Shares of Essex Property Trust (ESS) have rallied 16.7% over the past six months, outperforming the industry's upside of 10.6%.This residential REIT is well-poised to gain from a robust property base in the West Coast market that has several demand drivers. A healthy balance sheet also augurs well.Last October, ESS reported third-quarter 2024 core funds from operations (FFO) per share of $3.91, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.88. The figure also improved 3.4% from the year-ago quarter.Results ...