In this article, we will be looking at the 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now.

The ongoing geopolitical tensions and rising tariffs place Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) once again on investors’ radars.  As per a CNBC report, U.S. President Donald Trump, with his latest executive order, imposed up to 41% tariffs on key trade partners, including Switzerland, Laos, and Myanmar, and a sweeping 40% surcharge on transshipped goods. As a result, capital is beginning to recalibrate toward domestic, yield-focused options. Because of their income-generating structure and regulation-based payouts, REITs offer a natural hedge in such environments.

Are investors reacting to economic protectionism? Yes. But they are also anticipating sectoral dislocations across retail, logistics, and housing. These domains are where REITs’ operations see resilience. Elementarily, institutional investors are also rotating out of high-beta growth plays and into hard asset-backed income vehicles.

The defensive stance is due to REITs having historically weathered volatility better than many equities without compromising attractive returns. As U.S. tariffs spark global ripple effects, we have brought to you a list of 12 REITs that could potentially increase the resilience of your portfolio.

So, stay with us as we count down from 12 to 1, our handpicked best REIT stocks you would want to buy right now.

Our Methodology

We have put together our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now by looking into the company’s performance during the recent quarters and its potential for growth, from credible sources including the company’s press reports and official news sites such as CNN and CNBC. For ranking the stocks, we have used the hedge fund numbers of each stock for Q1 2025. We gathered this information from the Insider Monkey database. All the data used in the article was taken from financial databases and analyst reports, with all information updated as of August 5, 2025.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

12. Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST) holds a spot in our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. JP Morgan maintains their Hold rating on the stock despite the strong Q2 2025 results.

Maryland-based company, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST), is a REIT that primarily owns and operates luxury and upper-upscale hotels. The company’s focus is on iconic and irreplaceable properties in top hotel markets, primarily in the United States. However, its business operations also extend to some properties in Brazil and Canada.

On July 31, 2025, the company released its Q2 2025 earnings results, which highlighted an 18% increase in Adjusted FFO per share, reaching a value of $0.58. Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST) also reported a 4.2% increase in Total RevPAR (Revenue per available room), owing to a strong demand and higher average daily rates. The report also noted the company ending Q2 2025 with approximately $1.3 billion in liquidity. For its 2025 outlook, an Adjusted FFO per share in the range of $1.82 – $2.08 is anticipated.

On August 1, 2025, JP Morgan reiterated the Hold rating on the stock, with a price target of $16. Meanwhile, the consensus analyst rating as per CNN stands at Buy with a 1-year median price target of $18. Insider Monkey database recorded 32 hedge funds holding stakes in the company’s ownership, hinting at a moderate institutional interest in Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST).

11. AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB) is positioned in our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Price target lowered and stock rating maintained at Hold, following the release of the company’s Q2 2025 earnings report.

Headquartered in Virginia, the REIT, AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB) is engaged in the business of developing, redeveloping, acquiring, and managing apartment communities with a focus on high-quality properties in major metropolitan areas across the US. The company is involved in the entire lifecycle of apartment communities, from initial development to ongoing management.

The company discussed its second-quarter 2025 earnings results in a conference on July 31, 2025. As per the report, AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB)’s Core FFO per share of $2.82 exceeded the analyst expectations with a 1.8% year-over-year increase. The primary contributor was the increase in Same Store Residential revenue of 3.0% in Q2 2025, with NOI up 2.7%.

Funded by capital from dispositions, the company is also on track to acquire $900 million of assets in 2025. However, the company continues to struggle in the Sun Belt region with a high level of standing inventory and anticipates underperformance in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern California regions due to declining demand and pricing momentum.

Amid these reports, analysts including Truist Financial, Scotiabank, and RBC Capital maintain their Hold rating on the stock. Particularly, RBC Capital reduced the price target from $216 to $211. With 32 hedge funds backing the stock, AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB) enjoys modest confidence from institutional investors.

10. Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32

Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O) earns a rank in the list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Analysts’ opinions are mixed following the closing of €1.3 billion Notes Offering and amendments to its existing term loan agreements.

Based in California, Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O) is a REIT that focuses on acquiring and managing freestanding, single-tenant commercial properties under long-term net lease agreements. The company primarily leases properties to retail clients, including famous business establishments like Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Walgreens. In addition to retail, the company also has properties for industrial, commercial, and agricultural uses.

Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O) holds a significant track record of having declared 661 consecutive monthly dividends and earning a place as an S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat, with 30 consecutive years of dividend increases. On June 20, 2025, the company successfully closed its €1.3 billion Notes Offering, inclusive of €650 million in 3.375% Notes due 2031 and another €650 million in 3.875% Notes due 2035.

On June 23, 2025, the company also announced amendments to its existing term loan agreements, which involve a $300 million term loan due in 2025 and a $500 million term loan due in 2027. The closing of the Notes Offering and the new update on the existing loan agreement are anticipated to impact the company’s financial strategy.

With these developments, the stock’s rating was downgraded from Outperform to Peer Perform by Wolfe Research in July, while Barclays continues to maintain its Hold rating, thus providing mixed analyst sentiments. Institutional interest in Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O) stands moderate with 32 hedge funds holding stakes.