Is DJRE a good ETF?
DJRE is the State Street SPDR Dow Jones Global Real Estate ESG Tilted ETF from State Street. It tracks the Dow Jones Global Select Real Estate Securities ESG Tilted Index. We classify it under Intl, Thematic, ESG, and Market-Cap. With about $535 million in assets it is a solidly established fund. Listed on the ASX since 2013-04-22 (over 13 years ago).
On a total-return basis, DJRE has delivered 3.58% a year over 10 years (ranked 83rd of 108 ETFs we track), 2.97% a year over 5 years (ranked 138th of 188 ETFs we track), 8.27% a year over 3 years (ranked 142nd of 226 ETFs we track), and 10.57% a year over 1 year (ranked 121st of 308 ETFs we track). It has trailed most comparable ETFs over the periods we measure, so look closely at whether its strategy fits what you're after.
The management fee of 0.2% is reasonable. That's cheaper than the typical 0.45% for similar ETFs. If cost is your priority, GLPR (0.15%) cover similar ground for less. It pays a moderate 2.66% yield.
Over the past 10 years its volatility has been moderate (annualised standard deviation around 13.32%), meaning the kind of swings you'd expect from a diversified equity fund. Its 10-year Sharpe ratio of 0.17 is weak — that's the return it has earned per unit of risk taken (higher is better).
Portfolio turnover is low at about 15% a year — it trades only a small slice of its holdings each year, so trading costs and tax on realised gains stay modest — typical of a passive index strategy.
Strengths
- Low-cost: a 0.2% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
Things to watch
- Has lagged most peers over 10 years (83rd of 108).
- Cheaper alternatives exist: GLPR.
- Weak risk-adjusted returns (10-year Sharpe ratio 0.17).
- Highly concentrated single-theme bet — keep the position size small.
What DJRE's categories mean for you
How each category this ETF belongs to tends to behave across market cycles.
Global and international shares from outside Australia — broadening you into thousands of companies and the sectors (tech, healthcare) the local market lacks.
- Market regime
- Essential diversification away from the bank-and-resources-heavy ASX. Unhedged versions carry currency risk; hedged versions remove it at a small cost.
- In a portfolio
- A core holding for almost every long-term Australian portfolio.
A concentrated bet on a single trend — AI, battery tech, cybersecurity, robotics and the like. High conviction, high concentration, and often high fees.
- Market regime
- Frequently launched after a theme is already hot, which has historically been a poor entry point. Expect very large swings in both directions.
- In a portfolio
- A small satellite position at most. Treat it as a speculative tilt, never as a core holding.
Screens out, or tilts away from, companies on environmental, social and governance criteria — letting you align your money with your values.
- Market regime
- Performance broadly tracks the wider market, but can drift when excluded sectors (e.g. energy, mining, weapons, tobacco) have a strong or weak run. Fees are usually a touch higher.
- In a portfolio
- Suitable as a core or near-core holding for values-driven investors; just understand which sectors are excluded and why returns may diverge from the broad index.
Holdings are weighted by company size, so the largest companies carry the most weight. These funds are cheap, tax-efficient and self-rebalancing.
- Market regime
- Works in almost any regime as a low-maintenance core. The trade-off is concentration — you automatically own more of whatever has already become expensive at the top of a bull market.
- In a portfolio
- The classic buy-and-hold core of most portfolios. Well suited to long-term, hands-off investing.
General information only, generated from the fund's published data — not personal financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Consider your own circumstances or seek licensed advice before investing.