myEmpirePROWith real estate crowdfunding, you can invest in real estate without the need for a large sum of money.
This is because real estate professionals handle everything from finding properties to managing investments for investors.
Real estate crowdfunding has also been shown to be an excellent way to diversify your investment portfolio with something new!
The real estate crowdfunding process begins with real estate professionals finding real estate deals for their investors.
Since real estate investing requires a large amount of money, real estate experts are often needed to buy real estate.
After the investments have been found, real estate experts will be responsible for creating documents that outline everything
from how much each investor contributes to whether they’ll receive dividends at the end of the year.
Once investors have provided payments and real estate experts have completed all investments tasks, they can be sold!
This process normally takes several months to complete.
Here are some of the topics we’ll address in this post:
- What real estate crowdfunding is
- How real estate crowdfunding works
- Why invest in real estate with real estate crowdfunders rather than a traditional broker or agent
- Tips for finding the right real property for your investment goals and objectives
- Ways to research properties before investing in them, including online tools such as Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin
Let’s get started with the complete and comprehensive breakdown of these lessons.
What Is Real Estate Crowdfunding?
Real estate crowdfunding is a real estate finance model that uses the power of the web and social media
to gather funds from exclusively accredited investors to fund real estate development projects.
An accredited investor in the United States is an investor who makes a minimum of $200,000 per year
in income and has a net worth of no less than $1 million.
The real estate crowdfunding model creates a middle ground for real estate developers and real estate investors,
by combining two things:
(1) Cutting-Edge Technology and
(2) Old-Fashioned Deal Flow.
Crowdfunding real estate allows real estate developers to get their projects financed,
while real estate investors receive a direct opportunity to invest in real estate projects at discounted rates.
Funding real estate using real estate crowdfunding is simple,
you just have to find real property crowdfunding opportunities that are looking for investors.
How Does Real Estate Crowdfunding Work?
The real property development sector has traditionally been closed off to most real estate investors.
Only a select few real estate brokers could offer the latest deals in upscale
Commercial real estate projects are typically valued at 6 or 7 figures or more.
For real estate investors to be able to sell shares in these real estate projects,
they would need to organize large real estate investment funds.
However, there is a lack of infrastructure (i.e., real estate agents) for real estate developers and real estate investors to come together.
That’s where crowdfunding real-estate platforms step in;
they act as the infrastructure that helps connect smaller real-estate deals with accredited investors
who can financially benefit from investing in these smaller real-life projects.
Advantages of Real Estate Crowdfunding
Real estate crowdfunding is a way for small and inexperienced real estate investors to invest in real estate projects.
Investing in real estate projects has been made easier by real estate crowdfunding platforms.
Examples of real estate crowdfunding platforms are RealtyMogul, Fundrise, and LendingHome.
Investors can get started with real estate investments by doing an online search for real estate crowdfunding platforms.
Commercial real estate investing can be attractive to real estate investors because
it offers the opportunity to diversify their real estate portfolios.
Many people use commercial real estate investments to hedge against risks in other investment classes
like the stock market or the publicly traded REITs (Real Estate investment Trusts).
Commercial Real Estate Investments also offers real estate investors real property ownership.
Investors can also invest in real estate deals on real estate crowdfunding platforms that are not commercial real-estate deals.
These types of real-estate investments are called real estate crowdfunding deals.
Some real estate crowdfunding deals offer residential real-estate projects like single-family homes, condos, and townhouses
to investors who do not meet the financing requirements for commercial real estate investments.
Real Estate funds or private REITs (real-estate investment trusts) are other ways for real estate investors
to diversify their portfolios with different types of real-estate deals than just commercial properties.
A person’s investment portfolio is usually made up of stocks, bonds, mutual funds/ETFs (i.e exchange-traded funds), and real estate.
The real estate in someone’s portfolio is usually made up of residential real estate and commercial real estate.
There are two types of real estate crowdfunding deals: debt deals and equity deals.
Equity real estate crowdfunding is when a person invests in a real estate project in exchange for an ownership interest in the property.
Debt real estate crowdfunding is when a person loans money to a real estate project in exchange for a fixed return on their investment and they’re principal back at the end of the loan term.
Most real estate crowdfunding platforms offer both equity deals and debt deals to their investors.
Why Invest With Real Estate Crowdfunders Rather Than a Traditional Broker or Agent
When it comes to real estate investing, there are a few different ways to go about it.
One option is to invest with a traditional broker or agent.
However, another option is to invest with real estate crowdfunders.
Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider investing
with real estate crowdfunders rather than a traditional broker or agent:
1. Minimum Investment:
With real estate crowdfunders, you can invest in real estate projects for as little as $100.
This is much lower than the minimum investment required by traditional brokers or agents.
2. Investment Opportunities:
Real estate crowdfunders offer a variety of investment opportunities, including both commercial and residential real estate projects.
This gives you a lot of flexibility when it comes to choosing the right real estate project to invest in.
3. Non-Accredited Investors:
Real estate crowdfunders allow non-accredited investors to participate in real estate projects.
This is not possible with traditional brokers or agents.
4. Real estate Professionals:
Real estate crowdfunders have a team of real estate professionals
to provide real estate project due diligence, including real estate investors and real estate agents.
This will help them find the best real estate investments for you.
5. Alternative Investments:
Crowdfunders may offer alternative real estate investment opportunities
that aren’t available through traditional brokers or agents, such as real estate notes.
6. Prospective Investors:
Prospective real estate investors such as real estate professionals and real estate agents
can get real-time access to real estate projects.
7. Management Fees:
With real estate crowdfunders, the management fee is generally between 1% and 3%.
This is much lower than the traditional broker or agent model
where you’ll be charged a markup of 5% to 10%.
8. Real estate Project:
A real estate crowdfunder is an entity that raises money from a large number of investors and uses that money to invest in real estate projects.
This is different from a traditional broker or agent who typically works with a limited number of high-net-worth investors.
If you’d like to be a crowdfunder for real estate investing,
you need to learn how to find good real estate deals.
Tips for Finding the Right Real Property For Your Investment Goals and Objectives
When looking for real property to invest in, it’s important to consider your goals and objectives.
Here are a few tips for finding the right property:
1. Start by Assessing Your Needs and Wants.
What kind of real estate do you want to invest in?
Are you looking for a residential or commercial property?
Are you interested in a few hundred dollars or many millions?
2. Consider Your Budget.
How much can you afford to spend on real estate?
Remember to factor in maintenance and other costs associated with owning property.
3. Explore Different Investment Options.
There are many publicly traded real estate investment trusts (REITs) available,
…as well as crowdfunding platforms that allow individual investors to pool their resources.
4. Speak to an Expert Advisor.
An investment advisor can help you make a real estate investment decision
that meets your needs and is appropriate for your portfolio.
5. Think About Taxes and Fees.
In general, real estate securities are taxed as either ordinary income or capital gains,
depending on how long the security was held.
There are also a few other fees to consider, such as real estate marketing
and due diligence expenses for finding real property investments.
6. Start Investing.
After finding a real property that is right for you, secure your real estate investment with an offer.
Ways to Research Properties Before Investing in Them, Including Online Tools Such as Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin
With real estate becoming more expensive, it is difficult for many people
to pay the full amount of the down payment.
Investing in real estate provides many benefits to investors,
but deciding which real estate property to invest in can be difficult.
There are tools that real estate investors can use to find properties that are good investments.
Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin are all websites that real estate investors can use with their online services.
Zillow
The site provides real estate listings and realtor reviews and has an app available for mobile devices.
Users of the site can search by location and map, filter, and sort properties based on user preferences.
Investors can also view home values in the area as well as the number of days until a listing expires.
Trulia
Users of Trulia can search by neighborhood or city within a specific state, county, metropolitan area, town/village/borough, ZIP code, or school district.
This site also lets users save listings they like so they can be viewed later.
There is also a real estate app available for mobile devices that real estate investors may want to download
…if they use an Android or iOS device.
Redfin
Users of this site can search by neighborhood, city, or ZIP code and include neighboring cities as well.
This real estate website shows users the estimated value of homes based on public records.
Redfin also provides data about nearby sales and gives prices for recently sold homes
…near the user’s home address within the past six months.
The site also lets users save listings they like so they can take a look at them later.
When you are researching potential real estate investments, it is important to consult more than one real estate website.
All of the real estate websites that have been mentioned provide investors with different information
that can help them make a well-informed decision about which real estate property to invest in.
In addition to using real estate websites, real estate investors may also want to use Trulia’s Crime Map
to research potential neighborhoods before investing in real estate properties.
This crime map provides detailed crime information for specific addresses and neighborhoods within the United States.
The map includes crimes such as arson, burglary, homicide, robbery, and vehicle theft.
This crime map is beneficial for real estate investors because it can help them avoid investing in a neighborhood that has high crime rates.
Real estate investors need to do their research and due diligence when deciding which real estate property to invest in.
Real estate websites such as Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin can be helpful tools when researching potential real estate investments.
But real estate investors should not rely solely on these sites when deciding where to invest their money.
There are many other factors that investors should consider before investing in real estate.
Check out the web based software that I personally use at www.EmpireBIGData.com
Conclusion
Real Estate Crowdfunding has been becoming more popular over the last few years
as an alternative to going with a typical realtor for investing in real estate.
Realtors are seen by many people as being too expensive and not always upfront
about their fees when they buy and sell homes.
Lots of people also don’t like dealing with them because it often feels like you’re working against each other during the process rather than together.
This can be especially frustrating if there’s some kind of disagreement that leads to
something negative happening between the two parties who were once friends before real estate was involved.
In real estate, it is often said that “location, location, and location” are the three most important factors when determining a property’s value.
This rings true for real-estate crowdfunding as well.
There are many ways to research properties before investing in them
…so you have more information about their potential ROI on your investment.
Location will always be one of the biggest deciding factors in choosing an investment site; there may also be other reasons why you choose one over another.
For instance, if you want to invest specifically in North Carolina beachfront property or ski resort condos near Jackson Hole (Wyoming),
then these types of investments only exist at certain locations!
The same can be said for real-estate crowdfunding sites like Fundrise:
they specialize in real estate investments that will only be found in certain locations around the country.
In real-estate crowdfunding, it’s also important to choose a real estate investment site
that has been operating for a while and is transparent in its dealings with investors.
This way you know they have a track record of returns and are legitimate in their offer to give you a return on your investment.
When it comes to real estate crowdfunding, there are many advantages to using this type of investing instead of going with a realtor.
Some people may not choose real estate crowdfunding because they want more control
over the process and the final decision of the property they’re buying or selling.
Others may like real-estate crowdfunding because they want to avoid realtors altogether
and just invest in real estate on their own.
The important part is to do your research on real estate crowdfunding sites
before investing in them and to be aware of the risks involved in any real estate investment.
If done correctly, it’s unlikely you will make a lot of money with real estate crowdfunding – the risk is too high.
There are several reasons one might not make a lot of money using a crowdfunding platform for investing in real estate:
Most crowdfunders invest only their own money, which means that little to no knowledge about how to invest wisely beyond stock picking and speculation.
In other words, they don’t have the time or inclination to do any research into what properties might be successful investments.
A person can make a lot of money from real estate crowdfunding if they pick the right projects to invest in.
There’s a risk, of course – a real estate crowdfunding project could go belly-up and you could lose your investment.
But if you research the project before investing and have some idea of what skills are required to complete it, then there’s also an opportunity for a high reward.
As it works today, investors can invest $500 or more in projects with RealtyMogul.
Many of the investments are property flips that require renovation work to bring the homes up to market value after purchase, which is an essential part of overhead that would not exist with other investment types like stocks.
To ensure profitability, there must be a greater upside for flipping than holding onto a property as equity (which is admittedly hard).
Each deal has its structure and some involve renovating foreclosed properties while others involve purchasing completed new construction condos.
Investors typically see between 8% and 12% returns on their investments depending on how much they invested, how long they were invested for, the condition of the local real estate market at the time of acquisition, etc
Crowdfunding has helped people with all sorts of needs, whether it be for medical reasons or to fund some other passion.
So yes, you can use crowdfunding to buy a house.
The key is to have enough money saved up before you start — the last thing you want is to run out of cash mid-house buying process!
Talk with your friends and family about how much they want in return for their help, but be careful not to ask too much! Many crowdfunding websites won’t allow campaigns with expectations that are too high or that are unrealistic because of size/need.
That being said, if there’s a specific reason why this house is so special or important to you AND all the relevant ducks are in rows then just go for it!