How to Find the Best REIT ETFs

Investors can use the best REIT ETFs to gain exposure to the real estate market, and finding the right funds requires looking for a big asset tally and low expense ratio.

digital rendition of real estate investment with bright pink and blue buildings and stacks of coins
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The best REIT ETFs allow investors exposure to the real estate market. REIT stands for real estate investment trusts, and it's an important asset class to know about. 

Consider the old line from Mark Twain – "Buy land, they're not making it anymore." Property has real value, and particularly in dense urban areas, there's always strong demand for this asset.

And real estate has been proven to be a strong income-generating investment, as many different forms of property can deliver regular profit-sharing thanks to monthly rent cycles. This means you don't have to sell the real estate itself to get a steady stream of cash over time.

Of course, buying a rental property can be very 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 ones to invest in?

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.