This is an investment decision that you have to decide on yourself. Reason being:
1) Those that already invested and holding on to their REITs would of course hope it pans out and will say its a good investment
2) Those that have not enter and already dispose off their REITs will say the REITs has reached its maximum value and will fall from here on.

You only need these facts:
1) Increase of assessment rates no doubt will be a concern, but if the building has value, this will not affect much
2) REITs will give you consistent dividends but can be reduced if the market is not favorable. Check the industry type of these REITs and you can read about them in economical books. All economic cycles are similar
3) In the end there are always risk, that's why it is called investment. Market sentiment can be affected by investors' perception, crashes can come if suddenly some scandals broke out etc. These factors can't be predicted only can be mitigated.

You just have to trust on your judgement after looking at all these factors. That's the best you can do and if you're confident, you can proceed to invest. Basically all REITs in MY is more or less the same. Just read their DY history.
Good luck.

This post has been edited by funnybone: Dec 3 2013, 03:05 PM

I have interest in every forums in Lowyat. Only got banned once in Girls Club

Well, my style of posting will change in different forums. Don't think I can post "I have REITs in my portfolio and I'm still single" here

I do value your input but what I'm trying to show is sometimes no matter how sound your research or monitoring there are bounds to be some factors that are beyond our control. Just for a simple example, if suddenly there is a scandal of the building materials being used for a particular REIT's buildings and there are cracks being formed. What do you think will happen to the REIT's price overnight? Companies can fall overnight from what we seen in real life examples like Enron, Worldcom and even banks that are considered one of the safest haven to invest in.

Actually I was the one that say banks are one of the safest havens. It was a general perception then before the banks actually start to fall. This is the investors' perception I was refering to and you're absolutely right, risk does change every now and then. That is why the investor's perception will change in concurence.

As a general investor and not sitting on the board, how are we to assess that the reports are of true and fair view and there are no window dressing involved? In addition being signed off from a reputable audit firm? No matter how well verse we are in finance or accounting, I will not be able to detect fraud if I'm not in possession of the accounting records and internal documents and contracts as the auditors did. The auditors do have to absord a bigger portion of the blame. That's how Arthur Andersen fell.

You're absolutely right again to say not all companies fall because of natural disasters. I don't believe I say that as well. The example I made is through corruption of using substandard building materials, which is man made.

Well, I've also made up my mind and the fear of building may crack is out of the window. That's why I'm investing in REITs

Yes agreed. That is why REITs is the safest from accounting window dressing based on the rules have to provide a big portion of the profits to shareholders. Have been studying REITs concept for quite sometime before decided to go in

Am just gonna live with it. Keep on compiling if the price falls further. No point having sleepless night thinking of what could have been. Besides REITs are shareholdings. Will increase in price during the next boom cycle. Indirectly will increase dividend yields also.

Yea......don't have to use much money for living expenses

I concur consulting is the best business. No capital holdings, cash flow liquid and no huge storage space required. Can just rent a prison-cell size office and sell service from there

Gonna stop looking at shareholding reports now. My capital gain and losses in REITs now break even. Better to watch TV series

A no brainer for me actually. I cannot buy stocks in companies that sell "sins". Karma issue. If not would have sapu btoto and genting already

This post has been edited by funnybone: Dec 13 2013, 04:49 PM

Nope. Karma lah brother...muslim don't preach karma

Yes. Agree. With RM6K free cash per mth, you need a gross salary around 25K/mth, unless no commitments on house loans, car loans, insurance and monthly bills & expenses

Single ppl also got expenses lah bro

That's for contract staff. Agree

Call me sentimental. But I keep on pumping into SUNREIT now coz that's the first REITs I bought when I started out

Didn'y realize that STAREIT is now known as YTLREIT....thought I was given a gift stock when I look at my portfolio today

Concentrate your bullet on SUNREIT

Let's put it this way. If tomorrow SUNREIT closes shop, I'll need to sell my (_|_)