| Abstract: | We examine the January return seasonality of real estate investment trust (REIT) common stock and underlying assets. Both stock returns and the National Assocation of Realtors median home price index exhibit January seaonals. However, the median home price index explains little of the seasonal stock returns, and a significant January effect in stock returns remains for small REITs. Thus, information effects are not the likely cause of the January effect in REITs. Further analysis indicates that tax-loss selling is the more likely cause of the January effect. |
