Real estate investment trusts (REITs) offer a convenient and low-cost method for investors to invest in real estate. However, investing in individual REITs can mean risking your funds in overly concentrated positions. To avoid this, consider real estate ETFs, which allow you to invest in a basket of REITs that are handpicked and managed by professional fund managers. Here’s our pick of the five best performing REIT ETFs with high yields, low cost and proven track records. Source: Unsplash Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund (VNQ)

• Annual dividend yield: 3.62% (US$3.23 per share)
• Distribution: Quarterly
• Expense ratio: 0.12%
• One year return: -13.32%
• AUM: US$36.5 billion

The Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund is an all-time favourite real estate ETF, thanks to its broad diversification, low cost and consistent track record. The fund encompasses around 170 properties — including some of the largest REITs in the market — and is nearly 10 times bigger than the next nearest competitor....