How to Find the Best REIT ETFs

Investors can use the best REIT ETFs to gain efficient exposure to the real estate market. The best funds feature big asset bases and low expense ratios.

digital rendition of real estate investment with bright pink and blue buildings and stacks of coins
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The best REIT ETFs allow investors exposure to the real estate market. "REIT" is an acronym for "real estate investment trust."

REITs constitute an important asset class, as the estimable humorist Mark Twain observed in the 19th century: "Buy land, they're not making it anymore."

Property has real value, particularly in dense urban areas, and there's always strong demand.

Real estate has proven to be a strong income-generating investment, as many different types of property can deliver regular profit-sharing, thanks to monthly rent cycles.

This means you don't have to sell real estate to get a steady stream of cash over time.

Of course, buying a rental property can be expensive and out of reach of most investors — especially these days, as housing prices and mortgage rates climb. 

Thankfully, there are vehicles in the stock market that are much more accessible — namely, publicly traded REITs and REIT exchange-traded funds.

But how do you find the best REITs to buy?

Jeff Reeves
Contributing Writer, Kiplinger.com

Jeff Reeves writes about equity markets and exchange-traded funds for Kiplinger. A veteran journalist with extensive capital markets experience, Jeff has written about Wall Street and investing since 2008. His work has appeared in numerous respected finance outlets, including CNBC, the Fox Business Network, the Wall Street Journal digital network, USA Today and CNN Money.