If you’re looking for high-quality Canadian stocks to buy and hold forever, residential real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a great place to start.
Unlike direct property ownership, residential REITs allow investors to gain exposure to the real estate market without the hassle of maintenance, management, or large upfront costs.
Furthermore, because of the widely diversified portfolios these companies own and their consistently high occupancy rates, residential real estate stocks make some of the best long-term dividend stocks.
Many of these REITs consistently return a large portion of their cash flow to investors, while retaining funds to invest in growing or upgrading their portfolio.
So, if you’re looking for Canadian stocks to buy now and hold for years to come, here’s why Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (TSX:CAR.UN) is one of the best.
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Why this residential REIT is one of the best stocks Canadian investors can buy
Although Canadian Apartment Properties (CAPREIT) is one of the best stocks to buy and hold for the long haul, the real estate sector can often be cyclical, and today’s market is a perfect example.
For example, over the last few years, higher interest rates have weighed on property valuations across the board, and many REITs have seen their stock prices decline.
However, that’s actually one of the reasons why now is the perfect time to consider adding a reliable Canadian REIT like CAPREIT.
Even though its stock price has been impacted, CAPREIT’s core operations, generating cash flow from the units it rents, are incredibly defensive. Furthermore, even with the decline in its share price and the impact higher interest rates have had on its profitability over the last few years, CAPREIT’s dividend has remained intact.
And now with interest rates on the decline in both Canada and the United States, CAPREIT could start to see its profitability increase again, sending its share price higher.
Furthermore, even if CAPREIT trades sideways in the near term, you can be confident that you own a well-diversified and reliable business.
CAPREIT owns the largest and most diversified apartment portfolio in the country. It has tens of thousands of properties across Canada, which is why it’s one of the most reliable ways to generate passive income and long-term capital appreciation.
How is CAPREIT performing today?
Despite increased headwinds in the economic environment, CAPREIT continues to demonstrate why it’s one of the best Canadian stocks to buy and hold for the long haul.
First off, its average occupancy ratio above 98% ensures the fund is consistently generating the cash flow needed to fund the dividend. In fact, over the last 12 months, the payout ratio of funds from operations (FFO) has been just 59.8%. And today, with CAPREIT trading near the bottom of its 52-week range, that dividend yield has climbed to more than 4%.
Furthermore, because CAPREIT is paying out only 60% of its FFO, not only is its dividend incredibly sustainable, but the trust has plenty of capital left over to invest in future growth.
For example, in 2024, CAPREIT spent $670 million on acquisitions, and through the first half of 2025, it has already invested another $366 million.
Furthermore, it has also been buying back shares recently, while its stock price is trading so cheaply. To give investors an idea of how undervalued CAPREIT is today, it’s currently trading at a forward price-to-FFO ratio (P/FFO) of 14.8 times. That’s well below its five-year average P/FFO ratio of 19.6 times.
Therefore, while CAPREIT trades at such an attractive valuation and offers a sustainable dividend yield of more than 4%, there’s no question it’s one of the best Canadian stocks to buy now and hold for years.
