Real Estate ETF Guide: Global Funds Outpace U.S. Peers Over the Past Year

Overview

• Several international and global funds posted stronger trailing one‑year returns and higher yields than U.S.-only peers, led by HAUZ (19.6% one‑year return, 4.0% yield) and VNQI (18.2%, 4.3%).
• Fee differences are meaningful for long‑term results, with low‑cost options like HAUZ at 0.10% and VNQI at 0.12% contrasted with RWX at 0.59%.
• Portfolio concentration varies sharply: ICF holds about 30 U.S. REITs, while broader funds such as REET (around 325 holdings) and VNQI (about 682) spread risk across many names and regions.
• Scale and liquidity diverge, as VNQ leads the category with $69.6 billion in assets and a 0.13% fee, whereas RWX remains far smaller near $310 million.
• A timely operational note flagged ICF’s March 17, 2026 ex‑dividend date, and the reviews reiterate that industrial and data‑center REITs have recently outperformed office and retail.