ETFs GQRE vs. REET: Real Estate Rivals Face-Off

Dear Diary,

Units of Cryptocurrency Lost: 12. Hours Spent Watching Charts: 9. Number of Panicked Texts to Friends: 24. Today, I attempted to decode GQRE and REET like they were my horoscope. Here’s what happened:

Morning Reflections (Cost & Size)

Metric GQRE REET
Issuer FlexShares (fancy, but slightly neurotic) iShares (the calm older sibling)
Expense ratio 0.45% (a daily latte habit) 0.14% (a reusable coffee filter)
1-yr return 7.08% (modest glow-up) 6.65% (slow and steady)
Dividend yield 4.66% (generous aunt) 3.62% (frugal cousin)
Beta 0.96 (slightly clingy) 0.97 (mildly codependent)
AUM $342.55M (artisanal boutique) $4.33B (Amazon-level warehouse)

*Beta measures how much they cling to the S&P 500. GQRE costs three times more than REET, but pays dividends like it’s trying to apologize for something.

Performance & Risk: The Drama Unfolds

Metric GQRE REET
Max drawdown (5y) -35.08% (wardrobe malfunction) -32.09% (mild fashion faux pas)
Growth of $1k (5y) $1,032 (survivor) $1,053 (steady Eddie)

What’s Inside? A Tale of Two Portfolios

REET (born 2014) is the real estate ETF equivalent of a 401(k) statement – 377 holdings, including WELL, PLD, and EQIX. Together they’re like a real estate Avengers squad (minus the spandex).

GQRE (2013 vintage) plays hard to get with only 150 holdings. Its top trio: AMT, DLR, PSA. They’re the “quality” assets Northern Trust handpicked using algorithms that apparently sniff out profitability like truffle pigs.

Investor’s Diary: Panic & Possibility

Dear Diary, GQRE’s strategy works like a charm! Despite real estate being as stable as a wobbly coffee table, it’s outperformed REET in both 12-month and 5-year spans. Since inception, it’s up 20% vs. REET’s 0.68% – which is technically positive, but barely.

Yet… GQRE costs more than REET. It’s like choosing between a designer handbag and a practical tote. If you’re fancy-free with fees and crave concentrated exposure, GQRE’s your gal. But if you want broad market coverage without breaking the piggy bank, REET’s your BFF.

Life Lessons from the ETF Trenches

ETF: A group date with stocks.
Expense ratio: The fund’s “cover charge”.
REIT: Real estate without the leaky roof.
Max drawdown: The investment equivalent of a bad hair day.
Emerging markets: Where your portfolio goes to get a tattoo.

Moral of the story? Invest like you’re choosing between Netflix subscriptions – know what you’re paying for, but don’t overthink it. 📈

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2026-01-10 23:17