Real Estate Platform Comparison· Updated May 5, 2026
A side-by-side breakdown of returns, liquidity, fees, and trustworthiness to help you decide where to invest your money.
Ark7 is one of the most accessible fractional rental platforms with $20 secondary-market shares and a SEC-registered ATS, but a 12-month hold before resale, monthly dividends, and layered fees mean investors should model net returns carefully.
RealtyMogul is a credible, established option for investors who want exposure to commercial real estate REITs. The $5,000 minimum, multi-tier fees, and 3-year minimum hold for redemption make it best for buy-and-hold investors with mid-sized portfolios.
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
$20 secondary-market shares
Once a property is past its 12-month hold, investors can buy shares for as little as $20 each — the lowest per-share entry point in the fractional rental space.
Monthly dividend distributions
Ark7 pays dividends on the 3rd of each month — more frequent than the quarterly cadence used by most competing fractional platforms.
SEC-registered PPEX ATS secondary market
Ark7's secondary market runs on a SEC-registered Alternative Trading System, giving it more regulatory scaffolding than informal redemption windows used by some peers.
Per-property LLC structure
Each property is held in its own LLC, so liabilities of one property don't bleed into others — standard but worth confirming on any fractional platform.
12-month lock-up before resale
Investors cannot sell shares on the secondary market for the first 12 months after the initial offering. Capital is locked for a full year before any exit option is available.
Layered fees compress returns
Ark7 charges a 3% sourcing fee, plus 8–15% of monthly rental income for property management. Short-term rentals carry higher property-management percentages, which can materially reduce investor net yield.
IRA fees scale with property count
Holding Ark7 investments in an IRA costs $100 per property per year (capped at $400/year). For an investor diversifying across many properties, this fee adds up.
Smaller, earlier-stage platform
Ark7 is still a relatively small venture-backed platform with a more modest balance sheet than scaled peers. The platform appears stable today, but as with any earlier-stage operator, normal startup-stage business risk is worth weighing alongside the property-level economics.
Long track record
Founded in 2012, RealtyMogul is one of the original real estate crowdfunding platforms. The company has publicly reported deploying more than $1 billion of investor capital across hundreds of properties since founding.
Real commercial REIT exposure
MogulREIT I (Income) and MogulREIT II (Apartment Growth) give non-accredited investors exposure to institutional-quality commercial real estate — multifamily, office, retail, industrial.
Monthly Income REIT distributions
MogulREIT I pays distributions monthly — more frequent than most peer REIT platforms — and has historically targeted 6–8% annualized distribution yield.
Penalty-free redemption after 3 years
Both MogulREITs offer a quarterly share repurchase program. After 3 years held, investors can redeem at full NAV (subject to availability).
$5,000 REIT minimum
RealtyMogul's REIT minimum is 50x Lofty's and 500x Fundrise's. The high minimum makes it harder to test the platform or diversify without committing real capital.
Complex, layered fees
RealtyMogul charges a 1–1.25% asset management fee plus organization, offering, and acquisition fees that vary by product. Private placements add sponsor-level fees on top.
Early redemption discounts
Redemption requests in years 1–2 are discounted (typically 2–4% off NAV) and not guaranteed if there's insufficient liquidity in the share repurchase program.
Most deals are accredited-only
Only the two MogulREITs are open to non-accredited investors. Individual private placements and 1031 exchange deals require accredited status.
Deep Dive
What You're Investing In
Individual U.S. single-family and small multi-family rental homes, fractionalized into shares. Investors can buy shares from new property offerings or, after the 12-month hold, from other investors on the SEC-registered ATS secondary market.
MogulREIT I (income-focused, monthly distributions), MogulREIT II (apartment growth, quarterly distributions), and individual private placements (accredited only, 5+ year holds, higher minimums).
Property Locations
Properties span 10+ U.S. states with concentration in growth markets. Specific market mix varies by listing.
Properties are spread across the U.S. with concentration in growth metros — Texas, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Arizona, and select coastal cities. Each deal's location is disclosed in the offering documents.
Expected Returns
Returns vary by property and depend heavily on local rental performance. Recent platform updates report ~95% portfolio occupancy and cumulative dividends measured in the millions of dollars. Each property page lists projected dividend yield and projected appreciation. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
MogulREIT I targets 6–8% annualized distributions with limited NAV appreciation. MogulREIT II targets growth (apartment value appreciation) with smaller current distributions. Private placements target higher IRRs (often 12–18%) but carry deal-specific risk and longer holds.
Fees
3% one-time sourcing fee at acquisition. 8–15% of monthly rental income for third-party property management (varies by long-term vs short-term rental). No commission on secondary market trades. IRA accounts: $100 per property per year, capped at $400/year.
RealtyMogul charges 1–1.25% asset management on REITs plus organization, offering, and acquisition fees that vary by deal. Private placements layer sponsor fees (acquisition, asset management, disposition) on top. Investors should read each deal's full fee schedule.
Liquidity
Investors cannot sell shares for the first 12 months after a property's initial offering. After that, shares can be listed on Ark7's SEC-registered PPEX ATS secondary market.
Both MogulREITs offer a quarterly share repurchase program. After 3 years held, redemption is at full NAV, subject to availability. Private placements typically run 5+ years with no early-exit option.
Who Can Invest
Open to U.S. investors aged 18 or older. No accreditation required for most listings. IRA accounts are supported with a per-property annual fee.
MogulREITs are open to non-accredited and accredited U.S. investors. Private placements and 1031 exchange offerings are restricted to accredited investors only.
The Verdict
Ark7 is a credible fractional rental platform with a unique combination of monthly dividends, a SEC-registered ATS secondary market, and the lowest per-share minimum in the space at $20. The 12-month hold before resale, layered management fees, and relatively small total AUM mean it works best as one piece of a diversified fractional portfolio rather than a primary holding. Investors who want immediate secondary liquidity, lower fees, or true daily payouts should compare against alternatives.
Full Ark7 review →RealtyMogul is a credible, well-established option for mid-sized investors who want exposure to commercial real estate REITs with monthly distributions and the option of accredited-only private placements. The trade-offs are real: a $5,000 minimum that limits diversification, layered fees, and a 3-year minimum hold for penalty-free redemption mean RealtyMogul rewards committed buy-and-hold investors. Investors with smaller capital, those wanting daily payouts or a 24/7 exchange, or those focused on direct property-level ownership will find better fit elsewhere.
Full RealtyMogul review →Bottom Line
Ark7 scores higher (3.0/5) and edges out RealtyMogul on our investment quality criteria.
Ark7 is one of the most accessible fractional rental platforms with $20 secondary-market shares and a SEC-registered ATS, but a 12-month hold before resale, monthly dividends, and layered fees mean investors should model net returns carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our scoring criteria — returns, fees, liquidity, transparency, minimums, and track record — Ark7 (3.0/5) scores higher than RealtyMogul (3.0/5). Ark7 is one of the most accessible fractional rental platforms with $20 secondary-market shares and a SEC-registered ATS, but a 12-month hold before resale, monthly dividends, and layered fees mean investors should model net returns carefully.
Ark7's minimum investment is $20 (secondary market) / $100 (new offerings). RealtyMogul's minimum investment is $5,000 (REITs); $25,000–$50,000+ (private placements).
Ark7: Investors cannot sell shares for the first 12 months after a property's initial offering. After that, shares can be listed on Ark7's SEC-registered PPEX ATS secondary market. RealtyMogul: Both MogulREITs offer a quarterly share repurchase program. After 3 years held, redemption is at full NAV, subject to availability. Private placements typically run 5+ years with no early-exit option.
Ark7 reports average yearly returns of Varies by property; portfolio occupancy ~95% in 2025. RealtyMogul reports average yearly returns of Income REIT targets 6–8% annual distributions; private placements target higher IRR. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
One of the most flexible ways to invest in real estate
$50 minimums · Daily rent payouts · No lock-up periods · 24/7 exchange