The investment market is full of options that include stocks, mutual funds, gold, real estate investments and more. In the Middle East, alternative smartcrowd.ae like REITs and Real Estate Crowdfunding are comparatively new.
A few years ago, the property market was the domain of rich investors. Smaller investors needed to look at different avenues of investment. However, with the rise of new investment options, real estate investments have opened up to smaller investors. Today, we will look at REITs and Real Estate Crowdfunding platforms and compare the differences.
Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)
A REIT is a trust which collects funds through an IPO and uses the money to buy, develop, manage, and sell real estate assets. This IPO is just like any other initial public offering that offers an option to buy a unit, which is a portion of a managed real-estate pool to the investors. The trust handles purchases, leases, finances and sells property to pass on returns to the unitholders. The REIT units can be purchased and sold on the stock exchange.
Investing in a REIT is similar to investing in a company. While some companies offer lucrative opportunities, some others might have higher risk and lower value. You must look at the performance of a REIT in terms of the NAV (Net Asset Value), dividend, growth, portfolio composition, performance to gain an understanding of the property market.
Real Estate Crowdfunding
Real Estate Crowdfunding platforms allow a group of investors to pool funds in order to finance real estate development projects. This allows investors to create a portfolio of real estate investments spread across different assets, locations, and in properties developed by different builders.
This way, if you want to invest in real estate, but don’t want to buy/develop a building, then you can become a shareholder in the property by means of a real estate Crowdfunding platform. This allows for any profits made by the real estate venture to be passed on to you. However, like with any other investment, Crowdfunding has its own share of risks. Investors are exposed to volatility in the market along with the risk of default from the developers. The absence of a share transfer can also restrict the liquidity of the investment.
REIT vs. Real estate Crowdfunding
There are many similarities between REITs and Real Estate Crowdfunding platforms. They allow investors to balance their portfolios by offering current income as well as long-term appreciation on the underlying real estate assets.
The primary difference between a REIT and a Real Estate Crowdfunding investment is that when you invest via a Crowdfunding platform, you can invest in multiple commercial real estate projects, while with a REIT, you invest in a trust which invests your funds into real estate. Further, when you invest in a REIT, the returns on investment can be in assets other than just in real estate. Real estate Crowdfunding platforms also offer a higher level of transparency and better selection of opportunities than a REIT since you can choose from a wide array of pre-verified investment opportunities.
Many investors find REITs to be expensive, especially considering heavy maintenance costs, difficulty in managing portfolios, etc. which eventually translate into lower returns. On the other hand, most Crowdfunding platforms require investors to be accredited before allowing them to invest.
Also Read: How can Real estate Crowdfunding help you take advantage of the current market?
Here are some important differences:
Returns
When you invest through a real estate Crowdfunding platform, you have a better opportunity to earn returns as compared to investing in a REIT.
Liquidity and Tradability
REITs are highly liquid and are traded every day across major financial markets. While investing in real estate, Crowdfunding platforms offers customization opportunities whereas REITs score high on the liquidity and tradability aspect.
Transparency
The best way to invest in the real estate market is by investing in it directly or through a real estate Crowdfunding platform since the process is completely transparent. When you invest in a REIT, you basically buy into a trust which owns multiple properties. Hence, you are unaware of where exactlyyour funds are being invested.
Investment Spread
When you invest through a real estate Crowdfunding platform, you can spread your investments by investing small amounts across multiple investment options. However, investing in a REIT allows you to invest in a trust which usually owns thousands of properties spread across different types and geographical locations.
Market Expertise
When you are investing via a Crowdfunding platform, you don’t need to have the expertise or resources to invest in the real estate market. On the other hand, investing in a REIT, usually, comes coupled with an expert opinion to help you make investment decisions.
Remember…
Investing in real estate is a great way to invest in the current market. You may choose between REITs and real estate Crowdfunding based on the requirements of your investment portfolio. Also, remember that while Crowdfunding platforms allow you to invest in individual projects, a REIT is similar to investing in the stock of a company. If you prefer investing in single projects, then Crowdfunding projects are your best bet. On the other hand, if you prefer to have a collection of large investment ventures, then you should probably choose a REIT.
