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REZ vs USRT
Which ETF would AI Choose? iShares Residential and Multisector Real Estate ETF (REZ) vs. iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT)
Key Takeaways
- REZ is a concentrated, thematic fund spanning roughly 40 holdings focused on residential, healthcare, and self-storage real estate, while USRT holds about 127 names across the broader U.S. equity REIT (real estate investment trust) universe.
- USRT is meaningfully cheaper at a 0.08% expense ratio versus REZ's 0.48%, giving it a structural cost advantage over time.
- REZ carries high single-name concentration, with WELL (Welltower) often exceeding 20% of assets, amplifying idiosyncratic risk relative to USRT's more balanced top-10 weighting.
- USRT offers broader sector exposure, including data centers, industrial, retail, and office REITs, whereas REZ deliberately excludes those areas.
- Both funds are passively managed and share several large healthcare names, but they serve different investor goals: targeted subsector exposure versus diversified core REIT coverage.
- Tickeron AI Verdict: USRT is the favored ticker for its lower cost, broader diversification, and reduced single-stock concentration.
Introduction
Real estate ETFs sit at the intersection of interest-rate sensitivity, income generation, and cyclical growth, making a direct ETF comparison timely as investors weigh sector exposure against the cost and concentration of their vehicle. REZ and USRT are both iShares real estate funds, but they do not compete head-to-head in strategy. USRT is a low-cost, diversified core holding across the U.S. REIT market, while REZ is a narrower thematic bet on residential, healthcare, and self-storage subsectors. Understanding their structural differences helps investors match a fund to their specific goals and risk tolerance.
iShares Residential and Multisector Real Estate ETF (REZ) Overview
REZ is a passively managed fund that seeks to track an index of U.S. residential, healthcare, and self-storage real estate equities. It holds approximately 40 positions, giving it a focused, thematic profile rather than broad market coverage. Its largest allocation is healthcare real estate, followed by residential and specialized (self-storage) REITs.
Concentration is a defining feature. WELL (Welltower), a healthcare REIT, typically represents more than 20% of the fund, followed by PSA (Public Storage), VTR (Ventas), and other apartment, senior-housing, and self-storage operators. This tilt means REZ's fund performance is heavily driven by the healthcare and residential property cycle. The expense ratio is 0.48%, reflecting its more specialized mandate. Its smaller holdings count and higher single-name weights elevate both the upside and downside potential relative to diversified peers.
iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT) Overview
USRT is a passively managed core fund tracking the FTSE Nareit Equity REITs 40 Act Capped Index, which measures U.S.-listed equity REITs while excluding mortgage, timber, and infrastructure REITs. With roughly 127 holdings, it provides broad exposure across the real estate spectrum, including specialized (data centers), industrial, healthcare, retail, residential, and office REITs.
Its largest positions include WELL (Welltower), PLD (Prologis), EQIX (Equinix), SPG (Simon Property Group), and DLR (Digital Realty). Because no single holding approaches REZ's level of concentration, USRT spreads risk more evenly across sectors and issuers. Its expense ratio of just 0.08% positions it as a low-cost building block for broad U.S. real estate allocation, and its larger asset base generally supports tighter trading spreads and strong liquidity.
Industry and Thematic Backdrop
U.S. REITs remain highly sensitive to the interest-rate environment, since rising financing costs compress property valuations and squeeze distributable cash flow. Healthcare and senior-housing names, central to both funds, benefit from demographic tailwinds such as an aging population and rising occupancy in assisted-living and medical-office facilities. Self-storage and residential REITs, core to REZ, are supported by structural housing affordability constraints that keep rental demand firm.
Broader REIT segments held by USRT, such as data centers and industrial logistics, are driven by cloud computing, artificial-intelligence infrastructure demand, and e-commerce supply-chain buildouts. Retail and office REITs, by contrast, face uneven fundamentals. These divergent drivers mean the two funds' relative positioning shifts with macro conditions: REZ leans on healthcare and housing themes, while USRT captures a fuller economic and technology-linked real estate cycle.
Performance and Positioning Comparison
In recent months and market cycles, REZ and USRT have often moved in tandem given shared holdings such as WELL and PSA, but their breadth creates meaningful divergence. REZ's concentrated healthcare and residential tilt can amplify gains when those subsectors outperform, yet its heavy WELL weighting makes its relative positioning more volatile and less diversified.
USRT, by spreading exposure across data centers, industrial, and retail names, tends to exhibit more balanced risk across sector rotations. When technology-driven REITs rally on cloud and AI demand, USRT captures that upside that REZ structurally excludes. Conversely, during periods when healthcare and housing lead, REZ can shine. Over longer horizons, the cost gap between the two funds compounds in USRT's favor, reinforcing its appeal as a diversified core position.
AI Screener
Tickeron's AI Screener is an AI-powered stock and ETF discovery tool that helps traders and investors filter the market based on technical patterns, fundamentals, trends, volatility, and AI-driven signals. Users can scan thousands of stocks and ETFs using customizable filters such as industry, market capitalization, technical indicators, price patterns, and performance metrics. The screener helps identify trade ideas, trending stocks, breakout candidates, and market opportunities more efficiently than manual screening. Explore the AI Screener to refine your own ETF comparison and discovery process.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable structural factors, Tickeron's AI would likely favor USRT over REZ. Its materially lower expense ratio (0.08% versus 0.48%), broader diversification across roughly 127 holdings, and reduced single-stock concentration give it a more resilient risk profile. While REZ offers compelling thematic exposure to healthcare and residential real estate, that focus introduces idiosyncratic risk that is less efficiently rewarded over full market cycles. For most investors seeking diversified, cost-efficient sector exposure, USRT represents the stronger structural choice, though conviction in specific subsector momentum could justify a tactical tilt toward REZ.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is REZ is a Hold and USRT is a Buy.
REZ in -1.43% downward trend, falling for three consecutive days on November 12, 2026
Moving lower for three straight days is viewed as a bearish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future declines. Considering data from situations where REZ declined for three days, in 242 of 287 cases, the price declined further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 84%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for REZ moved out of overbought territory on November 05, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 31 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 25 of the 31 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 81%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 53 of 66 cases where REZ's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 80%.
REZ broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 04, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 15, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on REZ as a result. In 64 of 76 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 84%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for REZ just turned positive on October 12, 2026. Looking at past instances where REZ's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 46 of 51 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
REZ moved above its 50-day moving average on October 30, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for REZ crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on November 02, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 22 of 25 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 88%.
Following a +3.43% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where REZ advanced for three days, in 267 of 311 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 86%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 219 of 281 cases where REZ Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 78%.
USRT's MACD Histogram just turned positive
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for USRT turned positive on October 09, 2026. Looking at past instances where USRT's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 42 of 45 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 15, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on USRT as a result. In 67 of 84 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 80%.
USRT moved above its 50-day moving average on October 29, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for USRT crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on November 03, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 16 of 17 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
Following a +2.99% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where USRT advanced for three days, in 261 of 312 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 84%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 248 of 310 cases where USRT Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 80%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for USRT moved out of overbought territory on November 05, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 24 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 22 of the 24 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 90%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 51 of 68 cases where USRT's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 75%.
The 50-day moving average for USRT moved below the 200-day moving average on November 04, 2026. This could be a long-term bearish signal for the stock as the stock shifts to an downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where USRT declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 82%.
USRT broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 04, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
| REZ | USRT | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 81% | 3 days ago 90% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 80% | 3 days ago 75% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 84% | 3 days ago 80% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 90% | 6 days ago 90% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 82% | 3 days ago 84% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 84% | 3 days ago 82% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 12 days ago 86% | 12 days ago 84% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 84% | 3 days ago 82% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 83% | 3 days ago 84% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 78% | 3 days ago 80% |
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