Dimensional US Real Estate ETF (DFAR) belongs to the REIT category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DFAR. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DFAR
DFAR charges 0.19% annually. There are 10 ETFs in the REIT category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.07%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab US REIT ETF | 0.07% | 11.27B | Jan 2011 | DFAR vs SCHH | |
| Fidelity MSCI Real Estate Index ETF | 0.08% | 1.45B | Feb 2015 | DFAR vs FREL | |
| iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 0.08% | 4.51B | May 2007 | DFAR vs USRT | |
| Xtrackers International Real Estate ETF | 0.10% | 1.04B | Oct 2013 | DFAR vs HAUZ | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders MSCI US REIT ETF | 0.11% | 1.24B | Jun 2018 | DFAR vs BBRE |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFAR
DFAR has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 43. There are 16 ETFs in the REIT category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 83.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global X Data Center & Digital Infrastructure ETF | 83 | 2.25B | Oct 2020 | DFAR vs DTCR | |
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 82 | 18.07M | Feb 2019 | DFAR vs VRAI | |
| SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF | 61 | 1.83B | Apr 2001 | DFAR vs RWR | |
| First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund | 60 | 187.94M | May 2007 | DFAR vs FRI | |
| Invesco KBW Premium Yield Equity REIT ETF | 58 | 314.47M | Dec 2010 | DFAR vs KBWY |
Top Performing DFAR Alternatives (YTD)
DFAR is at 16.68% YTD. There are 15 ETFs in the REIT category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 35.71%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global X Data Center & Digital Infrastructure ETF | 35.71% | 2.25B | Oct 2020 | DFAR vs DTCR | |
| Direxion Daily Real Estate Bull 3x Shares | 29.86% | 46.24M | Jul 2009 | DFAR vs DRN | |
| Invesco KBW Premium Yield Equity REIT ETF | 25.72% | 314.47M | Dec 2010 | DFAR vs KBWY | |
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 22.38% | 18.07M | Feb 2019 | DFAR vs VRAI | |
| ProShares Ultra Real Estate | 21.12% | 56.58M | Jan 2007 | DFAR vs URE |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFAR
DFAR has 13.88% 1-year volatility. There are 27 ETFs in the REIT category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.99%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | 7.99% | 117.50M | Feb 2017 | DFAR vs PFFR | |
| NEOS Real Estate High Income ETF | 10.87% | 292.13M | Jan 2025 | DFAR vs IYRI | |
| IQ CBRE Real Assets ETF | 10.95% | 6.52M | May 2023 | DFAR vs IQRA | |
| State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | 11.21% | 2.58M | Jul 2025 | DFAR vs XLRI | |
| Global X SuperDividend REIT ETF | 11.47% | 232.88M | Mar 2015 | DFAR vs SRET |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFAR
DFAR has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.43%. There are 21 ETFs in the REIT category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -4.82%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | -4.82% | 18.07M | Feb 2019 | DFAR vs VRAI | |
| InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | -6.57% | 117.50M | Feb 2017 | DFAR vs PFFR | |
| ALPS Active REIT ETF | -7.35% | 55.26M | Feb 2021 | DFAR vs REIT | |
| NEOS Real Estate High Income ETF | -7.53% | 292.13M | Jan 2025 | DFAR vs IYRI | |
| First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund | -7.57% | 187.94M | May 2007 | DFAR vs FRI |
Other ETFs from Dimensional
The 10 most viewed Dimensional ETFs shown here include DFUS, DFIV, DFAW and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $48B.
Often Compared With DFAR
Investors most often compare DFAR with DFGR, VNQ, DFREX. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DFAR with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DFAR with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DFAR with funds that move differently
Dimensional US Real Estate ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFAR.
Explore DFAR Diversifiers