BREIX vs. VWINX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

BREIX (Baron Real Estate Fund) and VWINX (Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares) are both mutual funds - BREIX is a REIT fund managed by Baron Capital Group, Inc., while VWINX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, BREIX returned 11.12%/yr vs 5.77%/yr for VWINX. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. BREIX charges 1.05%/yr vs 0.23%/yr for VWINX.

Performance

BREIX vs. VWINX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Baron Real Estate Fund (BREIX) and Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares (VWINX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BREIX achieves a 0.76% return, which is significantly lower than VWINX's 3.24% return. Over the past 10 years, BREIX has outperformed VWINX with an annualized return of 11.12%, while VWINX has yielded a comparatively lower 5.77% annualized return.

BREIX

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: -0.61%
• YTD: 0.76%
• 6M: 0.15%
• 1Y: 14.10%
• 3Y*: 11.00%
• 5Y*: 2.35%
• 10Y*: 11.12%

VWINX

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: 0.50%
• YTD: 3.24%
• 6M: 3.80%
• 1Y: 11.29%
• 3Y*: 8.75%
• 5Y*: 4.08%
• 10Y*: 5.77%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BREIX vs. VWINX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BREIX Baron Real Estate Fund	0.76%	5.18%	12.46%	25.04%	-28.45%	24.41%	44.35%	44.60%	-22.05%	31.44%
VWINX Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares	3.24%	10.98%	5.86%	6.99%	-9.09%	8.48%	8.44%	16.39%	-2.54%	9.29%

Correlation

The correlation between BREIX and VWINX is 0.79, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.79
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.75
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 4, 2010	0.69

The correlation between BREIX and VWINX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.69 to 0.79 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BREIX vs. VWINX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BREIX

BREIX Risk / Return Rank: 10
BREIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
BREIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
BREIX Omega Ratio Rank: 10
BREIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
BREIX Martin Ratio Rank: 10

VWINX

VWINX Risk / Return Rank: 54
VWINX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
VWINX Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
VWINX Omega Ratio Rank: 55
VWINX Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
VWINX Martin Ratio Rank: 50

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BREIX vs. VWINX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Baron Real Estate Fund (BREIX) and Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares (VWINX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	BREIX	VWINX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.83	2.22	-1.39
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.29	3.20	-1.91
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.41	-0.26
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.07	2.75	-1.68
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.08	10.36	-7.28
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BREIX vs. VWINX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BREIX Sharpe Ratio is 0.83, which is lower than the VWINX Sharpe Ratio of 2.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BREIX and VWINX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BREIX	VWINX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.83	2.22	-1.39
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.11	0.59	-0.47
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.53	0.84	-0.31
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.64	1.08	-0.45

Drawdowns

BREIX vs. VWINX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BREIX drawdown since its inception was -38.47%, which is greater than VWINX's maximum drawdown of -21.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BREIX and VWINX.

Drawdown Indicators

	BREIX	VWINX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-38.47%	-21.72%	-16.75%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.56%	-4.16%	-8.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.91%	-6.98%	-16.93%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.93%	-15.30%	-18.63%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.47%	-17.43%	-21.04%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.44%	-0.25%	-4.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.56%	-2.63%	-4.93%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.36%	1.10%	+3.26%

Volatility

BREIX vs. VWINX - Volatility Comparison

Baron Real Estate Fund (BREIX) has a higher volatility of 4.34% compared to Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares (VWINX) at 1.62%. This indicates that BREIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWINX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BREIX	VWINX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.34%	1.62%	+2.72%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.85%	3.88%	+7.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.65%	5.10%	+11.55%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.71%	6.97%	+13.74%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.21%	6.92%	+14.29%

BREIX vs. VWINX - Expense Ratio Comparison

BREIX has a 1.05% expense ratio, which is higher than VWINX's 0.23% expense ratio.

Dividends

BREIX vs. VWINX - Dividend Comparison

BREIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.77%, less than VWINX's 7.71% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BREIX Baron Real Estate Fund	3.77%	3.79%	0.40%	0.43%	2.85%	7.95%	6.18%	13.78%	12.19%	4.71%	1.17%	1.96%
VWINX Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares	7.71%	7.86%	6.61%	4.73%	7.67%	6.03%	4.30%	3.94%	7.56%	3.20%	4.00%	5.60%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BREIX and VWINX in my portfolio?

BREIX and VWINX have a correlation of 0.79, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BREIX or VWINX?

BREIX has higher volatility (4.34%) compared to VWINX (1.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BREIX dropped -38.47% vs VWINX's -21.72%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VWINX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.22 vs 0.83), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.