Best Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites

CrowdStreet is our pick as the best real estate crowdfunding site

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Jean Folger
Jean Folger
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Jean Folger has 15+ years of experience as a financial writer covering real estate, investing, active trading, the economy, and retirement planning. She is the co-founder of PowerZone Trading, a company that has provided programming, consulting, and strategy development services to active traders and investors since 2004.
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Updated May 18, 2023
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Real estate crowdfunding is one way for retail investors to access assets traditionally reserved for the wealthy. Real estate investment platforms, including crowdfunding sites, pair developers and other real estate professionals with individual investors who want exposure to real estate without the hassles of owning, financing, and managing properties.

While real estate crowdfunding is inherently risky, real estate investments can help diversify your portfolio and provide competitive returns. To choose the top real estate crowdfunding sites, we considered a variety of factors, like investment minimums, platform fees, total number of investors, total investor dividends, historical annual returns, reinvestment opportunities, website transparency, Better Business Bureau ratings, and educational offerings. We also investigated each company’s online reputation—including average monthly search volume, recent news, customer reviews, and complaints—to ensure the platform is well respected and legitimate. 

Best Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites of 2023

Best Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites
Best Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites

Best User-Friendly Platform : CrowdStreet

Crowdstreet

Crowdstreet
  • Fees: 0% for investors; 0.25%–2.5% for tailored portfolios
  • Minimum investment: $25,000
  • Accredited investors only: Yes
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Why We Chose It

Its innovative approach gives direct access to a vetted range of institutional-quality real estate investments. Accredited investors can pick a single property or invest in a fund.

Pros and Cons
Pros

  • User-friendly platform with a helpful chatbot

  • Institutional-quality offerings

  • Easy-to-find investment details

Cons

  • Accredited investors only

  • Steep investment minimums

  • No early withdrawals

Overview

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, CrowdStreet has published more than 737 commercial real estate investment offerings. More than 100,000 investors throughout the U.S. have invested on the CrowdStreet platform.

It boasts average annual returns of 19.7% and total investor distributions of $220 million. Its investment options include funds, individual deals, and a professionally managed, tailored portfolio.

Best for Institutional Commercial Real Estate : EquityMultiple

EquityMultiple
  • Fees: 0.5%–1.5% on equity investments; other fees vary by offering
  • Minimum investment: $5,000
  • Accredited investors only: Yes
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Why We Chose It

EquityMultiple focuses almost entirely on institutional commercial real estate, and it also offers equity, preferred equity, and senior debt investments.

Pros and Cons
Pros

  • Good investment selection

  • Variety of target hold periods

  • Easy-to-use platform

Cons

  • Accredited investors only

  • Steep minimum investment

  • Limited redemption options

Overview

EquityMultiple recently added tax-advantaged real estate investments and fund products to its lineup. Distribution schedules vary by deal but usually are monthly or quarterly. Investment options include institutional commercial real estate; equity, preferred equity, and senior debt; opportunity zones; and 1031 exchange investments.

Its average annual returns were 15.2% as of 2022, and the company has $298 million in total investor distributions.

Best for Investing in Loans : PeerStreet

PeerStreet
  • Fees: Typically 1%
  • Minimum investment: $1,000
  • Accredited investors only: Yes
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Why We Chose It

You can diversify your portfolio manually or automatically with investments from various locations, lenders, borrowers, asset classes, terms, loan-to-value (LTV) ratios, and rates.

Pros and Cons
Pros

  • Unique offering among real estate investment platforms

  • Diversification across various parameters

  • Low interest rate risk because loans are a maximum of 36 months

Cons

  • Accredited investors only

  • Only offers investments in debt 

  • Higher risk than some other crowdfunding options

Overview

PeerStreet is an online marketplace where accredited investors can invest in high-quality private real estate loans. Here’s how it works: Your investment gives lenders capital to lend to real estate borrowers, then PeerStreet collects the monthly payments from the borrowers, and you (the investor) get a share of those monthly payments.

Its total investor distributions exceeded $280 million as of 2022, and its average annual return was 6.49%.

Best Property Research : RealtyMogul

RealtyMogul
  • Fees: 1%–1.5%
  • Minimum investment: $1,000
  • Accredited investors only: No
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Why We Chose It

The company looks for well-leased properties or those with existing leases, and it works only with real estate partners with proven track records and experience managing assets.

Pros and Cons
Pros

  • Good investment selection

  • Thorough due diligence

  • Monthly auto-investing in REITs starting at $250 per month

Cons

  • Different fees associated with each investment

  • Investments not easily sold or traded

  • Some long hold periods

Overview

Since its inception in 2012, more than 274,000 investors have joined RealtyMogul to access its REITs and private market offerings. Known for its exemplary due diligence, the company vets every potential property in person and scrutinizes each deal using propriety methods and models.

Investors can choose from three objectives: passive income, growth, and diversification. Investment options include REITs and individual properties (multifamily, office, industrial, and retail).

Final Verdict

If you're an accredited investor and you need access to institutional-quality offerings, CrowdStreet might fit the bill for you. It has a wide range of investment options and a history of strong returns.

Accredited investors also will find a good selection and low fees at EquityMultiple. If you're an accredited investor who needs low interest rates, PeerStreet is a good choice for you. RealtyMogul is a good option for investors who are not accredited and are looking for a reasonable investment minimum.

Compare the Best Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites

Company Fees Minimum Investment Accredited Investors Only?
CrowdStreet Best Overall 0% for investors; 0.25%–2.5% for tailored portfolios $25,000 Yes
EquityMultiple Best for Institutional Commerce Real Estate 0.5%–1.5% on equity investments; other fees vary by offering $5,000 Yes
PeerStreet Best for Investing in Loans Typically 1% $1,000 Yes
RealtyMogul Best Property Research 1%–1.5% $1,000 No

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Real Estate Crowdfunding?

Real estate crowdfunding raises capital for real estate investments. When developers or real estate professionals find investment opportunities, they may not want to fund the entire investment themselves, or they may not be able to do so. Thus, they turn to crowdfunding to let individual investors help finance the project. The process enables investors to invest in real estate without owning, financing, or managing properties.

How Does Crowdfunding Work in Real Estate?

Most real estate crowdfunding deals have a sponsor, a crowdfunding platform, and investors. Sponsors acquire, manage, and sell investments, and crowdfunding platforms connect sponsors to interested investors. Platforms explain deals to potential investors, handle regulatory issues, and collect money from investors on behalf of sponsors. Investors contribute to the funding of projects in exchange for a share of the profits.

How Can You Start in Real Estate Crowdfunding?

To get started in real estate crowdfunding, research the various crowdfunding sites to find an opportunity that interests you—whether that’s an individual property or a fund that owns dozens of properties. Pay close attention to the platform’s vetting process for deals as well as its sponsors. The top platforms employ high levels of due diligence to make sure that sponsors—and any deals offered by the sponsors—have been rigorously evaluated.

Can You Crowdfund in Commercial Real Estate?

Yes, real estate crowdfunding platforms give individual investors access to commercial real estate projects, such as hotels, apartment complexes, medical complexes, self-storage, and retail. Without crowdfunding, these large-scale investments would be unaffordable to most individuals.

Can You Make Money from Crowdfunding?

Yes, there is potential to earn competitive returns in real estate crowdfunding. The platforms we reviewed boast annual returns ranging from about 2% to about 20%. Still, real estate crowdfunding is considered a risky investment. Just like the stock market, there are no guaranteed returns, and you could lose your entire investment.

Methodology

To choose the top real estate crowdfunding sites, we considered a variety of factors, including:

  • Investment minimums
  • Platform fees
  • Total number of investors
  • Total investor dividends
  • Historical annual returns
  • Reinvestment opportunities
  • Website transparency (how easy it is to find platform fees, minimums, and redemption options)
  • Better Business Bureau ratings
  • Educational offerings

We also investigated each company’s online reputation—including average monthly search volume, recent news, customer reviews, and complaints—to ensure the platform is well respected and legitimate. 

Businessmen reading blueprints in empty warehouse Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites

Erik Isakson / Getty Images
Article Sources
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  1. CrowdStreet. "Does CrowdStreet Charge Fees for Investors?"

  2. CrowdStreet. "Tailored Portfolio," Click "How Do the Advisory Fees Work on a Private Managed Account?"

  3. CrowdStreet. "Is There an Investment Minimum?"

  4. CrowdStreet. "Can Non-Accredited Investors Invest on CrowdStreet?"

  5. CrowdStreet. "Why Real Estate Investing?"

  6. CrowdStreet. "Individual Investors Can Now One-Click Invest in Commercial Real Estate with CrowdStreet’s 'Blended Portfolio' Offering."

  7. CrowdStreet. "Marketplace Performance."

  8. CrowdStreet. "CrowdStreet Has Raised More Than $2 Billion Across 500+ Projects, Ranked #1 in Landmark Industry Study."

  9. EquityMultiple. "FAQ," Click "What Fees Are Associated With My Investment?"

  10. EquityMultiple. "FAQ," Click "What Is the Minimum Investment Amount for Projects Offered on EquityMultiple?"

  11. EquityMultiple. "FAQ," Click "Do I Need to Be an Accredited Investor?"

  12. EquityMultiple. "Behind the Screen: an Overview of Investment Selection & Underwriting at EquityMultiple," Pages 4, 6.

  13. PeerStreet. "What Is PeerStreet’s Asset Management Fee?"

  14. PeerStreet. "How It Works."

  15. PeerStreet. "What Types of Investors Currently Participate on PeerStreet?"

  16. PeerStreet. "PeerStreet."

  17. PeerStreet. "Q3 2022 PeerStreet Quarterly Performance Report."

  18. RealtyMogul. "Frequently Asked Questions," Click "Are There Any Minimum Qualifications I Need to Meet to Be Able to Invest?"

  19. RealtyMogul. "Our Story."