Not all REITs are created equal.
Some of the best stand out for key reasons, such as their resiliency, scale, stable and diversified portfolios, or consistent track records that support sustainable distributions over market cycles.
These traits are exactly why REIT investors continue to hold them for the long run.
Today, we will cast the spotlight on three Singapore REITs that stand out as potential long-term holdings.
ParkwayLife REIT (SGX: C2PU)
ParkwayLife REIT (PLife REIT) focuses on a well-diversified portfolio of healthcare and nursing home properties across Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and France.
PLife REIT has delivered a long track record of uninterrupted core DPU growth since its listing and enjoyed operational resilience across the same period.
In the REIT’s latest half-yearly result (1H2025), PLife REIT’s portfolio weighted average lease expiry (WALE) stood at 14.91 years, and this provides significant visibility and stability to its distributable income in the long term.
Apart from the long WALE, PLife REIT’s assets also stand to benefit from the built-in rental step-ups embedded within the leases signed with the operators, ensuring consistent organic growth for the REIT’s income.
Overall, PLife REIT is in a sweet spot given its exposure to the healthcare assets, which are of a defensive nature.
However, some of the potential downside risks for PLife REIT are the high concentration in the healthcare sector as well as currency fluctuation given its diverse operations across different countries.
CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (SGX: C38U)
CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) is Singapore’s largest retail and commercial REIT.
The REIT’s portfolio consists of retail malls, office towers and integrated developments, with the majority of its exposure in Singapore.
CICT’s steady distribution per unit (DPU) payout to unitholders is supported by prime assets such as ION Orchard, Raffles City Singapore, and Capital Tower.
For 1H2025, CICT’s portfolio occupancy stands at a high of 96.3%, with a stable WALE of 3.2 years.
The REIT continues to be a good proxy to Singapore’s economy and stands to benefit from its economic and consumer strength.
Challenges that CICT face include fluctuating interest costs, and cyclical retail and office demand, which are highly dependent on global economic conditions.
CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (SGX: A17U)
CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR) is Singapore’s first and largest listed industrial REIT, with a diversified portfolio spread across different asset classes such as industrial, logistics, and business parks.
CLAR has a strong growth track record through various methods such as acquisitions and redevelopment of properties to provide unitholders with sustainable and growing distribution.
The REIT’s IPO portfolio consists of just eight properties across business parks and industrial properties, with assets under management (AUM) of S$0.8 billion.
Today, the REIT has grown significantly to 225 properties across life sciences, data centers, and logistics sectors, valued at S$16.8 billion as of 30 June 2025.
Meanwhile, CLAR has a strong and diversified tenant base extending across more than 20 different industries, and a long portfolio WALE of 3.7 years, allowing visibility and stability in distribution income to unitholders.
On the whole, CLAR’s resiliency is attributable to its exposure to growth sectors such as logistics and technology.
However, some potential risks for CLAR include its global exposure across different geographies and refinancing costs.
Building a Long-Term Core Portfolio
The three REITs mentioned above combine scale, quality assets portfolio, and proven management track records which are necessary for sustainable growth.
These attributes translate into long-term sustainability of distribution payout to unitholders.
Furthermore, these REITs provide exposure to sectors with structural tailwinds: healthcare, integrated commercial real estate,logistics, and technology.
Get Smart: Building Lifelong Income
PLife REIT offers stability through its healthcare and nursing home portfolio, delivering predictable income streams in the long run.
CICT provides scale and quality as Singapore’s largest integrated commercial REIT, anchored by prime retail and office assets.
Finally, for CLAR, its diversified growth engine with exposure across business space, logistics, and data centers in developed markets keeps the trust strong and stable even during times of uncertainty.
Together, these trio provide a balanced foundation for income-focused investors pursuing long-term sustainable distributions.
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Disclosure: Zheng Long does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.
