Roofstock began as a marketplace for single-family rental investment properties and now operates an integrated SFR/BTR platform, with property search and landlord tools through Stessa. With $10 billion in historical transactions and 400,000+ users, the platform established itself as a major player in residential real estate investing. But 2026 brings a different landscape: Roofstock One, the platform's fractional investing arm, appears to be unavailable to new investors, with independent reporting indicating it wound down in 2023, leaving those without six-figure capital looking for alternatives. This review examines what Roofstock offers today, where it excels, where it falls short, and how platforms like mogul are filling the accessibility gap for investors seeking institutional-quality real estate without the traditional barriers to entry.
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
- Roofstock is a leading turnkey single-family rental platform in the U.S. The platform has facilitated $10 billion in transactions across 50 markets, making it a significant force in direct property ownership.
- Whole-property purchase prices vary materially by listing and market. Financed buyers generally need a down payment, closing costs, reserves, and any immediate repairs, not necessarily the full purchase price, which keeps the asset class out of reach for many first-time investors.
- Roofstock One (fractional investing) appears to be unavailable to new investors. Independent reporting indicates the program wound down in 2023, eliminating the lower-capital entry point that once attracted smaller investors.
- Projected gross yield and realized net return are property-specific. Some competitor comparisons cite gross yields of 10-12% and net returns of 6-8%, but these are not platform-wide figures and reflect property-level results after expenses.
- Property quality concerns have been alleged by some sources. A competing platform reports some buyers faced $5,000 to $30,000 in unexpected repairs on certified properties; this competitor-sourced range should be treated as anecdotal.
- Alternative platforms now offer institutional-quality real estate at accessible entry points. Fractional ownership through platforms like mogul provides monthly distributions and professional management without requiring whole-property capital commitments.
What Is Roofstock?
Roofstock launched in 2015 as an online marketplace for buying and selling single-family rental properties. The concept addressed a genuine pain point: investors wanted rental properties but found the traditional acquisition process opaque, fragmented, and geographically limiting. Roofstock consolidated listings, due diligence materials, and transaction support into a single platform, and today routes property discovery and landlord tooling through Stessa.
The company raised $240 million in Series E funding at a $1.94 billion valuation on March 10, 2022, reflecting institutional confidence at that time. Today, Roofstock reports 50 markets across the United States and has built an ecosystem of tools through acquisitions and a merger.
What Roofstock offers:
- Marketplace: Browse investment-property listings (routed through Stessa); occupancy and in-place rent vary by listing
- Certification (historical): Roofstock historically marketed certified properties with due-diligence materials; current listings vary
- Transaction support: Tools, referrals, and lifecycle support, with escrow, title, brokerage, lending, and management often involving third-party partners
- Institutional solutions: Full-stack SFR/BTR operating platform for large investors
The platform positions itself as a way to invest in rental properties anywhere in the country, regardless of where you live. For investors with sufficient capital who want direct ownership of physical real estate, this model offers clear advantages over traditional methods.
How Roofstock Works
Roofstock's core business model connects buyers with sellers of rental properties. Unlike platforms focused on fractional ownership, Roofstock primarily facilitates whole-property transactions where buyers receive full deeds.
The Roofstock Marketplace
The marketplace features investment-property listings. Some listings may be leased or income-producing, with occupancy, lease status, rent roll, and tenant history varying by property.
Historically, Roofstock marketed certified properties with due-diligence materials, which may include:
- Property inspection reports
- Financial projections and cap rate calculations
- Lease terms and tenant payment history
- Neighborhood and school district information
- Title and HOA documentation
Buyers can filter by market, price range, yield, and property characteristics. Roofstock and Stessa may provide tools, referrals, and transaction support, while escrow, title, brokerage, lending, and management services may involve third-party partners.
Roofstock One (Fractional Investing)
Roofstock One launched as the platform's answer to investors who wanted real estate exposure without buying entire properties. The program historically gave accredited investors fractional economic exposure to selected rental homes, with a reported $5,000 minimum.
Roofstock One now appears to be unavailable to new investors; independent reporting says it wound down in 2023. This change eliminates the primary pathway for smaller investors to access the platform, effectively returning Roofstock to its roots as a marketplace for buyers with substantial capital.
Institutional Solutions
Roofstock's institutional platform serves large investors and family offices seeking to build or manage SFR portfolios at scale. Services include acquisitions, property management, asset management, and disposition support, forming a full-stack operating system for institutional capital.
Roofstock Pricing and Fees
Understanding Roofstock's fee structure is essential for calculating actual investment returns. The platform charges both buyers and sellers, with additional costs for property management if you use their network.
Buyer fees:
- Third-party reviews report a 0.5% buyer marketplace fee (minimum $500)
- Standard closing costs (title insurance, escrow, recording fees)
- Inspection costs if additional inspections requested
Seller fees:
- Third-party reviews report a 3% seller listing fee (minimum $2,500)
- Standard seller closing costs
Property management (if using Roofstock's network):
- Property-management pricing varies by provider and market. Mynd, a Roofstock company, may use flat-rate pricing starting at $79/month in select markets rather than a percentage-based fee
- Additional fees for tenant placement, repairs, and evictions may apply depending on the provider
Illustrative cost calculation on a $200,000 property:
- Buyer fee (0.5%): $1,000
- Closing costs (estimated): $4,000-$6,000
- First-year property management (illustrative, at 8% of $1,800/mo rent; actual pricing varies and may be flat-rate): $1,728
- Total Year 1 transaction and management costs: $6,728-$8,728
This breakdown is a hypothetical illustration; fees and management pricing vary by provider, market, and listing. In a hypothetical case, acquisition costs, management, vacancy, maintenance, taxes, insurance, and reserves can reduce net cash yield materially below gross yield. This is an illustrative example, not a typical or guaranteed result.
Roofstock Property Types and Markets
Roofstock specializes in single-family rentals (SFRs), and through its institutional arm it also supports build-to-rent (BTR) communities.
Geographic coverage:
- As of publication, Roofstock reports 50 markets across the United States as its company-wide metric
- Availability varies by current inventory and business line; the platform's official pages provide high-level market counts rather than a live, state-by-state breakdown
Property characteristics:
- Roofstock and Stessa listings vary by market, asset age, bedroom count, occupancy, and price
- Some listings include examples above $400,000, including active listings around $429,000, $580,000, and $625,000
- Listings vary in occupancy, lease status, rent roll, and tenant history
For investors using mogul's investment property calculator, the tool can analyze potential profit for any U.S. address, with adjustable assumptions including hold period, loan terms, leverage, interest rates, and base, bear, and bull scenarios, including short-term versus long-term rental use cases.
Short-Term Rental Expansion
In May 2025, Roofstock participated in the investor consortium that took Vacasa private, secured an ownership stake in Casago, and entered short-term rental management by launching Casago franchises in Charleston, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and parts of the Oregon Coast.
This represents a shift from the platform's traditional long-term rental focus, acknowledging that STR strategies can generate higher yields in certain markets.
Roofstock entered STR management in 2025 via Casago.
Roofstock's Technology Ecosystem
Through acquisitions and a merger, Roofstock has assembled a comprehensive technology stack for landlords and property managers.
Companies and tools in the ecosystem:
- Stessa: Comprehensive landlord software for tracking income, expenses, and performance across properties
- RentPrep: Tenant screening services including credit checks, criminal background, and eviction history
- Mynd: Property management platform handling leasing, maintenance, and accounting. Roofstock and Mynd merged on May 16, 2024; Mynd merged into the Roofstock corporate entity, while property management operations continued under the Mynd brand
- Casago (2025): Roofstock secured an ownership stake in Casago and launched short-term rental management franchises
This ecosystem provides real value for investors who purchase whole properties through the marketplace. The integration of screening, management, and accounting tools addresses the operational complexity that keeps many investors from direct property ownership.
For those seeking a more hands-off approach, mogul's rental property calculator offers free property-level underwriting for any U.S. address. Separately, mogul's fractional platform is positioned as a managed alternative to direct landlord responsibilities.
Roofstock Performance and Returns
Return expectations vary significantly based on whether you are looking at advertised yields or investors' actual net returns.
Projected gross yield and realized net return are property-specific and reflect property management, vacancy, taxes, insurance, maintenance, capex reserves, financing costs, and transaction costs. Some competitor comparisons cite gross yields of 10-12% and net returns of 6-8%, but these are not platform-wide "typical" metrics and may be true only for some listings.
Factors that compress net returns:
- Property management fees (varies by provider and market; some managers use flat-rate pricing)
- Maintenance and repairs (budget 1-2% of property value annually)
- Vacancy (even leased properties experience turnover)
- Property taxes and insurance
- Capital expenditure reserves
Property quality considerations:
A competing platform alleges some investors reported unexpected repair costs of $5,000 to $30,000 on properties that passed Roofstock's certification process. This range is competitor-sourced and is best treated as anecdotal absent neutral complaints, court records, BBB data, or first-party investor documentation. Roofstock has historically marketed a limited satisfaction or money-back guarantee on certain eligible or certified properties.
This gap between projected and realized returns underscores the importance of thorough underwriting. Understanding what to look for in an investment property helps investors evaluate whether any platform's projections align with realistic expectations.
Roofstock Pros and Cons
Strengths
Leading SFR platform: With $10 billion in completed transactions, 400,000+ users, and 50 markets, Roofstock is one of the more established turnkey rental platforms, offering investors a range of markets and property types.
Full property ownership: Buyers receive actual deeds, giving them complete control over their investment. This includes the ability to refinance, renovate, or sell on their own timeline.
Limited satisfaction guarantee: Roofstock has historically marketed a limited satisfaction or money-back guarantee on certain eligible or certified properties.
Integrated technology: Stessa, RentPrep, and the Mynd merger create a genuine ecosystem for landlords managing multiple properties.
Historical venture backing: Roofstock's $240 million Series E at a $1.94 billion valuation on March 10, 2022 reflected significant historical investor confidence, though it does not necessarily reflect a current 2026 valuation or current institutional sentiment.
Limitations
High capital requirements: Whole-property purchase prices vary materially by listing and market, with some listings above $400,000. Financed buyers generally need a down payment, closing costs, reserves, and any immediate repairs. Investment-property down payments generally range from 15% to 25% depending on loan type and borrower profile, which still represents a significant capital commitment.
Roofstock One unavailable to new investors: Roofstock One appears to be unavailable to new investors, with independent reporting indicating it wound down in 2023, eliminating the fractional pathway that once made the platform accessible to smaller investors.
Property quality variance: A competing platform alleges $5,000 to $30,000 in unexpected repairs shortly after purchase on certified properties; this competitor-sourced range should be treated as anecdotal rather than a verified platform-wide outcome.
Returns are property-specific: Some competitor comparisons cite 6-8% net returns versus 10-12% gross, but these are not platform-wide figures; gross yield and net return are property-specific and reflect management fees, vacancy, and ongoing costs.
Less liquidity than fractional shares: Whole-property exits generally require a property sale through MLS, brokered, direct, or Roofstock and Stessa-supported disposition channels; fees and timelines vary by channel and contract.
Roofstock Alternatives: Comparing Fractional Real Estate Platforms
With Roofstock One unavailable to new investors, those seeking fractional real estate exposure have several alternatives. Here is how key platforms compare:
Fundrise:
- Entry point: $10 minimum for taxable accounts, $1,000 minimum for IRAs
- Structure: Fund-based (no individual property selection)
- Distributions: Quarterly
- Historical returns: Fundrise reports advisory client account returns of 5.75% for 2024 and 6.24% for 2025; individual results vary and past performance is not predictive
- Best for: Maximum diversification at lowest entry point
Arrived Homes:
- Entry point: $100 minimum
- Structure: Fractional ownership in individual properties
- Distributions: Monthly. Arrived currently describes monthly dividends for individual properties once income begins, and monthly dividends for its SFR and Real Estate Income funds
- Property types: SFR and vacation rentals
- Investor base: 945,000 registered investors as of February 2026, per FinanceBuzz
Ark7:
- Entry point: $20 on secondary market
- Structure: Fractional ownership in individual properties
- Distributions: Monthly
- Secondary market: trading after a 12-month holding period; liquidity is not guaranteed, and the feature is not unique across all fractional platforms
- 300,000+ investors
Each platform makes trade-offs between accessibility, control, liquidity, and returns. Investors evaluating alternatives can use mogul's Airbnb calculator to model short-term rental potential for any U.S. address, helping inform which strategy and platform aligns with their goals.
Why mogul Offers a Superior Path to Real Estate Investing
For investors seeking institutional-quality real estate without the capital requirements of whole-property ownership or the fund-only structure of platforms like Fundrise, mogul provides a differentiated approach built on Wall Street expertise and investor-aligned incentives.
Goldman Sachs Pedigree at Accessible Entry Points
mogul was founded by Goldman Sachs real estate alumni with $10 billion in collective deal experience. This institutional background translates into rigorous property selection: less than 1% of properties reviewed pass mogul's diligence process. Investors access the same caliber of underwriting that institutional investors receive, without needing institutional capital.
Monthly Distributions
mogul provides monthly rental-income distributions. This can be more frequent than platforms that pay quarterly, and it offers two advantages: more regular cash flow for investors seeking income, and faster compounding opportunities for those reinvesting distributions. Twelve income events per year versus four creates meaningful differences over multi-year hold periods.
First Loss Protection for New Investors
mogul offers a unique risk mitigation feature: the platform covers up to $10,000 in losses for new members on their first investments. No other major fractional real estate platform offers comparable principal protection, addressing the primary concern many first-time investors have when entering real estate markets.
No Annual AUM Fee
mogul charges a one-time 3% onboarding and platform fee plus a 2% setup fee where applicable (if a property needs rent-ready preparation), and does not charge a recurring annual AUM-style fee on investor capital. Official mogul materials also disclose an ongoing 2.5% fee on rental income (collected rent). This structure contrasts with platforms charging 1%+ annually on assets under management, which compounds to significant fee drag over multi-year holds. After one-time capitalized fees and the disclosed rental-income fee, investors receive their pro-rata distributions and participate in appreciation according to their ownership stake. You can review the full fee structure on mogul's how-it-works page.
Comprehensive Property Strategy Options
Unlike platforms limited to long-term rentals, mogul offers short-term rentals (Airbnb-style), long-term rentals, mid-term rentals, and sale-leaseback arrangements. This diversity allows investors to select strategies aligned with their risk tolerance and income preferences.
Aligned Interests
mogul invests in every property offered on the platform, ensuring management's interests align with investor returns. When the platform's capital is at stake alongside yours, incentives around property selection and management quality align naturally.
For investors who want to understand how real estate investing can build generational wealth without the complexity of direct ownership, mogul's current properties offer a path to participation in institutional-quality real estate.
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
Can I use Roofstock properties in a self-directed IRA or 401(k)?
A rental property may be purchased through a self-directed IRA if the custodian permits it and all IRS rules are followed. The general concept is valid, and Roofstock's prior SDIRA page now redirects to the main site. You will need a custodian that allows real estate investments, and all property expenses and income must flow through the retirement account rather than your personal finances. This means you cannot personally perform repairs or management. Additionally, financing options are more limited; many SDIRA-compatible lenders require larger down payments or full cash purchases. Consult with a tax professional before pursuing this strategy, as prohibited transaction rules can result in significant penalties.
What happens if my Roofstock property needs major repairs after any guarantee window expires?
Once any applicable satisfaction or money-back guarantee window closes, property maintenance and repairs become your responsibility as the owner. A competing platform alleges some buyers reported $5,000 to $30,000 in unexpected costs on certified properties; treat this competitor-sourced range as anecdotal. Best practices include: ordering your own independent inspection during any guarantee period, budgeting 1-2% of property value annually for maintenance reserves, and verifying the age and condition of major systems (HVAC, roof, water heater) before purchase. Roofstock has historically marketed a limited satisfaction or money-back guarantee on certain eligible or certified properties. Any certification is a starting point, not a guarantee of future performance.
How does Roofstock handle tenant relationships after I purchase a property?
If you buy a tenant-occupied Roofstock property, you inherit the existing lease and tenant relationship. Occupancy varies by listing. Where a lease is in place, its terms transfer to you, meaning you must honor the current rent amount and lease duration. If you use Roofstock's property management network, the manager handles day-to-day tenant communication, rent collection, and maintenance coordination. If you self-manage, you will need to introduce yourself to tenants and establish your own communication protocols. Tenant quality varies across properties, and payment history and lease compliance records form part of standard due diligence.
What are the tax implications of Roofstock whole-property ownership versus fractional investing?
Whole-property ownership through Roofstock may provide eligibility for real estate tax benefits, including depreciation deductions, mortgage interest deductions, and the potential for 1031 exchanges to defer capital gains, all subject to applicable IRS rules (including at-risk, basis, use, and like-kind exchange requirements). Direct owners generally report rental income and expenses on Schedule E with Form 1040. mogul's property-level LLC structure is designed to provide K-1 reporting and potential depreciation pass-through benefits, depending on the investor's tax situation; investors should consult a tax professional. Fund-based platforms like Fundrise issue 1099-DIV forms for REIT dividends, which receive different tax treatment and do not pass through depreciation deductions at the property level.
Can I visit a Roofstock property before purchasing?
Roofstock allows property visits, but the process requires coordination, especially where a property is tenant-occupied. Property visits must be coordinated through the appropriate agent or manager and comply with the lease and applicable state and local notice rules. Notice periods vary by jurisdiction and lease terms; 24 to 48 hours is a common rule of thumb but should not be relied on as legal guidance. Some investors hire local real estate professionals to conduct drive-by assessments of the neighborhood and property exterior before committing to an interior visit. Given that many Roofstock buyers invest in out-of-state properties, virtual tours, inspection reports, and detailed listing documentation often substitute for in-person visits.
How does Roofstock's rent guarantee work, and what are its limitations?
Current Roofstock pages do not clearly describe a standalone rent guarantee, and older third-party descriptions may conflate products. Separately, Mynd describes resident-placement protections, including rental-income protection of up to $5,000 when Mynd places residents, plus eviction-related legal and court-cost coverage up to $3,000. These Mynd protections are distinct from any legacy Roofstock rent guarantee. Coverage varies by property and management agreement.