Reliable real estate crowdfunding platforms right now and investment opportunities: Another key criteria to check criteria investing – track record. This is not an easy one to check and validate as platforms are providing information on their websites, which can be changed and is hard to check the log. Nevertheless some real estate crowdfunding platforms provide audited financial statements with key statistics and financial information. On a side some platforms provide statistical information how they have progressed over time in terms of capital raised, registered users, failed projects and etc. Before choosing a real estate crowdfunding platform, make sure to check at least the following two critera: financial information of the platform if available; Statistical information on how the platform is performing; It is also highly recommended to consult with friends or other community members on the feedback of the real estate crowdfunding platform. Find more details at real estate crowdfunding platforms tracker.
Crowdfunded real estate providers can offer investors access to exclusive private market property investments that may otherwise be unavailable to general audiences. Likewise, they tend to offer higher returns than publicly traded REITs, reflecting the higher degree of risk that may be associated with these investments. As with any private investment holding that you’re considering money behind though, it’s important to do your research and homework up-front, and not to overextend yourself financially. Rather than serve as a primary way to generate wealth, real estate crowdfunding is typically used as a way to expand and diversify one’s financial holdings while also maintaining an overall balanced portfolio of financial investments, including stocks, bonds, and other equity holdings.
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 otherwise 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 2% to nearly 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. In addition—depending on the investment and unlike the stock market—your money may be tied up for years.
Real estate project LTV (loan to value ratio): LTV is a loan to value ration, which calculated as the proportion of loan size compared to total value of pledged assets. This is a typical ratio, which originated from banking, where it was used as a risk assessment KPI. In real estate crowdfunding projects LTV is varying between 50% and 80%. The lower the ration the higher value asset is pledge for the loan. Therefore lending for a real estate crowdfunding project with lower LTV brings lower risk. In case project will have to be liquidated there is a higher probability that investors will recover the money as asset value is covering loans at a higher extent. Also, if project developer is failing to return the loan, there is a higher probability, that developer refinances existing loans via other financing options by offering higher LTV for them. The lower LTV ratio, the better.
RealtyMogul: RealtyMogul offers both nonaccredited and accredited investors access to commercial real estate investments and individual properties, including a variety of REITs that allow financiers to spread their investment dollars across a range of different real estate holdings. At the same time, investment minimums hover around the $5,000 mark, and fees can vary greatly among individual investment vehicles. If you’re looking for high rates of return though, the real estate crowdfunding giant aims to deliver. It also offers accredited investors access to 1031 exchanges (complicated investments that can help you defer capital gains tax from property sales).
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has since lifted the restrictions that banned non-accredited investors from investing in crowdfunding activities. Although there are limitations, non-accredited investors can participate in crowdfunding for equity transactions as well as real estate transactions. Current Real Estate Crowdfunding: Prior to the JOBS Act, real estate investors could only invest in real estate by buying a physical property or investing in real estate investment trusts (REITs). However, crowdfunding has opened up a whole new method for investing in real estate. See more info at https://www.crowdbulls.com/.
We aim to monitor real estate crowdfunding platforms in order to make sure data is provided in a correct way and not changed backwards. Thus, creating additional trust for the investors to rely on one or another platform. One of our objectives is also to provide an aggregated project data for investors, who could compare different projects, asses their risks and other KPIs accordingly. At the same time, we are aiming to educated and expand real estate crowdfunding community in order to bring more investors and market this capital raising channel compared to legacy alternatives.