customary conditions . we will retain a 20% ( 20 % ) equity interest in the joint venture . as of december 31 , 2008 , the joint venture has acquired seven properties from us and we received year-to-date net sale proceeds and financing distributions of approximately $ 251.6 million . in january 2008 , we sold a tract of land to an unconsolidated joint venture in which we hold a 50% ( 50 % ) equity interest and received a distribution , commensurate to our partner 2019s 50% ( 50 % ) ownership interest , of approximately $ 38.3 million . in november 2008 , that unconsolidated joint venture entered a loan agreement with a consortium of banks and distributed a portion of the loan proceeds to us and our partner , with our share of the distribution totaling $ 20.4 million . uses of liquidity our principal uses of liquidity include the following : 2022 property investment ; 2022 recurring leasing/capital costs ; 2022 dividends and distributions to shareholders and unitholders ; 2022 long-term debt maturities ; 2022 opportunistic repurchases of outstanding debt ; and 2022 other contractual obligations . property investment we evaluate development and acquisition opportunities based upon market outlook , supply and long-term growth potential . our ability to make future property investments is dependent upon our continued access to our longer-term sources of liquidity including the issuances of debt or equity securities as well as disposing of selected properties . in light of current economic conditions , management continues to evaluate our investment priorities and we are limiting new development expenditures . recurring expenditures one of our principal uses of our liquidity is to fund the recurring leasing/capital expenditures of our real estate investments . the following is a summary of our recurring capital expenditures for the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , respectively ( in thousands ) : .

2008: recurring tenant improvements: 36885
recurring leasing costs: 28205
building improvements: 9724
totals: 74814
2007: recurring tenant improvements: 45296
recurring leasing costs: 32238
building improvements: 8402
totals: 85936
2006: recurring tenant improvements: 41895
recurring leasing costs: 32983
building improvements: 8122
totals: 83000

dividends and distributions in order to qualify as a reit for federal income tax purposes , we must currently distribute at least 90% ( 90 % ) of our taxable income to shareholders . because depreciation is a non-cash expense , cash flow will typically be greater than operating income . we paid dividends per share of $ 1.93 , $ 1.91 and $ 1.89 for the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , respectively . we expect to continue to distribute taxable earnings to meet the requirements to maintain our reit status . however , distributions are declared at the discretion of our board of directors and are subject to actual cash available for distribution , our financial condition , capital requirements and such other factors as our board of directors deems relevant . in january 2009 , our board of directors resolved to decrease our annual dividend from $ 1.94 per share to $ 1.00 per share in order to retain additional cash to help meet our capital needs . we anticipate retaining additional cash of approximately $ 145.2 million per year , when compared to an annual dividend of $ 1.94 per share , as the result of this action . at december 31 , 2008 we had six series of preferred shares outstanding . the annual dividend rates on our preferred shares range between 6.5% ( 6.5 % ) and 8.375% ( 8.375 % ) and are paid in arrears quarterly. .

Questions:
what was the dividend paid per share in 2008?
what was it in 2007?
what is the sum?
what is the total sum including 2006?
what is the total sum divided by 3?

Answers:
1.93
1.91
3.84
5.73
1.91