A DOWNREIT is an arrangement between the owner of real property and a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) aimed at providing tax advantages to the property owner. The result is effectively a partnership with ownership units held by those who contribute properties to the venture. The DOWNREIT owns real estate either outright or as part of a limited partnership.
An UPREIT (Umbrella Partnership Real Estate Investment Trust) is a specialized form of REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) created by combining properties from existing limited partnerships. Original partners exchange properties for an interest in a new, transitional operating partnership, which might later be converted to shares in the REIT.
