Short answer：REIT investors hold trust units rather than directly owning a particular property. Management, trading, leverage, distributions and control differ, and both approaches can lose value.
Review the vehicle
Read portfolio, tenants, borrowing, fees, valuations and distribution policy. Listed prices can differ from net asset value, and distribution yield is neither total return nor a future guarantee.
Compare consistently
Direct ownership brings particular use and management rights alongside transaction, tenancy and repair work. Compare the same horizon, currency and leverage and consider partial-sale options and costs.
Before deciding
- Read formal product and issuer documents
- Separate distributions from price changes
- Do not equate listing with cost-free immediate exit
Sources and method
Sources support the specific rules described. Checklists and hypothetical calculations are editorial explanations, not measured market results or individual approvals.
Revision：Removed unsupported experience, case outcomes and statistics; corrected the topic-specific rules and limitations described above.
Scope：General information only, not personalised legal, tax, immigration, admissions or investment advice.