Real estate stocks posted a sharp recovery this year, despite disparate effects of the pandemic on different property types. Improving trends in key US market segments show how investors can gain confidence in property stocks as a diversifying source of solid long-term returns and an effective hedge against inflation.

Economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis was especially hard on real estate, mostly from misperceptions that the asset class is dominated by hotels, malls and office parks. But a look inside shows a diverse group of sectors that are more pandemic resilient than investors may think.

Generous dividends and relatively secure cash flows have been the hallmarks of real estate investment trusts (REITs) in recent years, but some investors fear that all REITs are too expensive. We think it’s time to take a closer look.