Real estate investment trusts (Reits) currently offer "the better bet" of all the opportunities in commercial property, it has been claimed.

Dave Butler, head of external affairs at Reita, an impartial source of information on property investment, advocated adding a Reit to an investment portfolio while the market is so volatile.

He said: "It offers you liquidity over direct property investment and over some of the open-ended funds where liquidity has been an issue recently."

Mr Butler added that tax relief and access to quality assets were additional benefits of a Reit.

However, he acknowledged many would not advise going into the commercial property market.

A Reit is defined by the London Stock Exchange as a firm that owns and runs property for shareholders.

Recent figures from the IPD UK Monthly Property Index showed that total property returns fell by 1.1 per cent in August 2008, whereas in July the drop was 1.3 per cent.