I want you to choose 5 REITs and 5 real estate related stocks (banks, supply retail, construction, transportation, utilities, etc.)

Medical Properties Trust:
HCN
Healthcare Realty Trust Inc. HR
CBL & Associates (CBL)
DDR Corp (DDR)

Start at the website for NAREIT. You can learn about REITs and find the differing REITs on this site. Eventually you may have to go to each REITs website for information for your summaries. REITs are generally classified as follows:

Begin your study on 1/15/15 and end it on 4/15/15. Track results for each of the 10 investments on the 15th and one of the following 30th/31st/1st of each month by recording the closing price for each stock. Also, be sure to find any quarterly dividends paid for each share during this time period. Let us act as if we put $1000 in each investment. Write a short double spaced typed report (not to exceed 10 pages plus any references with Times New Roman Font and Justified alignment) explaining the following:
1. Written summary of the results showing the difference in performance of the 5 REITs vs. 5 real estate related stocks as well as individually. You can make an index of the 5 if you want to do that or you can report returns individually. Also include any events that may have led to positive or negative performance of the stocks in the discussion. These events can affect the whole market and all of the stocks or can be company events that affect each individually. (2-3 pages)
2. Conclusions and the future (your opinion here somewhat): (1 page)
a. Perhaps you would continue with your current investments in the future (lowering or raising your holdings in particular stocks) or you did so well you will stand firm.
b. Perhaps you would do things differently such as selling 2 or 3 of the 10 stocks or selling all but 2 or 3 of the total.
c. Perhaps you would even divest your holdings and move on to another investment such as rental housing, savings bonds or CDs.

The report should be in paragraph form. Please provide citations at the end of the report for any newspapers, magazines, government websites or any other internet websites that are used for explaining the executive summaries and/or results

II. 5 REITs

Medical Properties Trust
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. is a different kind of real estate investment trust - by design. MPT has carved a unique niche in the largest and fastest-growing segment of the U.S. economy.
Unlike other real estate investment trusts - even those categorized as healthcare REITs - MPT focuses exclusively on providing capital to acute care facilities of all kinds through long-term triple-net leases. And, unlike other sources of capital, MPT provides 100 percent financing to reduce an organization's overall cost of capital by unlocking the value of its real estate assets.
By allowing healthcare operators to tap the value of their real estate and channel that capital into facility improvements, technology upgrades, staff additions and even new construction, MPT bridges the gap between the growing demand for high-quality healthcare and the ability to deliver it efficiently and cost-effectively. In essence, MPT enables hospitals to increase their returns from what they know best - operations.

MPT Can Provide Up To 100% Financing For:
Acquisitions — from $10 Million to $1 Billion;
Sale-Leasebacks — of existing facilities (off-balance sheet financing), to reduce debt, increase cash reserves, realize equity in the form of cash, or redeploy capital to improve profitability;
New Developments — 100% financing for construction of new and/or replacement facilities to successful, well-established operators;
Expansions — 100% financing for expansion of existing facilities or new acquisitions, to help operators take advantage of market opportunities and grow their business.
MPT Fund Facilities Where Physicians Admit Patients:
Acute Care Hospitals
Long Term Acute Care Hospitals
Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals
Cancer