SmarterDividends

SRET vs VNQ: Yield, Cost and Returns Compared

As of Nov 9, 2026, SRET yields more: 9.65% (dividend yield) against 3.56% for VNQ. VNQ is cheaper to own at 0.13% a year vs 0.58%. Over the same 11 years (Mar 2015 to Oct 2026), VNQ returned 5.0% a year with distributions reinvested, and SRET 0.6%.

ComparedSRETVNQ
YieldDividend yield9.65%3.56%
Expense ratio0.58%0.13%
Total return, 1 yr+0.5%+9.3%
Total return, 3 yr (a year)+11.1%+13.2%
Total return, 5 yr (a year)−0.1%+0.9%
Total return, 10 yr (a year)+0.1%+5.5%
Worst drop since Mar 2015-57.1%-32.7%
Share price since Mar 2015−57%+11%
PaysMonthlyQuarterly
IssuerGlobal XVanguard
Assets$199.4M$69.5B
Started20152004
TypeReal EstateReal Estate

Higher yield

SRET

9.65%

Lower cost

VNQ

0.13%

Better total return

VNQ

5.0%/yr

Smaller worst drop

VNQ

-32.7%

Key facts: SRET vs VNQ

Data as of · Source: SmarterDividends data

  • As of Nov 9, 2026, SRET yields 9.65% (dividend yield) and VNQ yields 3.56% (dividend yield).
  • SRET's expense ratio is 0.58% and VNQ's is 0.13%: $58 vs $13 a year on $10,000.
  • From Mar 2015 to Oct 2026, $10,000 in SRET grew to $10,711 (0.6% a year) and $10,000 in VNQ to $17,641 (5.0% a year), distributions reinvested.
  • Their worst month-end drops over that time: -57.1% for SRET and -32.7% for VNQ.
  • 0 of SRET's top ten holdings are also in VNQ's top ten.
Cite this page

SmarterDividends, "SRET vs VNQ: Yield, Cost and Returns Compared," updated Nov 9, 2026, https://smarterdividends.com/compare/sret-vs-vnq

$10,000 in each, Mar 2015 to Oct 2026

Distributions reinvested, month-end values, with the S&P 500 for reference.

SRET became

$10,711

0.6% a year

VNQ became

$17,641

5.0% a year

Try other dates, monthly additions or more tickers →

Year by year

YearSRETVNQ
2025+19.2%+3.2%
2024−1.6%+4.8%
2023+9.9%+11.8%
2022−18.3%−26.2%
2021+14.0%+40.5%
2020−36.6%−4.6%
2019+22.5%+28.9%
2018−5.5%−6.0%
2017+17.9%+4.9%
2016+22.0%+8.6%

Total return each calendar year, distributions reinvested.

Top holdings

No overlap in the top ten.

SRET

  1. APLE Apple Hospitality REIT Inc6.2%
  2. LTC LTC Properties Inc5.1%
  3. HR Healthcare Realty Trust Inc4.5%
  4. OHI Omega Healthcare Investors Inc4.4%
  5. EPR EPR Properties4.4%
  6. SBRA Sabra Health Care REIT Inc4.4%
  7. KRC Kilroy Realty Corp4.2%
  8. GTY Getty Realty Corp4.0%
  9. BNL Broadstone Net Lease Inc Ordinary Shares3.8%
  10. LMP.L LondonMetric Property PLC3.8%

VNQ

  1. VRTPX Vanguard Real Estate II Index14.5%
  2. WELL Welltower Inc9.1%
  3. PLD Prologis Inc6.9%
  4. EQIX Equinix Inc5.7%
  5. AMT American Tower Corp4.3%
  6. SPG Simon Property Group Inc3.7%
  7. DLR Digital Realty Trust Inc3.7%
  8. O Realty Income Corp2.8%
  9. PSA Public Storage2.7%
  10. VMRK Vivmark Residential2.5%

SRET vs VNQ: questions

Is SRET or VNQ better?

It depends on the job. SRET pays more today (9.65% vs 3.56%), VNQ costs less, and VNQ has the better total return over Mar 2015 to Oct 2026, with VNQ holding up better in its worst stretch. For income, look at yield and whether the payouts hold up; for growth, total return and drawdowns.

Which pays a higher dividend, SRET or VNQ?

SRET, at 9.65% against 3.56% for VNQ as of Nov 9, 2026. On $10,000 that's about $965 vs $356 a year at today's rates.

Which has the better total return?

VNQ. From Mar 2015 to Oct 2026, it returned 5.0% a year with distributions reinvested, against 0.6% for SRET. $10,000 became $17,641 vs $10,711.

Which is cheaper, SRET or VNQ?

VNQ, with a 0.13% expense ratio against 0.58%.

Do SRET and VNQ hold the same things?

Not at the top: none of their top ten holdings match.

Related comparisons

Yields, costs and holdings as each fund reports them (via Yahoo Finance), updated daily; returns from month-end prices with distributions reinvested. VNQ leads on 7 of 8 measures above. For information only, not investment advice. Last fund data: Nov 9, 2026.