Real estate ownership has long been considered the cornerstone investment for wealth and prosperity. However, buying real estate traditionally requires significant capital, preventing many people from embarking on the journey.
That’s no longer the case, thanks to online platforms that allow you to invest in fractional real estate. If you’re looking to add real estate to your portfolio, you can now take advantage of investment opportunities in fractional real estate at a fraction of the cost of traditional real estate investing.
Understanding Fractional Real Estate: A New Way to Invest
Fractional ownership is an investment strategy in which multiple people pool their money to collectively buy and own an asset, in this case, real estate.
When you invest your money, you gain ownership of a stake in a piece of property proportional to your investment – your fraction. This means you share in the financial responsibilities of the property, including maintenance, repairs, property taxes and other costs.
In exchange, you’ll have access to the property for a certain amount of time during the year and reap its various benefits, such as any potential rental income or appreciation.
If this sounds confusing or daunting, you’ll be pleased to learn that there are now online platforms that can help facilitate this. Platforms like Arrived Homes and mogul streamline the process and formalize the ownership structure.
Here’s how investing in fractional real estate ownership using one of these platforms works: the platform forms an ownership structure, typically a limited liability company (LLC), buys a property and divides it into shares. It then sells those shares to individuals and manages the LLC.
While an LLC is the most common ownership structure for investment opportunities in real estate, you can find other structures that might better suit your investment strategy. For instance, if you’re looking to invest in commercial properties, you might try a syndicate.
A commercial real estate syndicate gathers money from investors to buy office buildings, apartment complexes and shopping centers. These fractional ownerships are typically structured as a limited liability partnership, with a general partner or syndicator and limited partners or as a real estate investment trust (REIT).
The general partner or REIT manages the property and distributes income to investors, who can benefit from appreciation.
Why Fractional Real Estate Is Gaining Popularity
Investment opportunities in real estate have taken off in recent years, largely because owning property doesn’t require a large capital commitment.
The lower barrier to entry allows you to purchase high-value properties you might otherwise not be able to afford. Many people enjoy the lifestyle benefits of vacationing at a luxury property that would be unobtainable without sharing the cost with other investors.
Here are some other reasons fractional ownership of real estate is gaining popularity:
- Luxury Property Access: You can use the property during your specified period
- Rental Income: You’ll claim a portion of any profits the property generates
- Diversification: You can spread out your investment risk
- Shared Responsibility: You’ll work with others to perform necessary duties
- Reduced Financial Burden: You’ll share the property costs with other investors
Fractional ownership in real estate isn’t like a timeshare, where you pay for a specific time to use a property. Through fractional ownership, you own a portion of the property.
Investment Opportunities in Fractional Real Estate
Investment opportunities in fractional real estate can give you access to several properties.
You can invest in residential properties, such as homes, apartments or vacation homes. You can also put your money in commercial properties like office buildings or retail spaces or industrial properties like factories and warehouses.
If you invest in residential properties, you’ll benefit from using the property (especially if it’s a luxury home) and may also have the opportunity to receive rental income. If the property gains value and is later sold, you’ll get a cut of the proceeds.
With commercial properties, you’ll receive your proportional share of the rent collected weekly, monthly or quarterly.
Expected Returns: How Much Can Investors Make?
Fractional real estate investing in residential properties typically has an average annual return of 8% – 10%, which compares favorably to the average annual return of traditional long-term real estate investing, which is 10.3%.
The chance to receive returns comparable to traditional real estate investing is a main attraction of fractional real estate investing. While your investment is smaller, you can earn similar returns to traditional real estate investing without the hefty capital outlay.
Future of Fractional Real Estate: Trends and Predictions
Fractional real estate investing is becoming widely adopted worldwide as technology advances and demographics shift.
More people are moving to urban areas in North America, Europe and Asia. However, the high price of city property has priced many people out of the market. Fractional investing is an affordable alternative to traditional real estate investing.
Technology also plays a key role. Online platforms permit everyday people to invest in fractional real estate from just about anywhere, offering complete transparency.
Two notable benefits that predict a bright future for fractional real estate investing are online platforms' flexibility and liquidity. The technology makes it easy for investors to buy and sell shares of properties to keep up with changing market dynamics.
These platforms also let investors spread their risk across properties and regions, effectively mitigating exposure and helping them net higher returns.
While fractional real estate investing is still a relatively new phenomenon, the popularity of the platforms springing up to provide access to new investors suggests that it’s more than a trend – it’s a viable investment model that’s sustainable and in line with the changing needs of modern investors.
The newfound investment opportunities in fractional real estate are democratizing real estate investing. The global market is expected to show a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% between 2021 and 2028.
Key Platforms for Fractional Real Estate Investment
The fractional real estate movement is allowing more people to own property and reap the benefits of real estate ownership. Property ownership has long been considered a wealth-building investment, but its high capital requirement has left many on the sidelines.
Now, you can diversify your investments and earn passive income with as little as $100. But while fractional real estate investing is catching on, it’s up to you to decide whether it’s right for you.
If you’re looking for investment opportunities in fractional real estate, consider checking out Arrived Homes. Once backed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and mogul, Arrived Homes now boasts a partnership with ex-NFL star Richard Sherman’s Players Company. The two platforms are among the most highly regarded for fractional real estate investing.
Founded in 2019, Arrived Homes is based in Seattle, Washington. The company states that investors may see returns of 6% – 10% on single-family homes, 4.5% – 12% on vacation homes and 7% – 9% for its private credit fund.
A more recent addition to the real estate investing sphere, mogul was founded in 2021 in Washington, D.C. According to the company’s website, investors see an average annual return of 18.8%.