Despite being considered one of the best long-term investments, real estate hasn’t always been accessible to everyone. It often requires a substantial amount of money to get started and effort to maintain the property.
Real estate crowdfunding sites have made investing in this asset class more accessible. These platforms let investors purchase a small portion of a property at an affordable price. They also oversee property management.
While many real estate investment sites are only available to accredited investors, there are sites for non-accredited investors as well. We’ve found the best real estate investing platforms for non-accredited investors can use.
Editors Top Picks:
Groundfloor
Offers loans to real estate investors to turn a quick profit on properties
Roofstock
Available for accredited and non-accredited investors
Fundrise
One of the more well-known investment firms focused on crowdfunding
Table of Contents
Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Investors
Before evaluating real estate investing platforms, it’s important to understand the difference between an accredited and a non-accredited investor. It’s also helpful for you to know which category you fall into.
Accredited investors must have at least one of the following:
- An income of $200,000 or more for the last two years
- An income of $300,000+ for the last two years when combined with a spouse
- A net worth of at least $1 million, either alone or with a spouse
- Series 7, 65 or 82 licenses
An accredited investor can also be an organization, like a trust or entity with total assets or investments of at least $5 million, or an entity where all equity owners are accredited investors.
If you meet one of the requirements above, you’re considered an accredited investor and can pursue opportunities that are only available to accredited investors.
However, if you don’t meet one of the requirements above, you’re a non-accredited investor. There are no requirements to be an non-accredited investor, and many crowdfunded real estate platforms will work with you.
Real Estate Investing For Non-Accredited Investors
If you’re an non-accredited investor, here are your options to generate passive income with real estate.
1. Groundfloor
Groundfloor provides short-term, high-yield real estate debt investments to non-accredited investors.
Since Groundloor offers debt investments, you aren’t actually buying ownership of the properties directly. However, you can get started with as little as $10, and the company boasts 10.5% annual returns.
The loans pay monthly interest after a short lag. In addition, because Groundfloor offers short-term debt investments, you’ll get your principal investment back in as little as six to 12 months.
That said, it’s important to remember that your investment is illiquid until then.
Pros
- $10 investment minimum
- 10.5% annual returns
- No fees for investors
- Short-term loans options
- Monthly interest payments
Cons
- Debt investments only
- Risk of default
- Illiquid until the loan ends
2. Diversyfund
Diversyfund is a real estate crowdfunding site that allows you to start investing in real estate without being an accredited investor. The company focuses on multi-family assets rather than single-family homes.
Non-accredited investors can start investing with as little as $500. In addition, the company’s app makes it easy to set up automatic investments, track your investment growth and more.
Diversyfund is unique from other platforms because it’s fully automated. Unlike many of its competitors, you don’t have the opportunity to choose individual investments.
Pros
- $500 investment minimum
- Easy for beginner investors
- Fully automated
- Track investment growth
Cons
- Relatively high annual asset management fee
- Illiquid for five years
- No choice of investment options
- Dividends must be reinvested
3. Fundrise
Fundrise is one of the most popular real estate crowdfunding sites for non-accredited investors to choose from a variety of portfolios.
The platform offers five different investment options ranging from Starter to Premium, with minimum investments ranging from $10 to $100,000.
Each portfolio includes a diversified selection of real estate investments. Every portfolio except the Premium option is open to non-accredited investors.
The platform’s portfolios are meant to be long-term investments. As a non-accredited investor, you should expect to keep your money in the fund for at least five years.
Additionally, your dividends will be automatically reinvested.
That said, Fundrise does have options for early redemption. But, the company can’t guarantee you’ll be able to redeem your shares, and there may be an added cost.
Regardless, it’s one of the best options for non-accredited investors.
Pros
- $10 investment minimum
- Multiple portfolios to choose from
- Option to redeem shares in some situations
- Portfolios allow for diversification
- Low annual investment fee
Cons
- Illiquid for five years
- Can’t choose individual properties
- Premium is for accredited investors only
4. Roofstock
Roofstock is a property investing sites for non-accredited investors to invest in a variety of ways.
Investment options include:
- Single-family homes around the country
- Portfolios that give you a more diversified selection
- Short-term rentals
When you sign up, you can shop Roofstock’s marketplace to find properties you’re interested in. Each property listing includes its gross yield, capitalization rate, neighborhood rating and more.
Roofstock is unique because you aren’t just purchasing shares in individual properties. Instead, you’re buying them outright — often with financing — and someone else is managing them.
Te platform matches you with property managers who oversee the day-to-day management
You do have the option of investing in the real estate portfolio instead of buying a property. This requires a minimum of $5,000 to get started. Plus, you’ll have to remain invested for at least five years.
Pros
- Multiple investing options
- Get matched with property managers
- Integrated financing solution
- Fully vetted properties
Cons
- High investment minimum
- Illiquid investments
- At least a five-year holding period
- Properties already have tenants
- May require financing
5. RealtyMogul
RealtyMogul is one of the best real estate crowdfunding platforms that allows you to invest in private market offerings, private placements and real estate investment trusts (REITs).
Once you sign up, you’ll be able to choose from current eligible investments. You can see each investment’s past performance to help you choose.
Then, after you find the right property, you can start investing in just a few minutes. You’ll even have an account dashboard where you can monitor your investments.
If you’d rather not invest in individual properties, you can also invest in REITs. These give you a more diversified portfolio of real estate investments.
RealtyMogul’s REITs have an investment minimum of $5,000. Depending on the portfolio you choose, you may either earn monthly or quarterly distributions.
Pros
- Multiple investment options
- Monthly or quarterly distributions
- REITs are available
- Takes a few minutes to invest
Cons
- $5,000 minimum investment
- Low liquidity
- Some options are only for accredited investors
- Complex fee structure
6. YieldStreet
YieldStreet is an alternative investment platform that allows you to invest in real estate and other alternative investments, including art, short-term notes, private credit and cryptocurrency.
When you sign up, you’ll have the opportunity to invest in a variety of portfolios, each of which has its own minimum investment, payment structure and more.
The YieldStreet Prism Fund, which is the platform’s signature fund, is always open and has holdings in at least five asset classes. It has a minimum deposit of $500, which is considerably lower than any other portfolio on the platform.
There are even themed funds, but these have higher minimums and are only available to accredited investors.
Pros
- Offers alternative investments
- $500 minimum investment for Prism Fund
- Quarterly payments for Prism Fund
- Themed portfolios
Cons
- Some options are for accredited investors only
- High investment minimums on themed portfolios
- Certain investments are highly illiquid
- High fees on some portfolios
7. American Homeowner Preservation
American Homeowner Preservation (AHP) is one of the top real estate crowdfunding platforms that allows individuals to invest in nonperforming loans.
By investing in these loans, you can help protect homeowners from foreclosure while still making money.
AHP initially accepted investors through the AHP Fund, which has since closed to new investors. However, you can now invest in another opportunity called AHP Title.
With AHP Title, you can earn up to 7% on your investment while helping families at risk of foreclosure stay in their homes. The investment only requires $100 to get started and comes with monthly distributions.
Pros
- Monthly distributions
- $100 minimum investment
- No investment fees
- Help homeowners avoid foreclosure
Cons
- Illiquid investment for five years
- High-risk real estate investments
8. Arrived Homes
Arrived Homes is one of the top sites for non-accredited investors that allows you to invest in single-family investment properties. When you sign up, you can choose from a variety of properties around the country.
You can invest in one property or several. There’s a $100 minimum investment, and the per-share price for most properties is $10.
Arrived Homes manages the properties, and you’ll earn rental income. Some of the properties are already rented out, which means that you can start earning money immediately.
However, other properties are still seeking tenants, meaning there may be a waiting period before you’ll start getting paid.
Pros
- $10 minimum investment
- Choose your investments
- Quarterly dividend payments
- Low management fee
Cons
- Some properties don’t have tenants yet
- Limited number of properties available
- Holding period of up to seven years
9. Streitwise
When it comes to real estate crowdfunding platforms, Streitwise is a real estate investment platform that allows anyone to own shares in commercial real estate by investing in REITs.
These funds are diversified, meaning you’re able to reduce your risk while still achieving impressive returns.
The platform currently only has one REIT that’s open to new investors. It invests in institutional-quality commercial real estate buildings and has a high minimum investment of $5,055.
Pros
- Diversified funds
- 9.2% annualized return
- Professionally-managed portfolios
- Invest in commercial real estate
Cons
- High minimum investment
- Only one REIT currently available
- High management fee
FAQs
Do you have questions about unaccredited real estate investment platforms? These answers might be able to help.
Do these platforms charge management fees?
Yes, many real estate investment platforms charge management fees. These fees are often a percentage of the total assets and are proportionally divided among the investors.
Keep in mind that the fees these platforms charge are similar to the ones you might pay with a mutual fund or other investment.
What is the minimum investment for an unaccredited real estate investor?
The minimum investment required for real estate depends on the platform you choose.
Some platforms require only small minimum investments. You could get started for as little as $10, which makes real estate investing accessible to almost anyone.
However, some sites require a minimum investment of $5,000 or more to get started. When you are choosing a platform, evaluate how much you can invest so you can find a site that fits your needs.
Why should I invest in real estate?
Real estate investing has plenty of advantages, including predictable cash flow thanks to the rental income from the properties you invest in.
You can also make money from appreciation as properties increase in value. Plus, real estate even allows you to diversify your portfolio beyond just stocks and bonds to minimize your risk.
What types of properties can I invest in?
There are a variety of types of properties available on the best real estate crowdfunding sites for non-accredited investors.
Depending on the platform you choose, you could invest in single-family homes, multi-family homes or commercial real estate.
You could even invest in things like farmland.
Is investing in a real estate crowdfunding site safe?
Every type of investment requires some risk, and real estate crowdfunding is no exception.
There’s always the chance that a rental property will decline in value or won’t produce the expected cash flow advertised by the real estate crowdfunding platform.
Fortunately, the real estate crowdfunding platforms themselves are generally safe and use excellent security features to ensure your data is protected.
How Do These Unaccredited Real Estate Investing Platforms Compare
| Platform | Trustpilot score | Investment Minimum | Fees |
| Groundfloor | 3.7 / 5 | $10 | None |
| Diversyfund | 3.4 / 5 | $500 | 2% |
| Fundrise | 3.2 / 5 | $10 | Up to 1% |
| Roofstock | 3.2 / 5 | $5,000 | 0.5% or $500, whichever is higher |
| RealtyMogul | 3.0 / 5 | $5,000 | 1% to 1.25% |
| YieldStreet | 2.6 / 5 | $500 | 1.5% to 2% |
| American Homeowner Preservation | N/A | $100 | None |
| Arrived Homes | N/A | $100 | 1% |
| Streitwise | N/A | $5,055 | 2% |
Summary
Real estate can make an excellent addition to your investment portfolio, and you don’t have to be an accredited investor. However, it’s no surprise that many of us simply aren’t in a position to go out and buy a rental property.
Luckily, real estate crowdfunding sites for non-accredited investors make it easier to invest in properties, giving you partial ownership of a tangible asset while still providing a passive investing experience like stocks and bonds.
Once you choose one of the top unaccredited real estate investing platforms for your investing goals, you can start collecting regular income.
