Lockdowns have been tough on real estate investment trusts (REITs). : If this is your first time registering, please check your inbox for more information about the benefits of your Forbes account and what you can do next! Lockdowns have been tough on real estate investment trusts (REITs). When April 1 hit, the rent stopped getting paid across the world. That’s of course bad for landlords and, in turn, REITs and their investors. Now it hasn’t been all bad since then. Sure, old school retail and shopping malls are done—but we knew that already.