Retirement changes the way you invest; once the salary stops, the maths flips. You need cash arriving in your account, reliably, without having to sell a slice of your portfolio every time a bill lands. That’s exactly what Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are built to do: own income-producing properties and pay out a substantial part of rental income to you. The catch is choosing ones that keep paying through every part of the cycle, rain or shine.

Why REITs Are Popular Retirement Investments

The appeal is simple: REITs pay out most of their rental income, delivering regular cash without requiring you to sell anything. You gain exposure to commercial property – malls, offices, hospitals and data centres – without managing them. This provides income diversified across sectors and geographies, alongside potential capital appreciation. However, this only holds if you select quality REITs with good distribution per unit (DPU) track records, high occupancy, conservative gearing, and sensible capital allocation....