Streitwise has built a reputation as a non-traded REIT concentrated in commercial office-heavy assets, including mixed-use office/retail properties, offering non-accredited investors access to real estate with a 7.2% annualized dividend based on its 3Q24 payout, averaging 7.2% since 2020 and 8.3% since 2017. However, Streitwise's concentration in office-heavy and mixed-use commercial assets and 2% annual management fee may not align with every investor's goals. For those seeking fractional real estate investing alternatives with different property types, fee structures, or investment minimums, this guide examines seven platforms worth considering in 2026. It begins with mogul, a fractional ownership platform founded by Goldman Sachs alumni that delivers institutional-quality single-family rental investments with 18.8% average annual returns.
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
- Direct property ownership differs from REIT structures: Platforms like mogul offer fractional ownership in individual properties via LLC structures, providing governance rights and direct exposure to specific assets rather than pooled REIT funds
- Fee structures vary significantly across platforms: Streitwise discloses a 2% annual fee, Groundfloor charges no fees for Loans and Notes (though some portfolio products carry fees), Fundrise charges approximately 1% annually, and mogul uses a one-time fee structure (3% platform fee, plus a conditional 2% setup fee when a property requires preparation to become rent-ready)
- Investment minimums span from $10 to $25,000+: Fundrise and Groundfloor both offer $10 entry points, while CrowdStreet requires $25,000+ for individual deals
- Property type diversification matters: Streitwise concentrates on commercial office-heavy and mixed-use commercial assets, while alternatives offer residential rentals, fix-and-flip loans, and multi-asset portfolios
- Risk mitigation features differ by platform: mogul covers up to $10,000 in losses for new members, a protection feature not commonly found among competitors
1. mogul
mogul delivers fractional real estate ownership through a platform built by former Goldman Sachs real estate professionals with over $10 billion in collective deal experience. The platform focuses on income-generating single-family rentals, including short-term (Airbnb-style), mid-term, and long-term rental properties across high-growth U.S. markets.
How Does mogul Work?
mogul acquires properties, places each into a state-registered LLC, and fractionalizes ownership into shares purchasable by investors. This structure provides direct asset-level ownership rather than pooled fund exposure. Key highlights:
- Property Selection: Less than 1% of properties reviewed pass mogul's diligence process, using proprietary underwriting models developed from institutional real estate experience
- Income Distribution: Investors receive monthly rental income distributions based on actual rental payments, not projections
- Tax Benefits: Yearly depreciation deductions and other tax advantages flow through to fractional owners
- Hold Period: Properties are held for 3-10 years, with investors receiving proportional proceeds from eventual sales
- Governance Rights: Ownership stakes include governance rights proportional to investment size
Performance and Returns
mogul reports 18.8% average annual returns (IRR) as of April 2025, significantly outperforming Streitwise's historical dividend yields. The platform achieved a record monthly yield of 2.6% and targets 15-20% annual IRR across its property offerings.
Example properties on the platform include:
- The Axelrod (Houston, TX): 6 bed/6 bath short-term rental with a 5.8% annualized yield and projected 17.3% yearly net return
- The Roman (Houston, TX): 4 bed/3 bath short-term rental generating $89,000 annual revenue with 18.4% projected yearly net return
- The Bowser (Dallas, TX): Long-term rental with 31.9% projected yearly net return
Risk Mitigation
mogul offers up to $10,000 in loss protection for new members, a unique feature among fractional platforms. The company also personally invests in every property offered, aligning management interests with investor returns.
Free Investment Tools
mogul provides four free calculators that analyze potential returns for any U.S. address:
These tools use the same data and underwriting methods employed by top real estate firms, enabling investors to analyze properties before committing capital.
Best For: Investors seeking institutional-quality residential rental investments with higher return potential, direct property ownership via LLC structures, and built-in risk protection unavailable elsewhere.
2. Fundrise
Fundrise operates as the largest direct-to-consumer private markets manager, trusted by more than 2 million people. The company offers a fund-based approach to real estate investing through electronic REITs (eREITs) spanning residential, industrial, and multifamily properties.
Core Features
- Minimum Investment: $10 entry point
- Fee Structure: Approximately 1% total annual fees (0.85% advisory + 0.15% management)
- Historical Returns: Annual client returns have varied by year; Fundrise reports 6.24% in 2025, 5.75% in 2024, -7.45% in 2023, 1.50% in 2022, and 22.99% in 2021
- Liquidity: Most Fundrise funds offer quarterly liquidity, with terms varying by fund; Fundrise's Flagship Fund advertises quarterly, penalty-free withdrawals
- Account Types: Supports Traditional and Roth IRAs natively
Investment Approach
Fundrise uses algorithmic portfolio allocation rather than individual property selection. Investors choose from growth, income, or balanced strategies, and the platform automatically diversifies across its fund offerings. This hands-off approach suits investors who prefer automated management.
Platform Accessibility
The platform offers a mobile app for iOS and Android, along with a clean dashboard interface. Fundrise has earned strong user ratings, including a 5-star NerdWallet rating and 4.8/5 on the App Store.
Best For: First-time real estate investors seeking the lowest possible entry point with fully automated portfolio management across diversified fund offerings.
3. CrowdStreet
CrowdStreet began as a commercial real estate marketplace and now positions itself as a broader private-markets platform for accredited investors. Founded in 2013, the platform has raised more than $4 billion in investment capital across private real estate and other alternative assets.
Core Features
- Minimum Investment: $25,000+ for individual deals
- Fee Structure: CrowdStreet generally charges sponsors and fund managers rather than imposing a direct platform fee on marketplace investors, though sponsor and fund expenses may be borne indirectly by investors
- Historical Returns: CrowdStreet Advisors reported 17.44% aggregate IRR for realized advisor-fund investments as of September 30, 2022
- Investor Requirement: Accredited investors only
- Liquidity: Generally illiquid until project exit
Deal Selection
CrowdStreet offers access to institutional-quality private-market opportunities, including private equity, private credit, commercial real estate, and diversified funds. Investors can review detailed offering documents and select specific deals across various property types and U.S. markets.
Growth-Focused Strategy
The platform's emphasis on value-add and opportunistic deals generates its higher return potential, though this comes with corresponding risk levels and longer hold periods compared to income-focused alternatives.
Best For: Accredited investors with $25,000+ to deploy who want hands-on deal selection across private markets and are willing to accept illiquidity for higher growth potential.
4. Arrived Homes
Arrived specializes in fractional ownership of single-family rental properties, allowing investors to purchase shares in individual homes generating rental income.
Core Features
- Minimum Investment: $100 per property
- Registered Investors: 971K registered investors
- Fee Structure: AUM fees vary by product: 0.15% per quarter for individual single-family residential properties and 0.25% per quarter for the SFR Fund, among others
- Reported Returns: Historical SFR total returns have generally been 6%-10% annually, with specific sold-property examples reaching higher returns
- Property Focus: Single-family residential rentals
- Liquidity: Individual-property holds are generally 5-7 years; Arrived launched a secondary market in 2025, giving investors the option to seek early liquidity by selling shares to other Arrived investors, subject to buyer demand and platform rules
Investment Model
Arrived acquires single-family homes, funds them through fractional share sales, and manages all property operations including tenant placement, maintenance, and rent collection. Arrived advertises potential monthly cash flow, with distribution timing varying by product.
Platform Experience
The company emphasizes user-friendly interfaces and educational resources for newer investors entering real estate for the first time. IRA investing is supported through self-directed accounts.
Best For: Investors seeking low-minimum fractional ownership in individual single-family rental properties with a simple, user-friendly platform.
5. Groundfloor
Groundfloor takes a different approach by offering debt investments in fix-and-flip real estate loans rather than equity ownership in properties.
Core Features
- Minimum Investment: $10 per loan
- Fee Structure: Groundfloor charges no investor fees for Loans and Notes, though some portfolio products such as the Flywheel Portfolio carry a management fee
- Historical Returns: ~10% on its real-estate loan program, though available product yields vary
- Investment Timeline: Loan terms vary by product; current Notes include 1-, 3-, and 12-month options
- Investor Requirement: Open to non-accredited investors
Debt vs. Equity Model
Unlike equity-based platforms, Groundfloor investors act as lenders rather than property owners. Returns come from interest payments on short-term loans to real estate developers and flippers. This model provides shorter investment horizons but carries different risk profiles related to borrower default.
Active Selection Required
Investors choose individual loans based on property details, borrower qualifications, and loan terms. Groundfloor provides risk grades (A-G) to help assess relative risk levels across available opportunities.
Best For: Investors seeking shorter investment timelines who are comfortable with debt-based returns rather than property ownership.
6. Willow Wealth (formerly Yieldstreet)
Willow Wealth, formerly Yieldstreet, is a multi-asset alternative investment platform offering exposure to real estate, private credit, private equity, and other private-market asset classes.
Core Features
- Minimum Investment: Minimums vary by product; current examples include $10,000 for Short Term Notes and $25,000 for Willow 360, with some offerings starting from $5,000
- Members: More than 500,000 members
- Fee Structure: Fees vary by offering; Willow 360 charges a 1.25% advisory fee plus approximately 0.175% in expenses
- Investor Requirement: Most products require accredited status, though some are available to non-accredited investors
Diversification Beyond Real Estate
Willow Wealth's primary differentiation is portfolio diversification across asset classes that typically require institutional access. Offerings span real estate, private credit, private equity, and other private-market asset classes.
Platform Structure
The company offers both individual investments and a diversified fund, the Yieldstreet Alternative Income Fund, formerly the Yieldstreet Prism Fund, that allocates across multiple asset classes automatically.
Best For: Investors seeking portfolio diversification across multiple alternative asset classes beyond real estate alone.
7. EquityMultiple
EquityMultiple focuses on commercial real estate investments for accredited investors, offering both equity and debt positions across institutional-quality properties.
Core Features
- Minimum Investment: Minimums start as low as $5,000 and typically range from $10,000 to $30,000, depending on the offering
- Distributions: Over $475M distributed to investors
- Fee Structure: Fees vary by offering and may include servicing, administration, annual, or performance-based economics, as disclosed in each offering document
- Distribution Frequency: Monthly or quarterly depending on investment
- Investor Requirement: Accredited investors only
Investment Options
EquityMultiple provides three primary investment types:
- Equity investments: Direct ownership stakes in commercial properties
- Preferred equity: Senior positions with priority distributions
- Senior debt: First-lien positions on commercial real estate
Due Diligence Process
The platform emphasizes rigorous underwriting and vetting of sponsors before listing opportunities. Each deal includes detailed documentation covering property financials, market analysis, and sponsor track records.
Best For: Accredited investors seeking institutional commercial real estate access with multiple investment structures (equity, preferred equity, debt).
Direct Fractional Ownership vs. REITs: Understanding Investment Structures
When evaluating Streitwise alternatives, understanding the difference between REIT structures and direct fractional ownership helps clarify which approach aligns with your goals.
REIT Structure (Streitwise Model)
Streitwise operates as a non-traded REIT where investors purchase shares in a pooled fund that owns multiple commercial properties. Key characteristics:
- Pooled Ownership: Your investment is spread across the REIT's entire portfolio
- Limited Control: No governance rights over individual property decisions
- Dividend Focus: REITs must distribute 90% of taxable income as dividends
- Simplified Taxes: You receive a 1099-DIV rather than K-1 partnership forms
Direct Fractional Ownership (mogul Model)
mogul structures each property as a separate LLC, with investors owning fractional shares of that specific entity. This provides:
- Individual Property Selection: Choose exactly which properties to invest in
- Governance Rights: Ownership stakes include proportional voting rights
- Direct Tax Benefits: mogul's property-level LLC structure may pass through proportionate real estate tax benefits, including depreciation-related benefits, subject to individual tax circumstances
- Asset-Level Transparency: Clear visibility into each property's performance
For investors interested in understanding real estate investments at a deeper level, direct fractional ownership provides more control and transparency than pooled REIT structures.
Why mogul Stands Out as the Top Streitwise Alternative
Institutional-Grade Expertise Working for Individual Investors
mogul was founded by Goldman Sachs real estate alumni who bring over $10 billion in collective deal experience to the platform. This institutional pedigree translates into rigorous property selection: less than 1% of reviewed properties pass mogul's diligence process. The founding team personally invests in every property offered, ensuring alignment between management and investor interests.
Superior Return Performance
While Streitwise has delivered a 7.2% annualized dividend based on its 3Q24 payout, averaging 7.2% since 2020 and 8.3% since 2017, mogul reports 18.8% average annual returns (IRR), more than double that of the income-focused competitor. This performance comes from mogul's focus on high-yield short-term and mid-term rental properties in markets with strong demand fundamentals.
Unique Risk Protection
mogul offers up to $10,000 in loss protection for new members' first-year investments. This risk protection is not commonly offered by other platforms in the space. For investors concerned about downside exposure, this protection provides meaningful reassurance.
Free Professional-Grade Tools
mogul's suite of free investment calculators uses the same data and underwriting methods employed by institutional real estate firms. Investors can analyze any U.S. address for rental income potential, ROI projections, and strategy comparisons (short-term vs. long-term) before committing capital, or even before signing up.
Residential Focus vs. Office Concentration
Streitwise concentrates holdings in commercial office-heavy assets, including mixed-use office/retail properties. mogul focuses on residential single-family rentals, an asset class that, according to mogul, delivered a 13.8% average annual return (IRR) from 1993 to 2023 compared with 9.8% for the S\&P 500, based on Federal Reserve and Case-Shiller Home Index data. Learn more about why real estate delivers consistent wealth-building results.
Investor-Aligned Fee Structure
Streitwise discloses a 2% annual fee and states it invests 98 cents of each dollar raised. mogul's structure emphasizes alignment through co-investment: the company invests alongside members in every property.
Growing Platform Scale
With $40M+ in assets across 65+ properties and 13,000+ investors, mogul demonstrates meaningful traction. 90% of mogul investors invest a second time, and when they do, they invest 3x the amount of their first investment, indicating strong satisfaction among returning members.
For investors seeking how fractional real estate investing works in practice, mogul delivers institutional-quality opportunities with built-in protections unavailable elsewhere.
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 main differences between Streitwise and other real estate crowdfunding platforms?
Streitwise operates as a non-traded REIT concentrated in commercial office-heavy assets, including mixed-use office/retail properties, charging a 2% annual fee. Alternatives vary significantly: Fundrise offers diversified funds with $10 minimums, mogul provides direct fractional ownership in residential rentals with 18.8% average returns, and CrowdStreet offers a broader private-markets platform for accredited investors. The key differences involve property types, fee structures, minimum investments, and whether you're buying REIT shares or direct property ownership.
How does direct fractional property ownership compare to investing in a REIT?
Direct fractional ownership (offered by mogul and Arrived) means you own shares in a specific property's LLC, receiving governance rights, direct tax benefits such as potential depreciation pass-throughs, and asset-level transparency. REIT investing (Streitwise, Fundrise) pools your capital across multiple properties with simplified 1099 tax reporting but no individual property control. For investors who want to choose exactly which properties they own and benefit from direct tax advantages, fractional ownership offers advantages over REIT structures.
Are there real estate crowdfunding options for non-accredited investors?
Yes. Fundrise ($10 minimum), Streitwise ($1,000 minimum), Arrived ($100 minimum), Groundfloor ($10 minimum), and mogul all accept non-accredited investors. CrowdStreet and EquityMultiple require accredited investor status. Non-accredited platforms typically offer real estate crowdfunding products or fractional property shares rather than individual commercial deals.
What kind of returns can I expect from alternative real estate investment platforms?
Returns vary by platform and strategy. mogul reports 18.8% average annual IRR. CrowdStreet Advisors reported 17.44% aggregate IRR for realized advisor-fund investments as of September 30, 2022. Fundrise reports annual client returns that have varied by year, including 6.24% in 2025, 5.75% in 2024, -7.45% in 2023, 1.50% in 2022, and 22.99% in 2021. Streitwise reports a 7.2% annualized dividend based on its 3Q24 payout, averaging 7.2% since 2020 and 8.3% since 2017. Willow Wealth (formerly Yieldstreet) returns vary by product and offering. Higher-return platforms typically involve longer hold periods or different risk profiles.
How important is a secondary market when choosing a real estate investment platform?
Secondary markets provide liquidity options before a property's natural exit. Most platforms have limited liquidity: Streitwise redemptions are subject to a one-year lockout, with quarterly redemptions available thereafter subject to limits and discounts before year five; most Fundrise funds offer quarterly liquidity with terms varying by fund; and Arrived individual-property holds are generally 5-7 years, though investors may now seek early liquidity through Arrived's secondary market, launched in 2025, subject to buyer demand and platform rules. mogul plans to launch a secondary trading market with monthly fair market value pricing through third-party appraisals. For investors who may need capital access before hold periods end, platforms with redemption programs or planned secondary markets offer more flexibility.
What free tools are available to help evaluate real estate investment opportunities?
mogul offers four free calculators (Investment Property Calculator, Rental Property Calculator, Airbnb Calculator, and Real Estate Calculator) that analyze any U.S. address using institutional-grade data. These tools provide ROI projections, cash-on-cash yields, and strategy comparisons without requiring an account. Fundrise offers basic portfolio projections, but most platforms lack comparable free analysis tools for evaluating properties before investing.