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Wondering how to invest 10k in real estate?
There’s a common misconception that you need to be rich to invest in real estate. However, nothing is further from the truth.
In reality, you can start earning passive incomeand building wealth through real estate investing without much starting capital. And, with around $10,000, a surprising number of real estate investing opportunities become available which make it possible to turn $10K into $100k at times.
If you’re wondering how to invest 10k in real estate and want to diversify your portfolio, this is the post for you.
In recent years, numerous online real estate investing platforms have grown in popularity. With $10,000, you can now get in on the action, even if you’re a beginner real estate investor.
1. Real Estate Crowdfunding
With real estate crowdfunding, a group of investors pool money together to buy income-generating real estate. Typically, this means buying multi-family homes, office buildings, or other properties that generate rental income.
There are several advantages to real estate crowdfunding. Firstly, it lets you invest in real estate with less capital. Secondly, because of lower capital requirements, you can often invest in several properties to diversify your real estate portfolio.
And, the great news is you don’t have to round-up a group of investors and research properties to buy yourself. There are actually several popular online real estate crowdfunding companies, many of which let you invest in real estate with 10k or even less.
Fundriseis one of the most popular crowdfunding platforms you can consider. You only need $10 to start with Fundrise. But if you invest $10,000, you unlock the Advanced plan which provides a customized portfolio strategy, IRA investing, and more investment properties to choose from.
Historically, Fundrise has seen 8% or higher annual returns. The platform charges a 0.15% annual advisory fee and 0.85% annual asset management fee, so it’s also a low-cost way to invest 10k in real estate.
There are also Fundrise alternativesyou can consider if you have different investing goals. For example, with Groundfloor, you can invest in short-term real estate debt and earn from interest payments.
Like Fundrise, Groundfloor only requires $10 to begin investing, and there’s a variety of real estate projects you can help fund, each with various time-frames and loan terms.
Groundfloor states its seen 10.5% actual returns to date, and investors don’t pay fees. Plus, with a $10,000 investment, you can invest in multiple income-generating projects to diversify your portfolio and reduce risk.
A real estate investment trust, or REIT, is a company that owns and usually operates income-generating real estate properties.
REITs are similar to crowdfunding because they usually invest in multi-family homes and commercial real estate to generate rental income.
However, REITs are legally required to pay at least 90% of profits back to investors in dividends. Additionally, many REITs are publicly traded on a stock exchange, so you can buy REIT shares through your bank or an online broker. Because of this, REITs are often more liquid than investing in real estate through a crowdfunding company.
So, if you want to invest $10,000 in real estate and like the idea of predictable dividend income, REITs could be the right choice.
If you want to pick specific REITs to invest in, a commission-free online broker like M1 Financelets you buy shares of different REITs. And, M1 Finance usually has sign-up bonuses for new investors who deposit $1,000.
Alternatively, you can invest through companies that offer their own REITs if you want more simplicity. For example, Streitwise is an excellent way to invest in real estate with $10,000, especially if you want dividend income.
Streitwise primarily deals with commercial real estate, and there’s a $5,000 minimum investment for properties. The company has paid over 8% in dividends to investors since 2017, and you don’t have to be an accredited investorto get started.
For fees, Streitwise charges 3% upfront and then a 2% annual management fee. Your upfront fees don’t reduce your share count, however.
Streitwise is a real estate investing company that enables investors of all wealth levels the ability to own a portion of commercial real estate through an equity REIT. Investors can now access a professionally-managed, tax-advantaged portfolio of real estate assets with over four years of 8%+ returns and earn passive income.
Ultimately, if you want dividend income and more liquidity, investing $10,000 in REITs is an excellent choice.
3. Millionacres: Real Estate Winners
Ready to build real wealth? If you’re ready to rack up returns like 13.4%, 14.1%, and 16.7% per year – Real Estate Winners can help. You can benefit from real estate’s supposedly unfair advantages like almost unbelievable tax breaks, government-mandated payouts, and limited supply without ever becoming a landlord and swinging a hammer!
Unlike the other Millionacres subscription service, Mogul ($3,000 per year), Real Estate Winners is an affordable way for investors to dip their toes into the space, learn more, and get started – even if they have limited or zero real estate investing experience.
Real Estate Winners can benefit from:
New stock recommendations each month.
Regular updates on recommended stocks following earnings and other events.
Top 10 Investment Alerts delivered each quarter.
Tons of great educational content and resources to make you a smarter real estate investor.
With real estate syndication, a group of people pool resources together to purchase properties that then generates wealth through rental income and potential appreciation.
Real estate syndication is similar to crowdfunding, except you’re investing with a group of people you know and have more ownership because there’s fewer investors.
Usually, real estate syndication needs two roles: A syndicator, also known as a sponsor, and investors.
The syndicator is responsible for researching real estate properties for potential investment and managing the property after acquisition. Usually, the syndicator puts up less capital and relies on the pool of investors to raise enough money. Sometimes, the syndicator doesn’t even put in capital, and instead earns a small acquisition fee for completing the deal.
Whatever the arrangement, real estate syndication is another option to invest in real estate with $10,000. You can also become a syndicator if you know how to manage properties.
Other Methods To Invest 10k In Real Estate
Crowdfunding, REITs, and real estate syndication are three popular ways to generate real estate income.
But, if you’re still wondering how to invest in real estate with $10k, you have plenty of other options to consider.
5. Real Estate Wholesaling
If you want to make money in real estate without ever owning properties yourself, real estate wholesaling could be for you.
In a nutshell, real estate wholesalers make money in three steps:
The wholesaler creates a contract with a seller to find a buyer for their property
The wholesaler finds a buyer for the property and offers a higher price than the seller agreed to
The wholesales keeps the difference in profit if the deal closes
This is arbitrage, and it’s an attractive business model for some because you don’t need your own capital as a real estate wholesaler.
Additionally, you don’t always have to put in work flipping properties or increasing the value somehow; you can just charge the buyer more than the seller was asking for.
Usually, real estate wholesalers deal in properties that are distressed, meaning they’re undergoing foreclosure or pre-foreclosure. This is because sellers are under more pressure to sell their property at a bargain, widening your potential margin.
You still need money to fund a real estate wholesale business. For example, you probably need legal advice to ensure your contracts are in order and you’re following state laws. Advertising costs to get your first clients are also worth factoring in.
But, if you want to start a side businessthat involves real estate, consider real estate wholesaling.
6. Find A Real Estate Partner
A real estate partnership is similar to real estate syndication, except you usually work with one other person and it’s often less formal.
For example, family members, two friends, or even work colleagues might decide to go in on a property together. This could be a rental property or a property that is flippable with the right renovations.
If you’re wondering where to find potential properties you and a partner can invest in, you can check out Roofstock.
Roofstock is a marketplace of rental properties across the United States, including single-family rentals to multi-unit condos. Making an offer on properties is free, and Roofstock only charges 0.50% or $500 of the contract price for accepted offers.
6. Try Airbnb
While this real estate investment idea doesn’t always require $10,000, it’s another way to create a new income stream.
Thanks to the gig economy, you can now make money renting out assets you own. And, one of the poster boys for this movement is renting out your home or a spare bedroom as an Airbnb host.
So, if you want to earn passive income and don’t mind renting, you can invest money in making your home more Airbnb-friendly.
Usually, this includes finishing an unfinished basement or bedroom so you can rent it out. But if you spend $10,000 finishing a bedroom and then rent it out for $150 per night, you only need 66 rentals before you recoup your money. After that, every rental is pure profit.
7. Renovation Projects
A home renovation might seem like a money sink, but did you know some renovations usually increase the value of your home?
According to HGTV, renovation projects that can turn a profit when you sell your home include:
Kitchen remodels
Landscaping
Minor bathroom remodels
Exterior improvements
Usually, your returns are only a few percent at most, and you have to avoid going over budget if you want your renovation to yield a return.
But you can also consider things like making your home more energy efficient with better windows, or looking into projects that get you an energy efficient tax credit.
The bottom line is that investing $10k in real estate doesn’t have to be for other properties; you can improve your home and make money in the process!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I invest in property with 10k?
Popular ways to invest in property with $10,000 include methods like crowdfunding, REITs, and real estate partnerships.
What are the best assets to buy with 10k?
Buying shares in income-generating real estate with companies like Fundriseis one of the best assets you can buy with 10k. But you can also invest in real estate stocks for free with platforms like M1 Financeto begin building wealth.
How to invest in real estate crowdfunding?
To invest in real estate crowdfunding, create an account with online crowdfunding websites like Groundflooror Fundrise. You can then deposit funds from your bank account and begin investing in real estate, even if you don’t have experience with this asset class.
Platforms like FarmTogether let you invest in income-generating farmland, and some of the investment opportunities on the platform are $15,000 or less.
FarmTogether's crowdfunding platform is one of the few ways accredited investors can get exposure to farmland as an asset class. With decent returns and low fees, it is a compelling choice for those looking to diversify their portfolios. The minimum investment amount is $15,000.
Investing $10,000 in 2023 is a wise move to begin growing your wealth. But you need to determine your investing timeframe, risk tolerance, and goals for returns. Stocks, cryptocurrency, bonds, and real estate are just a few examples of places you can invest $10k.
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Investing $10,000 in real estate is an excellent way to diversify your portfolio and create multiple income streams. And, the great news is there are more avenues to invest than ever before.
Just ensure you have your ducks in a row before investing. This includes tasks like building an emergency fund or working tobecome debt free. Real estate can create serious wealth, and it’s also a more beginner-friendly investment than you might think!
Brian Meiggs is a personal finance expert, and the founder of My Millennial Guide, a personal finance site helping you unlock the wealth of freedom. He helps millennials follow the smart money in order to increase their earning potential and start building wealth for the future. He regularly writes about side hustles, investing, and general personal finance topics aimed to help anyone earn more, pay off debt, and reach financial freedom. He has been quoted as a top personal finance blogger in major publications including Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance, NASDAQ, Discover, Fox News, MSN Money and more.
