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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: My wife and I, retirees, are considering adding a real estate ETF to our portfolio, to hold in TFSAs. You commented that ZRE has an equal weighting in REITS and is more diversified than XRE (that has a 30% weighting in RioCan and H&R). ZRE has a slightly higher distribution % that appeals. My question is on safety of capital. I perceive Rio Can and H&R to be high quality REITs versus say an Artis or Cominar that have a higher weighting in XRE. Which of the two ETFs would you consider safer, or is it a coin toss between the two? Thank you for your comments
Read Answer Asked by Edward on May 17, 2017
Q: REITS

My question concerns the viability at all of having REITS in an income portfolio. A Reit does not pay tax at the corporate level as long as their distribute the income to unit holders. Consequently the dividend tax credit does not apply.

Is a REIT therefore like a bond issued by a real estate company with the added tie in to the real estate market valuations ?

Would an income investor not be better off to simply buy a preferred stock from a real estate company that offers an attractive yield?

Thanks

Paul
Read Answer Asked by paul on December 05, 2016
Q: I own ZRE for my real estate exposure, and I note that you hold ZRE in your income portfolio. Would it not be preferable to hold 2-3 actual REITS and skip the MER of 0.61? Do you think this is significantly riskier than just holding ZRE? If I were to switch from ZRE to individual REITs, how many should I switch into, and which ones would you recommend? I am looking to hold longterm. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Walter on November 23, 2016
Q: I wanted a quick opinion on the nature of these two ETF's, does ZPR hedge ZRE with interest rates? What I mean is that if interest rates rise ZPR should rise and ZRE should decline and vice versa? Looking long term the interest rate effect will balance out with growth of the companies within ZRE and ZPR should be higher with higher payouts as the preferreds reset?
Read Answer Asked by Nino on November 18, 2016
Q: My question is about REITs in general. When I hear of management disposing of non-core investment properties I usually cringe as I feel like the buying and selling is just churning and move from one thing to the next while pay themselves finders fees and all the 3rd party fees for buying and selling. Why can't REITs have a strategy to buy and hold or is this a too simple a strategy in practice?
Read Answer Asked by Eugene on November 04, 2016
Q: Hello 5i team,

Which ETF is best suited for a long term hold (30 yrs) in a TFSA that will be DRIPPED and contributed to annually. I like the equal weight positions of ZRE but with a higher MER of .61% over the long term it seems the fee's could really start corroding my capital. VRE is the cheapest but also has the smallest yield and is market cap weighted. Is it possible BMO could lower these fee's in the future to stay competitive? I would eventually like to draw income from the holding.

Always appreciate the you insights
Read Answer Asked by Keith on October 13, 2016
Q: Your thoughts on a portfolio in a non registered account consisting simply of these 3 etf's (ZRE,ZPR,ZDV) to hold forever. Dividends received put into VIG.US, I'm 45 years old, I have no mortgage and no debts looking to borrow and bring my accounts to 100k for each of these 3 etf's totalling 300k, in retirement will use only dividends. (This would act as my deferred annuity but I get to keep my money) is my thinking clear?
Read Answer Asked by Nino on September 27, 2016
Q: I have no REITS in my portfolio and since I do my own taxes I like to keep things simple and did read that it better to hold REITS in an RRSP account if you don't want to be bother with return on capital, etc. I am wondering if I have no room in my RRSP would it be okay to put in my TFSA? I am looking at ZRE and XRE which one you prefer and CSH.UN or is just one index fund good enough.

Thanks
Dolores
Read Answer Asked on September 27, 2016
Q: I have nice paper capital gains in ZRE,FTS and T and the MacD is telling me to sell all 3 securities. I don't want to stand by and watch the paper profit disappear although I am getting a nice yield. What is the proper way to manage this situation? Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Richard on September 13, 2016
Q: Saw your suggestion for CPD, XHY, ZRE for dividend income and wondered what would drive each of these securities price performance given that their overall return will be a mixture of price appreciation/depreciation as well as yield and each has a significantly different price history. I'm not planning to blend as I think you should know what drives each investment. I also saw your two notes on CPD so what I think I need is an overview of the relevant price drivers please. Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Mike on August 19, 2016
Q: Hi 5i Team, at 63 I know I should be in Bonds........but can't get myself to, especially if they go Negative. Hence, I'm looking for 1 or 2 good companies that pay a good/safe dividend. CHR pays almost 7%, and their Air Canada contract is good until 2025, so low risk of the dividing slumping & using the Rule of 72, my $ should double in 10 years. Can you please comment &/or offer an alternative? Thanks!:)
Read Answer Asked by Austin on August 05, 2016
Q: Like others, I hold a number of REITs, mainly for income. I'm increasingly concerned how the value of these would be effected when Canadian real estate corrects.

I'd like to know how much would you expect the price of REITs (in general, ofcourse) to change if there is a hard landing for real estate in Canada (say a correction of 30%). Perhaps an estimate with respect to Industrial, Commercial and Apartment style REITs.
Read Answer Asked by Cameron on June 21, 2016
Q: I read with interest your recent article in the Post and was intrigued by the comment that research shows 90% of portfolio returns come from sector allocation - if a person wanted to take advantage of that, in a simple, easy to manage and inexpensive way (ignoring taxes for the moment) what would be your view be on an approach where one's equity component of their portfolio consisted entirely of a number of ETF's with each one of the ETF's focused on a particular sector, with a periodic (say quarterly) rebalancing? What specific ETF's would you suggest for such a portfolio? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by RICHARD on May 20, 2016
Q: I understand that some individual reits are considered 'fully valued' on a P/E basis - based on historical 'norms'

question: looking at ZRE can you provide a 'rough' calc on the overall P/E with an eye to whether you feel it is at, near or over its traditional long term valuation range

or, more importantly, based on metrics you (5I) would use, what is your currently concern about reit valuations?

thank you in advance
Read Answer Asked by Robert on May 18, 2016
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