This study examines the impact of underpriced default risk on investment in the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector, where firms’ investment is highly sensitive to changes in credit market conditions. The findings reveal that REITs exploiting underpriced default risk have a higher level of investment than their peers because the former can access low-cost capital. Moreover, exploiting the underpriced default risk is specific to not only REITs but also to the whole real estate investment sector. In contrast, underpriced default risk has an insignificant impact on investment of non-real estate firms because non-recourse loans are unpopular in these firms.