In recent years, U.S. equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) have grown their interests in real property outside the United States, and both opportunities and challenges are associated with such expansion, according to Fitch Ratings in a new special report. Fitch-rated equity REITs owned over $8 billion in properties in international markets as of March 31, 2007, compared to less than $2 billion five years earlier, according to Fitch estimates. As REITs continue to evaluate overseas acquisition and development opportunities, they will need to carefully weigh numerous factors, according to Fitch.
