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.
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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.
9. Healthpeak Properties, Inc. (NYSE:DOC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33
Healthpeak Properties, Inc. (NYSE:DOC) found its way into our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Amid mixed analyst sentiments, the company sees consecutive bold purchases from its CEO.
One of the prominent healthcare REITs, Healthpeak Properties, Inc. (NYSE:DOC), specializes in a diversified portfolio that includes senior housing, life science facilities, and medical office buildings. Essentially, they provide the physical spaces for the healthcare discovery and delivery process. Headquartered in Colorado, the company operates in key markets across the United States, including San Francisco, San Diego, and Boston.
Healthpeak Properties, Inc. (NYSE:DOC) announced its Q2 earnings results on July 24, 2025. Despite the FFO per share meeting the consensus estimates at $0.46 and improved tenant satisfaction scores, Scotiabank downgraded the stock’s rating from Outperform to Sector Perform. Baird keeps an outperform rating but lowered the price target $22 to $21. Meanwhile, BMO Capital maintains a Buy rating, reflecting mixed signals from analysts.
Amid these sentiments, President & CEO Scott Brinker made a significant purchase of 2,873 shares in a transaction valued at $49,990 on July 29, 2025, and 2,930 shares valued at $49,985 on July 31, 2025, signaling a strong confidence in the company’s progress. With the Insider Monkey database noting 33 hedge funds actively backing the company, the institutional support for Healthpeak Properties, Inc. (NYSE:DOC) stands modest.
8. Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 36
Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) manages a position in our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Analysts maintain a Hold rating following the mixed signals and lease growth concerns from the Q2 earnings report.
Headquartered in Chicago, Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) is a REIT with a special focus on acquiring, developing, and managing high‑quality apartment communities in major U.S. urban markets such as New York, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, and Southern California. Operating through a blend of suburban rental platforms, the company owns approximately 84,000 units across 311 properties.
Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) released its results for Q2 2025 on August 4, 2025. The normalized FFO per share, reported by the company, met the consensus estimates of the analysts. Additionally, the company raised its 2025 normalized FFO guidance with a positive revision in guidance for same-store revenue and occupancy rates.
However, the overall rent growth alongside the new lease growth expectations, especially in regions like the West Coast, did not align with the market projections. Following the release of this report, prominent analysts like Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley maintained their Hold rating on the stock.
Even so, Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) remains a favored pick among institutional investors, with 36 hedge funds holding positions, signaling consistent confidence in its stable multifamily residential portfolio.
7. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 40
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE) finds its way into the list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Analysts’ sentiment remains mixed on the stock amid positive Q2 2025 earnings results.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE) is an S&P life science and technology REIT owning and developing lab and office campuses clustered in innovation hubs including Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York, and Maryland. The California-based company manages over 44 million square feet across 391 properties. The company’s client base is comprised of leading biotech and pharmaceutical tenants under long‑term, triple‑net lease structures.
On July 22, 2025, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE) announced the earnings results for its second quarter ending June 30, 2025. FFO per share stood at $2.33 with a 2.0% cash same-property Net Operating Income (NOI) growth for the first half of 2025. The company also reported an occupancy of 90.8% in its operating properties in North America. During the quarter, the company has also carried out the largest lease in its history, a 466,000 square foot deal.
Despite the positive second-quarter results, analysts show mixed sentiments, with Citi maintaining a Hold rating and Citizens JMP reiterating a Buy rating on the stock. Additionally, RBC Capital lowered the price target from $100 to $98 while sticking to their Sector Perform rating. Meanwhile, the company attracts strong institutional interest, with 40 hedge funds backing its specialized life science property portfolio as well as its long-term lease structures.
6. VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) holds a spot in our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Amid strong growth in Q2 earnings results, analysts are reiterating their Buy rating on the stock.
Based in New York City, VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) is a gaming and hospitality REIT that owns 93 assets, including Caesars Palace, the Venetian, and MGM Grand. The company’s portfolio is comprised of gaming, entertainment, and hospitality venues across the U.S. and Canada. Leased on long-term triple-net agreements to investors, the company’s properties total around 127 million square feet spread over 54 casinos and 39 entertainment venues.
VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI)’s recently released Q2 earnings report indicated an increase in revenue of 4.6% to $1.0 billion, and a net income rise of 16.7% to $865.1 million. The company also increased its AFFO guidance for 2025. Major activities included a new $510 million development loan for the North Fork Mono Casino and the issuance of $1.3 billion in notes to refinance debt. Additionally, the company has raised the investment in One Beverly Hills to $450 million, raising expectations for its future growth.
Following these announcements, the consensus rating on the stock, from analysts including Stifel Nicolaus, Evercore ISI, and Truist Financial, signals a Buy. VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) appeals to 41 hedge funds, representing a resilient institutional confidence in the growth prospects of the company.
5. Public Storage (NYSE:PSA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 42
Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) earns a position in our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Hold rating and lowered price target on the stock following the Q2 earnings results announcement and expansion.
California-based company, Public Storage (NYSE:PSA), is North America’s largest self‑storage REIT, operating over 3,300 facilities across the U.S. and Europe. The company possesses more than 170 million net rentable square feet in high‑density markets. Founded in 1972, Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) generates recurring revenue via month‑to‑month leasing of storage units, packing supplies, and ancillary customer services through thousands of locations.
Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) reported its Q2 earnings results on July 31, 2025. Revenues during the quarter met expectations at $1.2 billion while same-store NOI saw a slight decline of 0.6% year-over-year in Q2 2025. However, the company’s NOI growth from non-same-store facilities contributed positively. Occupancy rate during the period stood at 92.6%. As per its 2025 outlook, the company’s full-year core FFO per share guidance is raised to a range of $16.45 – $17.00. In terms of expansion, the company has acquired 25 new self-storage facilities and added 0.9 million net rentable square feet by completing development projects.
While Scotiabank reiterated its Buy rating on the stock, RBC Capital maintained its Hold rating and lowered the price target significantly from $328 to $309. Additionally, Insider Monkey database recorded 42 hedge funds invested in the stock, signaling trust in the consistent demand for self-storage.
4. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 44
Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR) finds its way into our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. The company sees upward momentum among analysts amid growth and challenges reported in the Q2 earnings call.
Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR) is a REIT that owns and operates more than 300 carrier‑neutral data centers in over twenty‑five countries across six continents. The company’s PlatformDIGITAL ecosystem encompasses collocation, interconnection, and hybrid cloud services. It serves enterprise, network, and hyperscale clients through secure, scalable infrastructure at urban connectivity hubs.
On July 24, 2025, the company reported its Q2 earnings results. The company’s Core FFO per share was $1.87 during the quarter, marking a significant 13.3% increase year-over-year. Rental rates on renewal leases increased by 7.3% on a cash basis in Q2 2025, further contributing to revenue growth. The company also reported record performance in the 0 to 1 megawatt-plus interconnection product set, with $90 million in bookings.
However, in addition to raising operating expenses, the company also faces challenges such as the comparatively lower demand for AI deployments in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions.
Stifel, Citi, and Truist maintain their Buy rating on the stock and raised their price targets, while Barclays stuck to their Sell rating on Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR). With 44 hedge funds invested, the company continues to attract investors seeking valuable REIT stocks.
3. Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG) holds a place among our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Analysts express conflicting sentiments amid the announcement of strong Q2 earnings results.
Headquartered in Indiana, Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG) is the largest U.S. retail REIT by value. The REIT owns interests in over 230 shopping malls, premium outlets, and community/lifestyle centers across North America, Europe, and Asia. Its long-term triple-net leases with major retail brands generate recurring income and exposure to retail trends and omnichannel commerce.
On August 4, 2025, the company highlighted a 4.1% growth in real estate FFO per share, reaching $3.05 in the second quarter of 2025. Additionally, it has also achieved a 96% occupancy rate for Malls and Premium Outlets and a record 99.3% occupancy with The Mills. The report also included details of the company entering close to 1,000 lease agreements for more than 3.6 million square feet during the quarter. New deals form about 30% of leasing activity.
While Ladenburg initiated the stock with a Buy rating in July, few analysts, including Truist Financial, are maintaining a Hold rating on Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG). The company is backed by 47 hedge funds, reflecting solid institutional faith in its premium retail real estate assets.
2. Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55
Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD) earns a position in our list of 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. The company reported strong growth across key financial metrics, with healthy organic expansion and a positive outlook for the year.
Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD) is one of the world’s leading REITs specializing in logistics facilities and industrial parks. Based in California, the company owns or operates over 1.2 billion square feet across more than 6,000 warehouses in 19 countries. Its client portfolio includes tenants in e‑commerce, retail, manufacturing, and distribution.
On July 16, 2025, the company discusses the Q2 2025 earnings results, which indicated a strong 9.0% year-over-year increase in its Core FFO per diluted share to $1.46. Cash same-store NOI saw a growth of 4.9% during the period, signaling healthy organic growth from the company’s existing portfolio.
Average occupancy remained high at 94.9% in the second quarter. For its 2025 outlook, the company narrowed its full-year Core FFO guidance to a range of $5.75 – $5.80 per share and significantly increased its outlook for development starts, now projecting $2.25 – $2.75 billion.
Despite the strong growth, the price target was lowered by Citi from $150 to $140. However, Citi, along with Truist Financial, maintains a Buy rating on the stock, reflecting confidence in the company’s future growth. Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD) enjoys support from 55 hedge funds and continues to gain the attention of REIT investors in the market.
1. Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 70
Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) secures a place among the 12 best REIT stocks to buy right now. Analyst sentiments are mixed amid the strong growth and positive outlook reflected in the company’s Q2 earnings report.
Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) is a global data center REIT, established in California, and providing colocation, interconnection, and hybrid cloud services. The company operates more than 260 IBX facilities across 75 metros in 33 countries, connecting enterprises, cloud networks, and partners. It helps businesses interconnect their digital infrastructure, enabling them to scale, innovate, and operate without disruption.
On July 30, 2025, the company announced its Q2 earnings results, in which it reported the revenues, adjusted EBITDA, and AFFO either meeting or exceeding expectations. The company also raised its full-year revenue growth guidance to 7-8% and anticipates AFFO growth of 10-12%.
With its Build Bolder investment strategy, it stands focused on capacity expansion. It involves a significant portion of capital expenditures allocated to future growth, aiming to accelerate revenue and achieve a long-term goal of $50+ AFFO per share by 2029.
Following these announcements, however, the analyst sentiments are mixed. While analysts, including Scotiabank, Oppenheimer, and Guggenheim, reaffirm their Buy rating, Barclays and CFRA have assigned a Hold rating on the stock. Aside from the conflicting sentiments, Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) stands out with 70 hedge funds invested, indicating strong confidence in the company’s growth.
While we acknowledge the potential of EQIX to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than EQIX and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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