Two REIT ETFs You May Wish You Owned

After having a rough outing for much of 2007, it appears that REIT ETFs have begun to reverse their fortunes this spring.

While the S&P 500 appreciated 3.6% last year, the Vanguard REIT Index ETF(VNQ Quote) and the DJ Wilshire REIT ETF(RWR Quote) suffered fates much worse. By the end of 2007, these two funds saw their prices fall by 20.5% and 21.5%, respectively.

Thanks in part to recent hot streaks, both ETFs are now showing signs that they may have turned the corner. While the broader market is down 7% year to date, the Vanguard ETF is up 8.4% and the Wilshire ETF is up 8.0%.

With dividend yields of approximately 5%, these two ETFs are among the top dividend-paying ETFs on the market. They have also been making a resurgence as their holdings have benefited from a pullback in new construction starts, lower interest rates and healthy occupancy rates in many markets. ...