Is Fundrise A REIT?

Many other crowdfunding platforms are not like Fundrise. Investors can participate in single-asset real estate syndication deals or invest in private real estate investment funds with most of its competitors. Fundrise specializes on proprietary public non-traded real estate investment trusts, or eREITs. It also offers eFunds, which are non-REIT fund solutions available to select investors. As a result, the majority of Fundrise’s investments are in REITs that trade openly on major stock markets.

As a result, a Fundrise eREIT’s assets are equivalent to those found in the portfolios of several publicly traded REITs. Most of Fundrise’s eREITs, for example, have affordable housing as their primary investment strategy across the Sun Belt region. As a result, they focus on multifamily complexes and single-family rental (SFR) properties in key metro regions in the southern United States. As a result, it resembles a number of publicly traded residential REITs.

Invitation Homes, for example, concentrates on owning SFRs in fast-growing locations like the Sun Belt. Camden Property Trust and Mid-America Apartment Communities, on the other hand, are focused on owning apartment communities in the Sun Belt.

Are Fundrise REITs publicly traded?

Not everyone is a good fit for Fundrise. While the platform has done a good job of building investor wealth over the years, it has restricted its strategic focus to affordable housing and the Sun Belt migration megatrend. That makes it ideal for long-term investors looking to capitalize on a trend through an investment vehicle that isn’t directly tied to the stock market.

Unlike Fundrise, which caters to a certain audience, publicly traded REITs are open to everyone. They make it simple for investors to buy and sell shares of REITs that specialize in specific property types. While investors may have to put up with some market volatility in exchange for this liquidity and variety, they won’t be giving up much in terms of returns, as public REITs have historically been excellent long-term wealth generators.

Can you really make money with Fundrise?

You may generate money with Fundrise by renting out your space and receiving quarterly dividends. The other approach to profit is to sell homes that have appreciated in value over time. A 1% management fee is charged by Fundrise. The minimum amount to invest is $10.

In 2019, the average return on Fundrise investments was 9.47%. This assumes that dividends are reinvested in Fundrise. As is always the case, past performance does not guarantee future success. Never put money into something you can’t afford to lose.

We appreciate that they’ve been steady and in place for a long time. However, it’s unknown how this type of investment would fare in a financial crisis such as the one that occurred in 2008.

What kind of company is Fundrise?

Fundrise is a financial technology business based in Washington, D.C. that operates an online investment platform. It was launched in 2010. Fundrise is credited with being the first company to effectively crowdfund real estate investment.

Fundrise had originated roughly $1.1 billion in both equity and debt investments across over $4.9 billion in real estate holdings as of December 31, 2019.

Pros

  • Cadre’s financial incentives are mainly based on long-term deal performance rather than high platform transaction volume.
  • Cadre “backstops” every deal, which means you won’t commit to a deal that falls through before it closes, causing you to miss out on another opportunity.

Cons

  • There are no REITs (real estate investment trusts) or other diversified funds available.
  • When you’re ready to invest, Cadre’s low deal flow — roughly one new deal per month — could mean you don’t locate an appropriate real estate investment for your needs.

Are there private REITs?

Private REITs are real estate funds or companies that are not required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and whose shares do not trade on national stock markets. Institutional investors are the only ones who can buy private REITs.

Is Fundrise backed by FDIC?

  • Security at the bank level: Fundrise protects customer information with bank-level security procedures. This incorporates AES bit symmetric key encryption, which is the same level of security utilized by large commercial institutions.
  • Fundrise additionally employs encryption to ensure the secure transmission of account information. Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used to encrypt connections to the platform (TLS). For enhanced protection, Fundrise uses Amazon Web Services as its host and maintains apps and data in numerous secure data centers.

Fundrise is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, but not with the SIPC or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. While the SIPC insures eligible investor deposits, the FDIC protects banking consumers. On its website, the platform carries a disclaimer that warns, “All securities entail risk and may result in partial or whole loss.”

Is Fundrise externally managed?

From a risk-return standpoint, we believe the market for commercial real estate loans, commercial real estate investments, commercial real estate-related debt securities, and other real-estate-related assets is compelling in the immediate and intermediate term. Given the economy’s modest growth prospects, we prefer a strategy that focuses on senior and mezzanine debt that maximizes current income while also providing sufficient subordinate capital and downside structural safeguards. Pure equity returns, on the other hand, are often “back-ended,” meaning they are contingent on asset appreciation, capitalization rate compression, cash flow growth, aggressive refinancing, and/or the sale of the underlying property. We believe that by combining our investment strategy with the experience and expertise of our Manager’s management team, we will be able to originate investments with attractive current and accrued returns as well as strong structural features directly with real estate companies, allowing us to take advantage of changing market conditions while seeking the best risk-return dynamic for our shareholders.

Our Manager, Fundrise Advisors,LLC, is in charge of our day-to-day operations. Our Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of our sponsor and an SEC-registered investment adviser. All decisions regarding the selection, negotiation, financing, and disposition of our investments will be made by a team of real estate and debt finance professionals acting via our Manager, subject to the constraints in our operating agreement. Our Manager will also manage our assets, perform marketing, investor relations, and other administrative activities on our behalf in order to maximize our operating cash flow and protect our invested money. Our sponsor, Rise Companies Corp., has major control over our operations.

Rise Companies Corp., our sponsor, is co-founded and led by Benjamin S.Miller, who is also the CEO. Mr. Benjamin S. Miller is in charge of Rise Companies Corp. and its affiliates, including Fundrise, LLC, on a day-to-day basis.

Can I lose money in Fundrise?

Fundrise Because eREITs are not publicly traded, they may experience less volatility and are less connected to the stock market. As a result, if the stock market falls, your eREIT may not react as quickly.

Keep in mind that Fundrise investments are relatively illiquid, therefore they could be suited for long-term growth investors. However, there is always a risk associated with any investment. It’s critical to remember that there’s no assurance you’ll make money – and there’s always the risk of losing money.

Is Fundrise passive income?

Investing in syndicated real estate funds is a good alternative to buying real estate, especially if you’re just starting out and don’t want to deal with the hassles of property ownership.

Fundrise is the site that I utilize to invest in real estate, as previously stated. Fundrise is an online real estate crowdfunding platform that allows non-accredited investors to invest in real estate without having to own or manage a property. Here are some of the reasons why I appreciate Fundrise and Real Estate Syndication:

  • It’s a completely hands-off investment; you won’t have to deal with leaking toilets or renters who haven’t paid their rent.
  • You don’t need to be an expert in real estate to join Fundrise; their professionals scour the country for “excellent deals,” something I don’t have the time or skills to accomplish successfully.
  • Fundrise diversifies your investment portfolio, lowering your overall risk.
  • Depending on your investing approach, Fundrise offers a variety of “plans”: you can invest for passive income, appreciation, or a “balanced” plan that accomplishes a little bit of both.
  • The dividends are non-qualified, which means they are taxed at standard income tax rates rather than the 15% rate that qualified dividends are subject to.
  • As opposed to physical real estate, you do not benefit from the above-mentioned capital gains tax exemption.
  • You can’t utilize leverage with a mortgage; you have to put your own money into it.
  • You’re putting your faith in someone else, and you have no say if the company goes bankrupt (though I don’t think Fundrise has a significant probability of going bankrupt).

Fundrise expects you to hold for 5 years when it comes to liquidity; if you opt to keep for less time, you’ll be charged a penalty that varies based on how long your money has been invested.

I’m fine with holding my Fundrise investment for five years, and I’ve enjoyed averaging a 10%–11% ROI over the last two years – all without the headache of tenants or property management agencies.

How is Fundrise taxed?

Anyone in the United States over the age of 18 who has at least $500 can invest, while Fundrise’s advanced plans require a minimum commitment of $1,000, $10,000, or $100,000, depending on the advanced plan chosen. Fundrise portfolios can be viewed online. You’ll be able to see the projects included in each plan as well. The site provides information on each investment, including its nature, location, rating, and expected return.

Real estate is not a get-rich-quick scheme. These portfolios are designed for investors who will not need to pay out within five years, as previously stated. That’s the minimal time range that Fundrise recommends for its investors. You’ll get quarterly dividends throughout this time, but you’ll have a hard time getting your money back unless one of two things happens.

The first option for getting your money back would be to use the 90-day satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not happy with your investment and it’s still inside your first 90 days as an investor, Fundrise will purchase it back for the same amount you paid in (subject to some limitations).

The redemption of your shares is the second way to receive your money back. Each eREIT or eFund offers a quarterly redemption plan that allows investors to request the cashing out of any or all of their shares on a quarterly basis (subject to some limitations). The Offering Circular contains information on each redemption plan.

The eREITs or eFunds pay dividends every three months, which implies you might obtain a payout once every three months. However, you can use the Fundrise Dividend Reinvestment Program “DRIP” to reinvest your dividends. You can change your account settings online at any time to opt in or out of the DRIP.

A 1099-DIV will be issued to you at tax time, detailing any distributions you received. Your dividends will be taxed at your usual income tax rate, not the 15% rate that eligible dividends are taxed at.

Fundrise will issue you a 1099-B if you elect to redeem your shares. You may owe the IRS money for the amount you received in compensation for your shares based on the information on this form.

What kind of returns can I expect from Fundrise?

According to Fundrise, average annualized platform returns ranged from 8.76 percent to 12.42 percent between 2014 and 2019. You can also invest in publicly traded REITs, which trade like stocks on a stock exchange. A wide range of REITs is available from many major brokers.