Top Singapore REITs in my core portfolio (and the risks that matter!)

When people hear the term “core portfolio,” it’s easy to assume that it simply means the biggest names, the most well-known tickers, or whatever sits at the top of an index. But for an income-oriented investor, I think “core” should mean something more deliberate than size or popularity. For me, a core interest is something I’m willing to live with through multiple interest rate cycles, real estate cycles and economic slowdowns. These are the parts of the portfolio that will inevitably be tested during periods when headlines turn negative, sentiment weakens and distributions come under pressure – because that’s just how markets behave over time. In other words, core investments are not the REITs that look the most exciting in a good year. It’s the REITs that still make sense if the year isn’t good – and where there is a reasonable basis to expect that, when conditions normalize, the underlying business can bounce back without the need for a whole new thesis. The latter is more important than it sounds. Bad years happen. Benefits may level off or decrease. Prices may fall. What defines a core business is not whether these periods are avoided entirely, but whether the fundamentals remain intact enough that recovery is a process of time and execution, not reinvention. In this video, I want to walk through the small group of Singapore-listed REITs that make up what I consider my core REIT portfolio. I won’t focus on which one is the “best”, or which one has the highest yield at any given time. Instead, the focus is on why certain REITs continue to make sense as a long-term income base – even when the environment is less forgiving. Along the way I will also be explicit about the risks. Core doesn’t mean risk-free, and pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone. The goal is to understand where the pressure points are, why they matter, and why — in some cases — they still don’t disqualify a REIT from playing a core role in a diversified income portfolio. As always, I would like to remind you that this video is for informational purposes only and not financial advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. I own some of the REITs discussed, but what works for me may not work for you. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (SGX: C38U) Parkway Life REIT (SGX: C2PU) CapitaLand Ascott Trust (SGX: HMN) Mapletree Industrial Trust (SGX: ME8U) CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (SGX: A17U) Keppel DC REIT (SGX: AJBU)…