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.
Cadre is a credible accredited-only commercial real estate platform with strong reported historical IRRs and institutional backing, but its $50,000 minimum, the January 2024 acquisition by Yieldstreet (now Willow Wealth), and a 2018 Kushner Cos. property controversy mean retail investors and platform-trust-sensitive investors should weigh it carefully.
Yieldstreet — now Willow Wealth — is one of the largest alternative-investment marketplaces in the U.S., with $6 billion+ cumulative invested across real estate, private credit, art, and venture. But ~$208M in cumulative investor losses, a 30%+ real estate default rate, and a recent rebrand make it hard to recommend without significant caveats.
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Institutional-quality commercial deals
Cadre curates commercial real estate offerings — multifamily apartments, office, hotels, industrial — that typically only institutional investors can access directly.
Established platform with track record
Founded in 2014, Cadre has reported approximately $184 million in cumulative gross distributions to investors and a roughly 17.8% historical IRR across realized deals.
Cadre Direct Access Fund
Investors who don't want to pick deals one-by-one can use the Cadre Direct Access Fund, which builds a diversified portfolio across roughly 15 high-growth U.S. markets.
Backed by a larger alt-investment platform
Since January 2024, Cadre has operated as part of Yieldstreet (rebranded to Willow Wealth in October 2025), a multi-asset alternatives platform with broader product distribution. Cadre's CEO Ryan Williams continues to lead the brand and Cadre's investment team transitioned with the deal.
$50,000 minimum
Cadre's typical direct-deal minimum is $50,000 — among the highest in our comparison set. Spreading capital across multiple deals (the prudent diversification strategy) requires several hundred thousand in available capital.
Accredited investors only
Cadre is closed to non-accredited investors. You must verify $200K+ income (or $300K+ jointly), $1M+ net worth excluding primary residence, or hold relevant financial licenses.
5–8 year hold periods, limited liquidity
Cadre deals typically run 5–8 years with no formal early-exit option. Sponsors decide when to liquidate. Capital should be considered locked for the full hold.
Now part of Willow Wealth (formerly Yieldstreet)
Yieldstreet completed its acquisition of Cadre on January 23, 2024 and rebranded the parent platform to Willow Wealth in October 2025. Investors who want a fully independent commercial real estate platform should factor in that Cadre's parent company has faced significant investor-loss coverage tied to other (non-Cadre) parts of its business.
2018 Kushner Cos. controversy
In 2018, Fortune Magazine and Bloomberg reported Cadre benefited from misleading rent filings on a Kushner Cos. property deal. The episode prompted significant scrutiny of the platform's underwriting and disclosure practices.
Limited public transparency
Independent reviewers (notably the Real Estate Crowdfunding Review) have flagged Cadre for declining to answer detailed performance and methodology questions. The platform reports its own IRR figures but external scrutiny is limited.
Broad alternative-asset access
Real estate, private credit, art, venture capital, legal finance, and structured products on one platform — useful for accredited investors who want diversification across multiple alt-asset classes.
Institutional fund partnerships
Through Willow 360, accredited investors can access funds from Carlyle, Goldman Sachs, and StepStone in a managed-portfolio format — institutional access typical retail investors can't get directly.
Long track record
The platform has 500,000+ members and $6 billion+ cumulative invested since 2015 — by far the largest alternative-investment retail brand in our comparison set.
Cumulative investor losses reported in the press
CNBC reporting in late 2025 totaled approximately $208 million of cumulative investor losses across the Yieldstreet platform — combining $41M in new Houston/Nashville real estate defaults disclosed in December, $89M in marine-loan wipeouts disclosed in September, and $78M in previously reported losses. The company rebranded to Willow Wealth in October 2025.
Elevated real estate default rate per independent reviewers
Independent reviewers (notably the Real Estate Crowdfunding Review) have estimated the platform's real estate portfolio default rate at roughly 30%, materially higher than the 2–8% range typical of peer platforms. Real estate exposure here has historically been riskier than many peer platforms.
Accredited-only on most offerings
Most direct deals are limited to accredited investors. The Alternative Income Fund (Prism Fund) is the main option for non-accredited investors but represents a small slice of the platform's offerings.
Layered fees
Annual management fees range from 1% to 4% depending on offering. Many deals also charge first-year setup fees ($100–$150 per SPV/note) and administrative fees on top.
Rebrand complicates research
The October 2025 rebrand from Yieldstreet to Willow Wealth means many older reviews still reference the old brand. Some historical performance disclosures were reorganized after the rebrand, making apples-to-apples comparison harder.
Deep Dive
What You're Investing In
Individual commercial real estate deals (multifamily apartments, office, hotels, industrial) and the Cadre Direct Access Fund. Both carry meaningful minimums and accreditation requirements. Cadre branding lives inside the broader Willow Wealth platform.
Direct deals across real estate equity, real estate debt, private credit, art, legal finance, venture capital, and structured notes. Plus the Alternative Income Fund (open to non-accredited) and Willow 360 managed portfolios (accredited only).
Property Locations
The Cadre Direct Access Fund covers approximately 15 high-growth U.S. markets, with concentration in Sun Belt metros. Direct deals are sourced across the U.S.
Real estate deals are sourced across U.S. markets with a mix of commercial and multifamily exposure. Specific geographies vary deal-by-deal.
Expected Returns
Cadre reports a historical IRR of approximately 17.8% across realized deals and roughly $184 million in cumulative gross distributions. Advertised target returns on individual offerings typically range 10–15%. Past performance is platform-reported and not independently audited.
Yieldstreet (Willow Wealth) reports a historical net annualized return of approximately 7.4% since 2015 — a figure built primarily during the Yieldstreet era. Realized performance varies dramatically by asset class and individual deal. Independent reviews note a 30%+ real estate default rate that materially increases risk-adjusted return calculations.
Fees
Cadre's fee structure varies by offering and includes both platform-level and sponsor-level fees. Read each deal's fee schedule carefully. Fund products typically include both management and carried-interest fees.
1–4% annual management fees, depending on offering. Many deals also carry first-year setup fees (~$100–$150 per SPV or note) plus administrative fees of approximately 0.5%. Originator fees on some deals add another 0.5%.
Liquidity
Typical hold periods run 5–8 years. Sponsors decide when to liquidate; investors do not control exit timing.
Varies by deal. Notes can mature in months; real estate deals run multiple years; venture capital and legal finance can extend longer. Most offerings are illiquid by design.
Who Can Invest
Accredited investors only. SEC accreditation requirements apply: $200,000+ annual income (or $300,000+ jointly), $1,000,000+ net worth excluding primary residence, or holding relevant financial licenses.
Most direct offerings are limited to accredited investors. The Alternative Income Fund (formerly Prism Fund) accepts non-accredited investors with a $10,000 minimum. Willow 360 managed portfolios require accredited status with a $25,000 minimum.
The Verdict
Cadre is a credible institutional-quality commercial real estate platform with a strong reported track record and a diversified fund product. The $50,000 minimum and accredited-only access already limit it to high-net-worth investors, and the January 2024 acquisition by Yieldstreet — now Willow Wealth — plus the lingering 2018 Kushner Cos. controversy and limited public transparency add additional considerations. High-net-worth investors who already have institutional CRE exposure may still find selective value here, but most retail investors should look elsewhere.
Full Cadre review →Yieldstreet — now Willow Wealth — is one of the largest alternative-investment platforms in the U.S. with a genuine breadth of asset classes other platforms can't match. But cumulative investor losses of ~$208 million, a 30%+ real estate default rate, the recent rebrand, and the post-rebrand reorganization of historical performance data make it a platform to approach with significant caution. Investors who want straightforward fractional real estate exposure will find better fit at smaller, more focused platforms.
Full Yieldstreet (Willow Wealth) review →Bottom Line
Cadre scores higher (2.5/5) and edges out Yieldstreet (Willow Wealth) on our investment quality criteria.
Cadre is a credible accredited-only commercial real estate platform with strong reported historical IRRs and institutional backing, but its $50,000 minimum, the January 2024 acquisition by Yieldstreet (now Willow Wealth), and a 2018 Kushner Cos. property controversy mean retail investors and platform-trust-sensitive investors should weigh it carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our scoring criteria — returns, fees, liquidity, transparency, minimums, and track record — Cadre (2.5/5) scores higher than Yieldstreet (Willow Wealth) (2.0/5). Cadre is a credible accredited-only commercial real estate platform with strong reported historical IRRs and institutional backing, but its $50,000 minimum, the January 2024 acquisition by Yieldstreet (now Willow Wealth), and a 2018 Kushner Cos. property controversy mean retail investors and platform-trust-sensitive investors should weigh it carefully.
Cadre's minimum investment is $50,000 (typical direct deal). Yieldstreet (Willow Wealth)'s minimum investment is $5,000–$10,000 (most direct deals); $25,000 (Willow 360).
Cadre: Typical hold periods run 5–8 years. Sponsors decide when to liquidate; investors do not control exit timing. Yieldstreet (Willow Wealth): Varies by deal. Notes can mature in months; real estate deals run multiple years; venture capital and legal finance can extend longer. Most offerings are illiquid by design.
Cadre reports average yearly returns of ~17.8% historical IRR per Cadre's own platform reporting. Yieldstreet (Willow Wealth) reports average yearly returns of ~7.4% net annualized (Yieldstreet era, since 2015). 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