Recently in the news have been stories about the devastation that the Behringer Harvard family of Real Estate Investments Trusts (REITs) has had on investors’ portfolios. It was reported by Investment News that the value of the popular Behringer Harvard Opportunity REIT I is down 46% from its value this time a year ago, with prices down to just over $4 per share. The value of the Behringer Harvard REIT I has also seen substantial declines as well.
Unfortunately for many investors, a quick recovery does not appear to be in store. According to Investment News, Mr. Robert Aisner (Behringer Harvard’s Chief Executive) “said in an interview … that since the REIT is shedding assets, its valuation will go down in the long run.” That is bad news for investors.
Investors who bought into this fund , believing it to be a safe investment, are now seeing substantial portions of their savings disappear. Too often, investors in REITs do not fully understand the risks of investing in these illiquid and oftentimes speculative products. These products often require investors to “lock in” their money for a set time period and are difficult if not impossible to sell in the interim, even amid sharp declines in value. For more information on the risks of REITs and other investments, click here.
Because of the inherent risks involved, it is not unlikely to see investors suffer substantial losses. However, brokers and other retailers of REITs far too often sell these to clients as safe, income-producing investments and substantially downplay the risks. These tactics are illegal and against the FINRA rules, and investors who are the victims of such practices may be entitled to recovery for all of their losses.
It is the right of any and all investors who believe they may have suffered losses to contact our offices to explore their legal rights and options. If you or a family member suffered losses in Behringer Harvard REITs, contact the securities fraud lawyers at Malecki Law for a free consultation and case evaluation.