Investors Real Estate Trust Declares Regular Quarterly Common Share Distribution, and Declares Series A and Series B Preferred

Investors Real Estate Trust (Nasdaq:IRET) announced today that its Board of Trustees has declared a regular quarterly distribution of $0.1300 per share/unit payable on January 15, 2013 to common shareholders and unitholders of record at the close of business on January 2, 2013.

This $0.1300 per common share/unit distribution will be the 167th consecutive quarterly distribution paid by IRET since its inception in 1970. The previous regular quarterly distribution, also of $0.1300 per common share/unit, was paid October 1, 2012.

Investors Real Estate Trust's Board of Trustees also declared on December 5, 2012 a distribution of $0.515625 cents per share on the Company's Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (Nasdaq:IRETP). This distribution will be payable December 31, 2012 to Series A preferred shareholders of record at the close of business on December 17, 2012. Series A preferred share distributions are cumulative and payable quarterly in arrears at an annual rate of $2.0625 per share.

Also on December 5, 2012, the Board of Trustees declared a distribution of $0.496875 per share on the Company's 7.95% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (NYSE:IRET PRB), payable December 31, 2012 to Series B preferred shareholders of record at the close of business on December 17, 2012. Series B preferred share distributions are cumulative and payable quarterly in arrears at an annual rate of $1.9875 per share.

About Investors Real Estate Trust

Investors Real Estate Trust is an equity real estate investment trust. Its business consists of owning and operating income-producing multi-family residential and commercial properties located primarily in the upper Midwest. Investors Real Estate Trust is based in Minot, North Dakota, and has additional offices in Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minnesota. 

CONTACT: Lindsey Knoop Anderson
         Director of Investor Relations
         1400 31st Ave SW, Suite 60
         PO Box 1988
         Minot, North Dakota 58702-1988
         phone: [phone]
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