In 1811, a group called the Luddites began smashing mechanized looms with sledgehammers. They were terrified. They believed the "machine" was coming for their livelihood.
They were right about the looms...
But they were dead wrong about the future.
Within a single generation, the industrial workforce in Britain didn’t just grow – it exploded. The "artisan" was replaced by the engineer, the machinist, and the merchant.
As I’ve been telling you, we are currently living through America’s New 1776 Moment.
And if you’re feeling that same Luddite-style anxiety about AI, you need to look at the cold, hard data of the last 250 years. This is the 4th Industrial Revolution, and the pattern is undefeated:
- 1776 (Steam): Watt’s engine replaced manual pumps. But it spawned railroads, steamships, and factories.
- 1870 (Electricity): Edison’s lightbulb killed the gas lamp industry. It also created the electrical grid, appliance manufacturing, and the entire modern economy.
- 1970 (Computers): Spreadsheets were supposed to "kill" accounting. Instead, the number of accountants grew by 50% because analysis became cheaper and more in-demand.
Every single time, the doomers said: Machines will replace us.
Every single time, the reality was: Machines replaced tasks, and created entirely new industries nobody could predict.
In 1900, 40% of Americans worked in agriculture. Today, it’s under 2%. Did that 38% become permanently unemployed? No. They became the pilots, software developers, and doctors of the 20th century.
But here is the catch… and it’s the reason I’m writing to you today.
Every revolution produces two groups of people:
- Those who try to smash the machine (or hide from it).
- Those who learn to operate and own the machine.
The owners and operators win every single time.
And they get wildly wealthy during the transition.
Not because they are smarter, but because they move first.
Right now, the most powerful tools in human history are sitting on the table. They are free, they have no gatekeepers, and they can do the work of an entire team from just a year ago.
The bottleneck isn't the technology. It’s the decision to pick it up.
Luke Lango and I have spent the last several months mapping out exactly how to profit from this new revolution… and specifically, how to own the assets that make this transition possible.
Nobody is coming to train you.
Progress will not pause until you feel "comfortable."
The tool is on the table. You can either pick it up, or watch someone else build the future with it. The action-takers will grow wildly wealthy, and the lazy will be left behind.
I know which side I’ll be on.
Good investing,
Porter Stansberry
2 REITs That Look Attractive in a Stable Rate Environment
By Chris Markoch. Article Published: 2/4/2026.
Key Points
- Rate predictability matters more to REITs than aggressive Fed cuts.
- Simon Property Group shows high-end consumers remain resilient.
- Healthpeak Properties benefits from demographic-driven healthcare demand.
The Trump administration may have unintentionally thrown a bone to the real estate investment trust (REIT) industry. President Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve provides more clarity—and, more importantly, predictability—around the timing of potential rate cuts in 2026.
Why does that matter for REITs? While these businesses benefit from lower interest rates, what they need most is predictability. That uncertainty—more than the absolute level of rates—helped drive many REITs sharply lower in 2022 and 2023. It wasn't just "higher for longer"; it was the lack of clarity about when rate increases would finally stop.
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The nomination of Warsh suggests one or two rate cuts may occur in 2026. Still, it's unlikely investors will see a dramatic move in either direction in the near term.
With that backdrop, two REITs stand out. Both serve distinct consumers, and both reported solid earnings on Feb. 2.
Simon Property Group: A Temperature Check on the High-End Consumer
It's fair to say Simon Property Group Inc. (NYSE: SPG) owns properties that cater to the ascending leg of the current "K-shaped" economy. The company's results may not reflect the broader consumer market, but they do indicate that consumers with means are still spending—and choosing to shop in brick-and-mortar locations.
That was the key takeaway from Simon's fourth-quarter report. The company closed 2025 with record funds from operations (FFO), mid-single-digit growth in domestic property net operating income (NOI), and U.S. mall and outlet occupancy in the mid-90% range.
Simon isn't taking defensive actions. Management raised rents while sales per square foot improved year-over-year and executed a significant volume of new and renewal leases without resorting to concessions.
Investors should also note that Simon continues investing in redevelopments, selectively acquiring high-quality retail assets, and returning billions to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. That capital-allocation posture suggests management believes cash flows from core properties are durable even if the Fed delivers fewer cuts than markets once expected.
Healthpeak Properties: A Wellness Check on a Different Consumer
Healthpeak Properties Inc. (NYSE: DOC) specializes in real estate for the healthcare sector, including life-science research facilities, medical office buildings and senior housing communities. The company's latest earnings report showed growth concentrated in senior housing.
That makes sense: America's aging demographics have been a persistent trend and continue to gain momentum.
Healthpeak reported that its outpatient medical portfolio retained a large majority of expiring tenants and rolled leases at positive cash spreads, signaling healthy demand from health systems and physician groups even as those systems contend with labor and reimbursement pressures.
Senior housing and life-plan communities posted double-digit cash NOI growth driven by rising occupancy and stronger entry-fee collections—reflecting both demographic tailwinds and some post-pandemic catch-up.
Healthpeak is also preparing a dedicated senior-housing REIT IPO, Janus Living, to unlock value the public market may not yet fully recognize. That mix of pruning and repositioning is what you'd expect in a sector where underlying demand is durable while capital markets remain uneven.
A Barbell Strategy May Be the Way to Gain Exposure
Supporting the idea that 2026 could be a comeback year for REITs, both SPG and DOC are up roughly 2% year-to-date. However, Simon is trading near the high end of its 52-week range, while Healthpeak sits near the low end.
Not surprisingly, analysts give DOC a more bullish short-term outlook. And while both REITs offer attractive dividends, Healthpeak's yield is an impressive 7.37% as of this writing.
That said, Simon has been the stronger performer over the last five years. In the past 30 days, analyst sentiment on SPG has also turned bullish, with several firms setting price targets above consensus.
That combination makes a barbell strategy worth considering. Pairing SPG-style retail exposure with DOC-style healthcare allows investors to bet on both how people spend and how they seek care—without going "all in" on either theme. With SPG, you're leaning into higher-beta upside: if retail headwinds are overstated and rate volatility eases, you get operating leverage from rising sales and rents plus potential multiple expansion as sentiment toward malls improves.
On the DOC side, you're buying visibility and steady cash-flow growth driven by demographics and policy. That leg likely won't surge in a bull market, but it can help cushion a portfolio if consumer spending softens.
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