforming the S&P 500 (up 13% vs. 30%), the grocery-anchored retail REIT in Sun Belt markets demonstrates strong fundamentals with 96.4% occupancy, 10.5% lease spreads, and solid liquidity, attracting value-focused investors seeking stable cash flows.

05/10/2026, 1:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Waterfall Asset Management Takes Stake in National Storage Affiliates as Higher Rates Reshape REIT Growth

Waterfall Asset Management has initiated a new position in National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA), purchasing 297,700 shares valued at $8.42 million. The investment comes as the self-storage REIT sector faces headwinds from cooling rent growth post-pandemic and elevated borrowing costs, making acquisition-driven growth more challenging.

02/28/2026, 7:35 PM • The Motley Fool

If You'd Invested $1,000 in AvalonBay Communities (AVB) 5 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today

An investment of $1,000 in AvalonBay Communities five years ago would now be worth $1,490, representing an 8.3% average annual total return, driven by recovery in coastal rental markets and expansion into Sun Belt growth regions.

08/22/2025, 5:17 AM • The Motley Fool

AvalonBay (AVB) Q2 Core FFO Jumps 1.8%

AvalonBay Communities reported strong Q2 2025 earnings, with Core FFO per share of $2.82, exceeding analyst expectations. The company saw residential revenue growth of 3.0% and continued strategic development in high-demand U.S. metro regions.

08/01/2025, 9:19 PM • The Motley Fool