"The big talk is REITs for the first time may be able to be entered in the S&P 500," Keira B. Moody, vice president of investor relations for Ft. Worth-based Crescent Real Estate Equities Co., tells GlobeSt.com. Once REITs start to be measured on earnings per share instead of FFO, they most likely will be folded into the S&P index, she explains.

Investors are drawn to REITs because of their higher dividend yield. Sure, there was a tumble in the past few weeks, but they're still bringing higher returns than other investment vehicles. That dip was just a market correction, says Moody. "From a fixed-income standpoint, the dividend on a REIT is very attractive," she says, acknowledging "we (REITs in general) are having a lot of issues right now."

By nature of their portfolios, REITs attract investment dollars due to the stability of their long-term leases, a tangible that's a priceless commodity in a topsy-turvy stock market. "There's a cash flow and it doesn't matter how many widgets we sell," Moody adds.

REITs' office properties, in turn, are high-demand items for buyers, says Darrell Betts, senior vice president of investment sales for Grubb & Ellis Co.'s Houston office. The volatile stock market makes REITs the soup du jour for today's investment community as well as the quality of their properties. They're simply the all-round favorite.

With the backing of a well-heeled investment support group, REITs are particularly active as buyers and sellers. Buyers will line up when a REIT is selling because it most often means the property has had its share of tender loving care. "They have the cash available to put into the properties," Betts says. It's not that investors specifically come looking for a REIT-owned property to buy, but the allure of no deferred maintenance means they can go quicker than a blue-light special.