11 Best Platforms for Non-Accredited Real Estate Investing

Non-accredited investors are individuals who do not meet the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) criteria for accredited investors. 

To be classified as an accredited investor, a person must have earned income that exceeded $200,000 (or $300,000 together with a spouse) in each of the prior two years, have a reasonable expectation of earning the same or higher amount in the current year or have a net worth exceeding $1 million (excluding the value of their primary residence).

Interestingly enough, non-accredited investors make up the vast majority of Americans. And yet, these non-accredited folks have been largely excluded from participating in certain investments, such as hedge funds and private equity placements.

Thankfully, that's starting to change. With new technology comes new opportunity, and there are now a number of apps and platforms for non-accredited investors to get in on the action. 

So if you're looking to invest like the 1%, read on for a list of some of the best places to do just that!

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1. Concreit

Concreit is a platform that allows investors to participate in fixed-income first-lien mortgages through SEC-qualified Regulation A+ Tier 2 offerings. Investing in real estate debt may be less risky and provide more predictable returns than investing in equity, especially during periods of economic uncertainty.

When it comes to investing in real estate, many people immediately think of purchasing equity in properties. However, for high-earning individuals looking for an alternative that still offers strong returns, first-position real estate debt can present a valuable opportunity.

Unlike equity investments, which can involve many risks and uncertainties, investing in real estate debt provides a reliable source of fixed income with the potential for weekly payouts. Additionally, real estate debt can act as a hedge against inflation, protecting your investment over time.

With Concreit, you can rest easy knowing that your money is diversified across hundreds of high-yielding income-focused first-lien mortgages in the United States. This cash flow strategy has been used by hedge funds and private equity funds for wealthy investors.

Pros

• Diversify your portfolio out of riskier and more volatile investments like crypto and individual stocks
• Concreit invests in hundreds of high-yielding income-focused first-lien mortgages across the United States, which helps to minimize risk
• Dividends with Concreit are paid weekly, and the average annualized return has been 5.5% over the last year
• You can cash out your Concreit investment at any time, with no minimum length of time required
• The app offers a more liquid alternative to investing in mortgage notes directly
• Managed by a team of experts who carefully select each investment for the portfolio
• This means that investors can be confident that their money is in good hands

Cons

• Not a good fit for people seeking higher-risk investments, such as loans made to speculators who fix and flip homes
• While returns from first-lien mortgages are more predictable, they may be lower than investing in real estate equity when the housing market begins to recover

Concreit helps you to easily invest in what works for you when it works for you with auto-investments and financial goals. This short YouTube video explains how to create an auto-invest schedule directly from your smartphone app: 

With over 100,000 investments made on the platform and the backing of industry leaders, including PayPal and Betterment, Concreit is trusted by tens of thousands of clients and has proven itself to be a reliable resource for real estate debt investment.

First-position real estate debt is worth considering for investors looking to diversify their portfolio and enjoy the financial benefits of real estate without the hassle of property ownership.

Minimum investment = $1 (Account maintenance fees are $5/month or $50/year if you invest less than $5,000)

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2. Arrived Homes

Arrived Homes is a platform for buying shares of rental homes and short-term vacation rentals. The company locates homes to invest in, takes care of finding tenants, and oversees the property management and maintenance on your behalf. Dividends are paid quarterly, provided that a property is profitable.

Pros

• Low minimum investment
• Quarterly dividend payments
• Professional property management

Cons

• Low deal flow with around 179 properties funded
• Liquidity is limited, and share redemption isn’t guaranteed
• Fees can cut into your rental income, so be sure to factor them into your budget

Minimum investment = $100

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3. DiversyFund

DiversyFund has two types of public non-traded REITs for non-accredited investors that invest in value-add multifamily properties across the country. The shares are not sold on exchanges, and there is a five-year minimum investment holding time. Nevertheless, the low minimum investment makes DiversyFund worth considering if you want to get started in commercial real estate investing without risking a lot of money.

Pros

• Low investment minimum makes investing in apartment buildings attainable
• Investment strategy specializes in multifamily properties that have between 100-200 units and generate positive cash flow
• Funds are reinvested into value-add renovations to improve the property and resell at an appreciated value

Cons

• Automatic dividend reinvestment and a long holding period of about 5 years
• Lack of a secondary market makes share highly illiquid
• DiversyFund charges a 2% platform fee for asset management plus a share of the profits if a property is sold above a specified hurdle rate

Minimum investment = $500

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4. Fundrise

Fundrise offers a variety of ways to invest in commercial real estate, including new home developments and multifamily property. You can invest in equity or the debt side of the capital stack by providing mortgages for real estate investors. Fundrise also provides eREIT and eFund investment options, which are collected funds that go towards purchasing land or developing structures, operating them, and eventually selling them.

Pros

• Minimum investments range from $10 - $100,000, and investment lengths generally average 5 years
• Annualized returns of 4% - 12%, depending on your goals and appetite for risk
• Annual fees are up to 1.0% of assets under management per year, and their redemption program allows you to sell your shares back early for a 1% fee

Cons

• Risk of making less than you thought if the project doesn't perform as projected
• Many investments are not liquid and difficult to cash out if you need the money immediately
• You'll pay a 1% fee if you redeem your funds before the end of the holding period

Minimum investment = $10

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5. Groundfloor

Groundfloor is an option for both fix-and-flippers and hard money lenders looking to invest in residential projects. Borrowers can use Groundfloor to access loans for house renovations with competitive interest rates and terms. Meanwhile, investors can choose from a variety of individual projects or use Groundfloor's analysis tools to filter investment opportunities according to personal criteria.

Pros

• Low minimum investment, with investment lengths generally averaging less than 12 months
• Short loan terms can generate a quick return, provided the loan performs as expected
• Monthly interest payments

Cons

• Debt investments focus on residential renovation and rehab loans (fix-and-flip), which means the risk of default may be higher than with first-lien mortgage debt investments
• Some loans have a high loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, meaning that if the property value falls or the repair costs are higher than predicted, the borrower could owe more money than the house is worth
• In judicial-only states, if the borrower files for bankruptcy, it can take up to a year or longer to foreclose and take the property back

Minimum investment = $10

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6. Landa

Landa is a mobile app that allows users to invest in shares of single-family and small multi-family residential rental properties for as little as $5. The platform includes features such as vetting potential rental home investments, leasing, maintenance, and property management so that users don't have to handle these things themselves. Landa plans on owning and managing their rentals over the long term but also provides a trading platform where you can buy or sell shares once all of the initial offering shares of a property are sold.

Pros

• Low minimum investment and no fees to invest
• Invest in residential rental property equity
• Available distributions are paid monthly

Cons

• Landa charges an acquisition fee of up to 6% and a property management fee of up to 8%, which reduces any distribution amount
• Equity investments in residential rental property may result in a loss if home prices decline
• Shares are illiquid if an initial offering is not fully sold or there are no buyers for shares listed on the Landa app platform

Minimum investment = $5

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7. RealtyMogul

RealtyMogul has two non-publicly traded REITs for non-accredited investors: the Income REIT and Growth REIT. The former invests in debt securities delivering an annualized return of 6%-8%. In contrast, the latter, being equity-based, invests in multi-family apartment complexes with a more conservative 4.5% annualized return by design - allowing investors to benefit from long-term appreciation and cash flow distributions annually. Although the company doesn’t have an end date set for investments, its buyback program enhances liquidity if you need to withdraw your money sooner than planned.

Pros

• Rigorous due diligence process
• Distributions can be claimed monthly or quarterly or reinvested
• Share buyback program enhances liquidity

Cons

• RealtyMogul is a more conservative choice for investing, and it only invests in properties that are already cash-flow positive. This means that RealtyMogul might not be the best option for those investors looking for speculation.
• If you want to invest in a private placement offering by a real estate company on the platform, you must be an accredited member
• High minimum investment compared to other alternative platforms

Minimum investment = $5,000

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8. Roofstock

Roofstock may be the ideal choice for investing directly in single-family rental properties, smaller multifamily buildings of 2-4 units, and short-term vacation rentals. Many of the homes listed on the platform are already tenant-occupied, so you can begin collecting rent immediately. Investors can evaluate properties, negotiate a deal, make an offer, and close the transaction online.

Pros

• Hundreds of residential rental properties to choose from in dozens of different markets
• Properties are pre-inspected and vetted, with low transaction fees for buyers and sellers
• Roofstock offers a lease-up guarantee and a 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

• Must purchase property outright or obtain financing
• Directly owning real estate is a highly illiquid investment
• Investors must have sufficient funds for potential repairs and to pay for expenses when the property is vacant

Minimum investment = Full property purchase price or down payment with financing (typically $20,000+)

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9. Streitwise

Streitwise offers investors the opportunity to invest in its private equity REIT, a professionally managed commercial real estate asset portfolio. They actively search for properties with national credit tenants, such as New Balance, Regus, and Wells Fargo. 

Streitwise has one current REIT offering available - 1st Streit Office - currently made up of two class A commercial properties with future properties to be added. After a 1-year lock-up period, investors receive regular cash flows, while redemptions are available without penalty after the initial 5-year investment horizon.

Pros

• Institutional-quality real estate leased to national credit tenants
• Investors can fund with cryptocurrency if desired, and dividends can be reinvested
• Transparent fee structure, with investors averaging 9.1% annualized returns for 22 consecutive quarters

Cons

• Currently limited to investing in a single REIT, which minimizes diversification
• Initial 1-year lock-up period and high penalties for share redemptions before the initial 5-year holding period
• High minimum investment and a 2% annual management fee

Minimum investment = $5,000 or 500 share minimum

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10. Titan

Titan utilizes an investment strategy similar to that of a hedge fund, targeting small groups of stocks and crypto in an attempt to outperform the market. It also hedges its bets by short-selling based on your risk tolerance. This results in a portfolio that has beaten those of other robo-advisors, and you'll pay less than you would for a typical hedge fund. On the other hand, fees are higher than most robo-advisors. The platform may be a good match for investors comfortable with more risk for more potential returns.

Pros

• Variety of investing strategies, including crypto and real estate
• Short selling can help protect you from downside risk

Cons

• Higher fees than other robo-advisors or ETF investing options
• $5/month for accounts less than $10,000 and 1% of assets annually for accounts more than $10,000
• Newer investment strategies have limited historical performance

Minimum investment = ranges from $100 to $10,000, depending on the fund selected

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11. YieldStreet

Yieldstreet is an alternative investment platform focused on generating income streams for investors from asset classes such as venture capital, private credit, short-term notes, art, real estate, and more. The Growth & Income REIT and the Yieldstreet Prism Fund are available to all investors, regardless of accreditation status. The REIT provides access to a diversified pool of real estate investments. The Yieldstreet Prism Fund allows you to invest in numerous Yieldstreet alternative asset classes with a single investment allocation. 

Pros

• Invest in a variety of alternative asset classes to maximize portfolio diversification
• Alternative assets may have a lower stock market correlation which minimizes volatility
• Holding periods generally range from 6 months to 5 years

Cons

• Non-accredited investors are limited to investing in 2 REITs
• Alternative investments are generally illiquid and best suited for those who do not need immediate access to their capital
• Because alternative investments such as fine art, transportation, and structured notes are unique, investors must spend extra time conducting due diligence

Minimum investment = Growth & Income REIT has a minimum initial investment of $5,000, while the Prism Fund with a minimum initial investment of $2,500

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