Buying Property from an REIT

[Wendy Black]

If you wanted to buy a property that was being sold by a huge REIT but needed to do so creatively (with the least amount of money exchanging hands either by money down or monthly payments), would you approach it any differently that if you were dealing with an individual seller?

The situation:

Our 32-year-old daughter-in-law has just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and along with a number of other serious health issues, is so ill that our son can hardly work.  Just a few hours a week from home.  They have 4 young children.  We've been picking up their rent, but other than buying it outright with cash, we're looking for a way to reduce the amount of money going for their housing until this situation resolves itself, which may be quite a long time.  We're not in a financial position to either buy it outright or continue to pay their rent indefinitely.  

The REIT owns at least 20,000 homes.

Thanks.