Professional athletes and high earners face a unique challenge: generating income streams that don't require active management during peak earning years. While your income may be substantial, your time is limited, and direct rental ownership can require substantial upfront capital while creating property-level operational responsibilities, even though owners can outsource day-to-day management to a third-party property manager (IRS Publication 527 distinguishes ownership from management expenses rather than requiring owner self-management). A fractional real estate platform can provide access to institutional-quality property with monthly distributions of available net rental income, making it an attractive option for busy professionals seeking to build wealth through real estate.
DataIntelo estimates the global fractional real estate platform market at $4.2 billion in 2025 and forecasts it could reach $14.8 billion by 2034. Those figures are a commercial market-research estimate rather than an independently audited measurement, and investment minimums vary by platform and by individual offering. This guide examines seven platforms offering income-oriented real estate and private-credit exposure, with distribution frequency varying by investment.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Always consult with a licensed professional before making any financial or investment decisions.
Key Takeaways
Distribution frequency varies by investment: Once a mogul property is operational and generates distributable net rental income, mogul generally distributes each investor's proportionate share monthly, though amounts vary with property performance and are not guaranteed. By comparison, Groundfloor pays monthly only on its 12-month Signature Note, and RealtyMogul's Income REIT is currently operating on a quarterly distribution cadence
Athlete-focused partnerships exist: mogul's documented partnership with The Players Company, announced July 30, 2024 and covered by Forbes, expands real estate investment access for professional athletes and mogul's wider member network
Fees must be compared like for like: Platform economics are not directly comparable as a single annual percentage. mogul charges no traditional recurring AUM or asset-management fee on invested equity, but does disclose capitalized one-time platform and setup fees of up to 5% and an ongoing fee equal to 2.5% of rental income. RealtyMogul's SEC filings report an annualized asset-management fee of approximately 1.0% for the Income REIT and approximately 1.25% for the Apartment Growth REIT, plus property-level and operating expenses. Groundfloor states its Notes carry no investor fees
Accreditation requirements differ: Some offerings serve non-accredited investors while others require accredited-investor status, which can be met through several SEC tests, including net worth exceeding $1 million individually or jointly with a spouse or spousal equivalent excluding the primary residence, individual income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two prior years with a reasonable expectation of the same in the current year, joint income exceeding $300,000 under the corresponding test, and certain qualifying professional licenses
Due diligence matters: Platform structures, fee models, availability, and track records vary across the market, so like-for-like comparison is essential
Tax attributes require careful framing: Depreciation can reduce taxable rental income and, depending on an investor's tax status and the applicable IRS rules for rental activities, may create additional deductions. Those deductions generally do not automatically offset salary or other earned income
1. mogul
mogul delivers property-specific fractional ownership in income-generating single-family rental properties. It is a fractional real estate platform club founded by former Goldman Sachs executives who report more than $10 billion in collective investing and deal experience, and it enables investors to build diversified real estate portfolios through membership interests in property-specific LLCs.
How Does mogul Work?
mogul acquires institutional-quality properties through a defined property onboarding process, places them into state-registered LLCs, and fractionalizes ownership into purchasable membership interests. Key highlights:
Property Types: Short-term rentals and mid-term rentals across single-family rental verticals
Monthly Distributions: Once a property is operational and generates distributable net rental income, mogul generally distributes each investor's proportionate share of available net rental income monthly. Amounts reflect actual performance rather than projected returns, and vary with occupancy, rent collection, expenses, and reserves. Distributions are not guaranteed
Tax Attributes: mogul's property-specific pass-through LLCs may allocate depreciation and other property-level tax items to eligible investors through K-1 reporting, subject to each investor's circumstances
Governance Rights: Voting rights on specified major decisions, weighted by ownership percentage
Hold Period: A broader 3 to 10 year hold framework, with newer mogul materials describing approximately five to seven years as typical, plus proceeds from eventual sale
Key Features
$10,000 Loss Protection: First $10k protection for new members. If the total return on a new member's first seven days of investments is a loss at the end of the first year, mogul covers up to $10,000 of that loss with its own balance sheet capital, a risk mitigation feature not commonly found on other platforms
No Recurring AUM Fee: mogul does not charge a traditional recurring annual AUM or asset-management fee on invested equity. Its current published materials describe capitalized one-time platform and setup fees of up to 5%, including a 3% platform fee plus a potential 2% setup fee where rent-ready preparation is required, and an ongoing fee equal to 2.5% of rental income. Offering-specific documents control
Goldman Sachs Pedigree: According to mogul, co-founder Joey Gumataotao grew Goldman Sachs' single-family-rental platform from $0 to $1 billion in under 12 months with a team of three, and the wider founding team comes from institutional real estate backgrounds
Rigorous Selection: Less than 1% of properties reviewed pass mogul's diligence process, and the properties that do are professionally vetted and managed
Member Rewards: Community features like mogul Clubs distribute up to 2% in rewards to members, and members who refer a friend receive $50 when that friend invests
Blockchain Verification: mogul records investor ownership interests in each property-owning LLC on the Avalanche blockchain, where they can be independently verified. Legal title to the underlying real property remains recorded through the applicable county or municipal records
Athlete Partnership
mogul's partnership with The Players Company, announced July 30, 2024 and covered by Forbes, is a dedicated collaboration intended to make real estate investment opportunities more accessible to professional athletes. mogul's About page describes a broader mission of making the world's largest wealth generator, real estate, accessible to investors. The average investment on the platform is roughly $10,000.
Performance
mogul reports an 18.8% average annual return (IRR) as of April 2025. Across current offerings and strategies, mogul describes target annual returns of 15% to 20% IRR and states a 12% minimum projected IRR hurdle in its How It Works materials. These are targets rather than promised results, and returns are not guaranteed. The platform co-invests in every property offered, aligning management interests with investor outcomes.
Best For: Athletes and high earners seeking property-specific fractional ownership with monthly distributions of available net rental income, institutional-quality selection, no recurring asset-management fee on invested equity, and a platform with a dedicated partnership serving professional athletes.
2. Groundfloor
Groundfloor provides real estate debt investments through fixed-rate Notes secured by first-priority liens on residential properties. The platform reports approximately $2.2 billion originated since 2013 and more than 300,000 investors.
Key Features
Fixed Stated Rates: 5.0% (1-month), 6.0% (3-month), 8.5% (12-month Signature Note)
First-Lien Position: Underlying loans are secured by first-priority liens on the applicable properties, which can improve recovery priority in a default but do not guarantee repayment. Groundfloor expressly states that the Notes are not FDIC-insured and that investors can lose money
No Investor Fees on Notes: Groundfloor states there are no management fees or performance carry on the specified Notes
Non-Accredited Access: Available to both accredited and non-accredited eligible investors under Regulation A, subject to jurisdictional restrictions, investment limits, and account and offering terms
Terms: Standard Notes include 1, 3, and 12-month terms. Groundfloor also currently offers a 6-month Bond Note at 9.5% to accredited investors
Track Record
Groundfloor reports that Notes issued since the program launched in 2018 have paid principal and interest to date. That is a company-reported historical record and not a guarantee of future repayment. The platform reports more than $36.5 million in total Note interest paid to investors.
Distribution Frequency
Monthly interest payments on 12-month Signature Notes; payment at maturity for 1 and 3-month Notes.
Best For: Investors seeking short-duration real estate debt with fixed stated rates and first-priority lien collateral, while accepting credit, liquidity, and principal-loss risk.
3. Fundrise
Fundrise is a direct-to-consumer private-markets investment manager, offering private real estate, credit, and other private-market investments through a range of registered and private investment vehicles, including registered interval funds. Its eFund structure has undergone consolidation, with SEC disclosures documenting an eFund merger into an Equity REIT effective in late 2025. As of March 31, 2026, Fundrise reported more than 402,000 active investor accounts, approximately 2.4 million active users, and approximately $3.4 billion in assets under management; active users and active investor accounts are different metrics and should not be conflated.
Key Features
Entry Point: $10 minimum investment for the current Flagship Fund in taxable accounts
Diversified Fund Model: Fund-level diversification without individual property selection
Technology Platform: Integrated, end-to-end technology infrastructure
Income-Producing Exposure: Private real estate and private credit offerings
Fee Structure
For certain core Fundrise real estate funds, the typical disclosed fee structure is approximately 0.15% annually for investment advisory services plus approximately 0.85% for asset management. Other Fundrise vehicles, including private-credit products, have different management and performance economics.
Performance History
Fundrise reports annual advisory-client-account returns of 6.24% (2025), 5.75% (2024), negative 7.45% (2023), 1.50% (2022), and 22.99% (2021). These are advisory-client-account results rather than the return of every Fundrise investment. As of August 2026, the Flagship Fund reports approximately $1.1 billion NAV and approximately a 3.7% annualized return since inception.
Liquidity Considerations
The Flagship Fund offers quarterly, penalty-free withdrawal opportunities subject to fund terms. Private-market liquidity should not be treated as guaranteed.
Best For: Beginners seeking hands-off diversification through a fund-based model with established brand recognition.
4. EquityMultiple
EquityMultiple provides commercial real estate investments through equity and debt offerings for accredited investors. The platform reports selecting approximately 5% of the opportunities it evaluates.
Investment Categories
Keep: Shorter-duration, income-oriented strategies designed with capital preservation as an objective, although principal remains at risk
Grow: Long-term appreciation focus, which is an appreciation-first strategy rather than a current-income strategy
Earn: Higher-yield, income-focused opportunities
Key Features
Professional Vetting: EquityMultiple's investment team evaluates and manages offerings
Multiple Investment Types: Senior debt, preferred equity, and common equity positions
Property Diversity: Multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hospitality, data centers
Requirements
Minimum Investment: Can begin around $5,000, although many offerings require more
Accreditation: Required for all investments
Fee Structure: Fees are offering-specific. Current structures can include management fees of roughly 0.5% to 1.5% in some cases, plus administrative, origination, or fund charges and, in some offerings, performance participation
Best For: Accredited investors seeking commercial real estate with professional management and clearly delineated income-oriented and appreciation-oriented strategy categories.
5. RealtyMogul
RealtyMogul offers commercial real estate investments through non-traded REITs and individual property deals, historically serving both accredited and non-accredited investors. Its November 2025 acquisition announcement reports more than $1.2 billion of equity invested into more than $8 billion of real estate.
Investment Options
REITs: RealtyMogul has historically offered non-traded REIT access to non-accredited investors. Current subscription availability is restricted, and the Income REIT paused new cash subscriptions effective July 11, 2025
Private Placements: Generally limited to accredited investors, with minimum investment amounts varying by offering
1031 Exchange Properties: Tax-deferred investment options
Fee Structure
SEC filings report an annualized asset-management fee of approximately 1.0% of total equity value for the Income REIT and approximately 1.25% for the Apartment Growth REIT, in addition to other applicable property-level, disposition, administrative, and operating expenses. Distribution yields should not be presented as fees.
Recent Developments
RealtyMogul was acquired in November 2025 by The Wideman Company, a Susquehanna Holdings affiliate, alongside strategic investors. Recent SEC filings also reflect changes across its REIT offerings, including adjustments to net asset value, distribution rates, and share repurchase availability.
Best For: Investors interested in 1031 exchange options, with the caveat that non-accredited REIT subscription availability is currently restricted.
6. CrowdStreet
CrowdStreet, founded as a technology startup in 2012 and active as an investment marketplace since roughly 2014 to 2015, reported nearly $4.5 billion invested across approximately 800 transactions as of 2025, along with more than 300,000 members.
Key Features
Marketplace Model: Direct connection to sponsors and operators
Income-Producing Focus: For income-oriented allocations, the relevant CrowdStreet exposure is income-producing commercial real estate and private credit
Direct Sponsor Communication: Ability to correspond directly with deal sponsors
Managed and Fund Products: Managed and fund products carry offering-specific management and other fees disclosed in their respective offering documents
Requirements
Minimum Investment: Approximately $25,000 starting minimum for many direct opportunities, varying by offering
Accreditation: Required
Investor Fees: CrowdStreet's terms state that users are not charged a commission merely for platform access or for participating in an offering, but offering-, sponsor-, fund-, and transaction-level fees may apply
Important Considerations
Outcomes on marketplace platforms vary by sponsor, deal, and vintage, and realized results across individual transactions have differed. Marketplace models also place primary responsibility for deal-level evaluation with the investor rather than with a platform that underwrites and operates each asset itself.
Best For: Accredited investors seeking direct sponsor access to income-producing commercial real estate and private credit.
7. Willow Wealth (formerly Yieldstreet)
Willow Wealth offers alternative investments across private-market categories including real estate, private credit, and private equity. Yieldstreet changed its name to Willow Wealth in November 2025, and the company reports more than 500,000 members. Prior company disclosures reported more than $6 billion in cumulative investments facilitated, which is a cumulative figure rather than current assets under management.
Investment Options
Alternative Income Fund: In March 2026, SOFIX entered into definitive agreements to acquire the Alternative Income Fund's assets, subject to required approvals and closing conditions. The fund also suspended its share offering in connection with the transaction, so it should not be treated as a currently open investment option
Direct Deals: Varies by offering (mostly accredited only)
Managed Portfolios (Willow 360): Underlying strategies from managers including Carlyle, Goldman Sachs, and StepStone, with a $25,000 minimum and allocations developed using Wilshire forecasts and advisory input
Fee Structure
Willow 360 charges a 1.25% annual advisory fee plus approximately 0.175% in portfolio expenses, roughly 1.425% at that layer, before any relevant underlying-fund expenses. Underlying investment vehicles can add their own expenses, so all-in costs vary considerably.
Platform Transition
The platform is in a period of transition. Following the November 2025 rebrand, the Alternative Income Fund's assets are subject to a pending acquisition by Mount Logan Capital's SOFIX, subject to required approvals and closing conditions, and the fund has suspended its share offering. Results across historical private-market offerings have varied by asset category and vintage.
Best For: Investors seeking private-market diversification through institutional manager partnerships during the platform's current transition.
Why mogul Stands Out for Athletes and High Earners
Built for Broad Access, With a Dedicated Athlete Partnership
mogul is a broadly accessible fractional real estate investing platform with a dedicated partnership with The Players Company that expands real estate investment access for professional athletes and its wider member network. The monthly distribution model can provide regular cash flow during peak earning years, and property-level pass-through tax attributes may improve after-tax outcomes, subject to each investor's circumstances.
Institutional-Grade Selection Process
With less than 1% of reviewed properties making it onto the platform, mogul applies institutional underwriting standards and offers professionally vetted and managed properties. According to mogul, co-founder Joey Gumataotao grew Goldman Sachs' single-family-rental platform from $0 to $1 billion in under 12 months, and the founding team's institutional background informs how properties are sourced and screened.
Aligned Incentives Through Co-Investment
mogul co-invests in every property offered on the platform. This co-investment model helps align management interests with investor outcomes, a structure that distinguishes mogul from platforms that simply facilitate transactions.
No Recurring Asset-Management Fee
While several platforms in this guide charge recurring annual asset-management or advisory fees assessed on invested capital, typically in the approximate 0.5% to 1.5% range depending on the platform and vehicle, and before underlying-fund and property-level expenses, mogul charges no traditional recurring AUM fee on invested equity. Its published fee structure instead consists of capitalized one-time platform and setup fees of up to 5%, including a 3% platform fee plus a potential 2% setup fee where rent-ready preparation is required, and an ongoing fee equal to 2.5% of rental income. Over a 3 to 10 year hold period, avoiding a recurring fee assessed on total invested equity can meaningfully affect net returns. For a typical portfolio allocation of $17,321 per property, an ongoing fee assessed on rental income rather than on invested equity generally produces a smaller annual drag at typical single-family rental yields, though the exact comparison depends on each property's rent and on each platform's fee schedule. Offering-specific documents control.
First-Year Loss Protection
The $10,000 loss protection program for new members provides a safety net not commonly found on other platforms. If the total return on a new member's first seven days of investments is a loss at the end of the first year, mogul covers up to $10,000 of that loss with its own balance sheet capital.
Property-Specific Ownership with Governance Rights
Unlike fund-based models, mogul provides property-specific fractional ownership through membership interests in an LLC that owns the individual property. Investors receive property-level economic and governance rights, including voting weighted by ownership percentage, monthly dividends from available net rental income, real-time appreciation, potential pass-through tax attributes reported on a K-1, and proceeds from eventual property sales.
For athletes and high earners evaluating real estate investment options, mogul's combination of institutional expertise, athlete-focused partnership, monthly distributions, and absence of a recurring asset-management fee makes it a compelling choice for building a diversified property portfolio, and it makes real estate investing more accessible and headache-free. Explore current properties to see available investment opportunities, or book a call to learn more.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Always consult with a licensed professional before making any financial or investment decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary benefits of fractional real estate ownership for monthly income?
Fractional ownership can reduce the upfront capital required compared with purchasing an entire investment property directly, while still providing property-specific exposure. Investors receive their proportionate share of available net rental income when a property is operational and generating distributable income, potential pass-through tax attributes including depreciation allocated through K-1 reporting, and proceeds from eventual property sales. For athletes and high earners, this structure can provide headache-free cash flow without 3am tenant calls or day-to-day property management responsibilities. Distribution amounts vary with property performance and are not guaranteed.
How do real estate investment platforms differ from traditional real estate investments?
Platforms like mogul handle property acquisition, management, tenant coordination, and operational responsibilities. Real estate equity can provide potential appreciation, rental cash flow, certain tax attributes, and leveraged exposure where a particular property uses mortgage financing, although none of those outcomes is guaranteed and leverage amplifies gains and losses. Direct rental ownership can require substantial upfront capital and creates property-level operational responsibilities, although owners can outsource day-to-day management, and liability exposure depends partly on ownership entity, insurance, and the underlying circumstances.
Are real estate notes suitable for consistent monthly income?
Debt-based investments like Groundfloor Notes offer fixed stated rates with shorter holding periods. Only the 12-month Signature Note pays interest monthly; the 1 and 3-month Notes pay at maturity, and a 6-month Bond Note is currently offered to accredited investors. Groundfloor reports that all Notes issued since 2018 have paid principal and interest to date. First-lien collateral may improve recovery priority, but neither the historical record nor lien status guarantees future repayment. Debt also generally caps upside at the contractual return, while equity can participate in property appreciation alongside rental income.
What risks should athletes and high earners consider with real estate platforms?
Key considerations include platform track record, fee structures, liquidity during hold periods, and regulatory standing. Real estate investing risks differ by structure, and platform models vary in how properties are sourced, underwritten, managed, and reported. Comparing those elements on a like-for-like basis gives a clearer picture than headline return figures alone.
How can high earners approach tax planning around real estate investing?
Depreciation can reduce current taxable rental income, subject to the IRS rules for rental activities, basis, at-risk, and other tax rules described in IRS Publication 527 and the Form 8582 instructions. Under those rules, depreciation-driven losses generally cannot simply be applied against salary, endorsement income, or other earned income, and depreciation recapture can apply on disposition. mogul's pass-through property LLCs may allocate depreciation and other property-level tax items through K-1 reporting, which can improve after-tax cash flow relative to structures that do not pass property-level depreciation directly to investors, but the timing and usable amount depend on the offering and on each investor's basis, income level, loss limitations, and state tax situation. Individual outcomes vary materially, and this is not tax advice; consult a qualified tax professional. Learn more about why real estate can play a role in a high earner's portfolio.