Sectors & IndustriesReal EstateREIT - Residential

Best Residential REIT Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top residential reit stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +32.52% per year, and are the best residential reit stocks to buy now. Learn More.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best residential reit stocks to buy right now are:

Veris Residential (NYSE:VRE) is the #1 top residential reit stock out of 21 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Veris Residential (NYSE:VRE) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: A, Safety: D, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Veris Residential (NYSE:VRE) has a Due Diligence Score of 27, which is equal to the residential reit industry average of 27.

VRE passed 9 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Veris Residential has seen its stock return 5.45% over the past year, overperforming other residential reit stocks by 17 percentage points.

Invitation Homes (NYSE:INVH) is the #2 top residential reit stock out of 21 with a Zen Rating of C. Stocks with a rating of C have had an average return of +7.53% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Invitation Homes (NYSE:INVH) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: D, Sentiment: C, Safety: B, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Invitation Homes (NYSE:INVH) has a Due Diligence Score of 43, which is 16 points higher than the residential reit industry average of 27.

INVH passed 15 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Invitation Homes has seen its stock lose -15.21% over the past year, underperforming other residential reit stocks by -4 percentage points.

Invitation Homes has an average 1 year price target of $32.55, an upside of 20.58% from Invitation Homes's current stock price of $26.99.

Invitation Homes stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 11 analysts covering Invitation Homes, 27.27% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 9.09% have issued a Buy, 63.64% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Centerspace (NYSE:CSR) is the #3 top residential reit stock out of 21 with a Zen Rating of C. Stocks with a rating of C have had an average return of +7.53% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Centerspace (NYSE:CSR) is: Value: D, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: D, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Centerspace (NYSE:CSR) has a Due Diligence Score of 21, which is -6 points lower than the residential reit industry average of 27.

CSR passed 7 out of 38 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Centerspace has seen its stock return 2.07% over the past year, overperforming other residential reit stocks by 14 percentage points.

Centerspace has an average 1 year price target of $67.33, an upside of 5.92% from Centerspace's current stock price of $63.57.

Centerspace stock has a consensus Hold recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 3 analysts covering Centerspace, 0% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 100% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 19 residential reit stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 residential reit stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Clipper Realty (NYSE:CLPR) has an annual dividend yield of 11.28%, which is 6 percentage points higher than the residential reit industry average of 5.7%. Clipper Realty's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Clipper Realty's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Clipper Realty's dividend payout ratio of -25.4% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Millrose Properties (NYSE:MRP) has an annual dividend yield of 7.98%, which is 2 percentage points higher than the residential reit industry average of 5.7%.

Nexpoint Residential Trust (NYSE:NXRT) has an annual dividend yield of 6.92%, which is 1 percentage points higher than the residential reit industry average of 5.7%. Nexpoint Residential Trust's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Nexpoint Residential Trust's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Nexpoint Residential Trust's dividend payout ratio of -106.2% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Residential reit stocks were up 0.82% in the last day, and up 0.69% over the last week.

We couldn't find a catalyst for why residential reit stocks are up.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued residential reit stocks right now are:

Apartment Investment & Management Co (NYSE:AIV) is the most undervalued residential reit stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Apartment Investment & Management Co has a valuation score of 29, which is 7 points higher than the residential reit industry average of 22. It passed 2 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Apartment Investment & Management Co's stock has dropped -34.68% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the residential reit industry by -23 percentage points.

Veris Residential (NYSE:VRE) is the second most undervalued residential reit stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Veris Residential has a valuation score of 43, which is 21 points higher than the residential reit industry average of 22. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Veris Residential's stock has gained 5.45% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the residential reit industry by 17 percentage points.

Avalonbay Communities (NYSE:AVB) is the third most undervalued residential reit stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Avalonbay Communities has a valuation score of 43, which is 21 points higher than the residential reit industry average of 22. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Avalonbay Communities's stock has dropped -19.95% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the residential reit industry by -8 percentage points.

50% of residential reit stocks rated by analysts are a buy right now. On average, analysts expect residential reit stocks to rise by 10.4% over the next year.

0% of residential reit stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 5% of residential reit stocks are rated B (Buy), 55% are rated C (Hold), 25% are rated D (Sell), and 15% are rated F (Strong Sell).