Key Points

Vanguard Real Estate ETF offers a significantly lower expense ratio and higher liquidity than FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund.
FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund provides global diversification and a higher trailing dividend yield compared to the domestic focus of the Vanguard fund.
Both funds have delivered similar total returns over the past year and show comparable maximum drawdown levels over a five-year horizon.
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Comparing the Vanguard Real Estate ETF (NYSEMKT:VNQ) and the FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund (NYSEMKT:GQRE) involves weighing a low-cost domestic market leader against a globally diversified index fund.

Investors seeking exposure to the real estate sector often choose between broad domestic funds and specialized international strategies. Both the Vanguard Real Estate ETF and the FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund provide diversification through income-producing properties. While the Vanguard fund focuses on the U.S. market, the FlexShares fund uses a quality-score methodology to select holdings globally, aiming to match the Northern Trust Global Quality Real Estate Index.

Snapshot (cost and size)

Metric	GQRE	VNQ
Issuer	FlexShares	Vanguard
Share price (as of 7/10/26)	$64.59	$97.32
Expense ratio	0.46%	0.13%
1-yr return (as of 7/10/26)	13%	12.7%
Dividend yield	4.2%	3.6%
Beta	0.91	0.97
AUM	$414.5 million	$69.8 billion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.

Cost is a primary differentiator for long-term holders. The Vanguard fund features a 0.13% expense ratio, making it significantly more affordable than the 0.46% charged by the FlexShares fund. Investors prioritizing immediate income may notice the FlexShares fund provides a higher payout, with a yield gap of 0.69 percentage points over its Vanguard counterpart.

Performance and risk comparison

Metric	GQRE	VNQ
Max drawdown (5 yr)	(35.10%)	(34.50%)
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)	$1,113	$1,123

What's inside

The Vanguard Real Estate ETF primarily invests in equity Real Estate Investment Trusts, holding 145 assets to replicate the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index. Its largest positions include Welltower at 8.4%, Prologis at 6.7%, and Equinix at 5.5%. The fund was launched in 2004. Vanguard Real Estate ETF has paid $3.47 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$97.32 share price works out to a 3.60% yield.

The FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund targets a global index with 207 assets for international diversification. Its largest positions include Equinix at 6.5%, Welltower at 4.5%, and Prologis at 4.5%. The fund was launched in 2013. FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund has paid $2.73 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$64.59 share price works out to a 4.20% yield.

What this means for investors

Real estate investment trusts, or REITs, are companies that hold large real estate portfolios and are required to pay out at least 90% of their annual taxable income to shareholders as dividends. That makes them great for diversifying a portfolio and generating guaranteed income. But picking an exchange-traded fund that holds REITS can be a difficult decision. Do you go with VNQ, a large holder of U.S. properties in the retail, healthcare, industrial, and data center categories, or GQRE, which adds international exposure for additional diversification?

Their recent results have been similar and even their top holdings are comparable. GQRE offers a higher dividend payment, and its international holdings may contribute more pronounced upside than the American giants held in VNQ. But I am drawn to VNQ's lower expense ratio, which keeps more of your money invested and compounding, and its much larger total assets under management, which lends stability and liquidity.

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Sarah Sidlow has positions in Vanguard Real Estate ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Equinix, Prologis, and Vanguard Real Estate ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.