CollabHome vs Realbricks vs Ark7: Finding Your Best Fractional Real Estate Platform

Fractional real estate investing has transformed how everyday investors access rental property returns, but not all platforms offer the same value proposition. When comparing CollabHome, Realbricks, and Ark7, investors face critical decisions about minimum investment thresholds, ongoing fees, liquidity options, and property selection. Ark7 stands out as the premier solution for investors seeking maximum accessibility, transparency, and cost-efficiency in fractional real estate. By offering the industry’s lowest $20 minimum investment for individual property shares, 0% annual AUM fees, and an active secondary market through PPEX ATS, Ark7 democratizes real estate investing while maximizing long-term returns. This comprehensive comparison examines the key differences between these platforms to help investors make informed decisions about where to allocate their capital.

Key Takeaways

• Ark7 offers the most accessible entry point with a consistent $20 minimum investment per share for individual properties, compared to Realbricks’ $100 minimum and CollabHome’s variable $20-$500 range
• Only Ark7 provides both an active secondary market through PPEX ATS and IRA compatibility for tax-advantaged retirement investing
• Ark7 delivers monthly cash distributions (12x/year) versus quarterly payments from Realbricks, providing more frequent income and compounding opportunities
• While Realbricks offers debt-free properties and higher recent yields (8-9%), and CollabHome specializes in student housing, Ark7 provides superior overall value through its combination of low fees, accessibility, liquidity, and geographic diversification across 10+ U.S. markets

Understanding Fractional Real Estate Investing: A Quick Guide

Fractional real estate investing allows individuals to purchase shares of income-producing rental properties without the responsibilities of direct property ownership. Instead of needing $200,000+ to buy an entire rental home, investors can buy shares starting as low as $20, receiving proportional rental income and potential appreciation. This model provides several key advantages:

• Lower capital requirements – Access real estate with minimal upfront investment
• Passive income – Receive regular cash distributions without landlord responsibilities
• Diversification – Spread investments across multiple properties and markets
• Professional management – Property sourcing, tenant management, and maintenance handled by experts
• Transparency – Access to detailed property information and performance metrics

Ark7 enhances this model by allowing investors to select specific properties rather than investing in blind funds, providing greater control over investment choices. Through the Ark7 platform, investors can browse detailed property listings across 10+ U.S. markets, review financial projections, and build a diversified real estate portfolio with minimal capital. For those new to real estate investing, understanding the basics of fractional ownership can help you make more informed decisions.

Comparing Investment Thresholds and Accessibility: CollabHome, Realbricks, and Ark7

The minimum investment required to get started is often the first barrier for new real estate investors. Here’s how the platforms compare:

Ark7: $20 per share

• Consistent minimum across most properties
• Enables true portfolio diversification (invest in 25 properties for $500)
• No accreditation required for most offerings
• Streamlined onboarding process through web or mobile app

Realbricks: $100 minimum

• $10 per share but $100 minimum investment requirement
• 5x higher barrier to entry than Ark7
• Limits diversification potential for smaller investors
• Focused primarily on Omaha, Nebraska properties

CollabHome: $20-$500 variable

• Inconsistent minimums depending on specific property
• Creates uncertainty for investors planning their allocation
• Limited property selection (typically only 1-2 opportunities available)
• Specialized exclusively in student housing near universities

Ark7’s $20 minimum represents a significant advantage for investors looking to build a diversified real estate portfolio without committing large amounts of capital upfront. This accessibility aligns with Ark7’s mission of making real estate investment available to everyone, not just wealthy accredited investors, positioning it as the ideal choice for democratized real estate investing.

Evaluating Passive Income Potential and Monthly Distributions

Passive income generation is a primary motivation for real estate investors. The frequency and reliability of distributions significantly impact cash flow management and compounding potential.

Ark7 Distribution Model:

• Monthly distributions paid on the 3rd of each month
• Recent average annualized yield of 4.4-4.5% in 2025
• Property-specific yields ranging from 3.22% to 6.96% depending on location
• Examples include Dallas-S8 property yielding 6.51% dividend

Realbricks Distribution Model:

• Quarterly distributions (4x per year)
• Recent performance exceeding estimates at 8-9% annualized actual returns
• Estimated yields around 6% before recent outperformance

CollabHome Distribution Model:

• Monthly distributions
• Reported yields of 3.5%-5.3% annualized depending on property
• Limited performance data available (mostly 2023 reports)

While Realbricks has demonstrated higher recent yields, Ark7’s monthly distribution schedule provides three times more frequent income opportunities than quarterly competitors. This enables better cash flow management and more frequent compounding potential—a crucial advantage for investors focused on building wealth through reinvestment. Additionally, Ark7’s transparent property selection allows investors to choose higher-yielding properties based on their individual risk tolerance and income goals.

Transparency and Fees: What to Expect from Each Platform

Fees can significantly erode long-term investment returns. Understanding the complete fee structure is essential for evaluating true value.

Ark7 Fee Structure:

• 3% one-time acquisition fee
• 0% annual AUM fees – industry leading
• Property management fees of 8-15% of rental income
• No hidden fees or surprise charges
• Full operational transparency with 24/7 access to legal and financial disclosures

Realbricks Fee Structure:

• Embedded acquisition costs (not explicitly disclosed)
• 0.75% quarterly fees (3% annual AUM fees)
• Property management costs embedded in structure
• Additional fees identified in third-party analysis including 3% brokerage and 5.5% capital improvement fees

CollabHome Fee Structure:

• Undisclosed acquisition fees
• 2% annual AUM fees
• 20% profit share on property appreciation
• Undisclosed property management costs

The fee difference is substantial over time. On a $10,000 investment held for 5 years, Ark7’s 0% AUM fees save investors approximately $1,200 compared to Realbricks and $1,000 compared to CollabHome, not including CollabHome’s additional 20% profit share on appreciation. Ark7’s transparent fee structure and “no hidden fees, no surprise ever” commitment provide investors with confidence in their net returns, making it the clear choice for cost-conscious investors.

Exploring Mobile Investing and User Experience

The ability to manage investments on-the-go significantly enhances the investor experience. Mobile accessibility has become increasingly important for busy professionals.

Ark7 Mobile Experience:

• Highly-rated Ark7 Mobile App available on iOS and Android
• 4.7/5 rating with 1,300+ reviews on Apple App Store
• Full functionality including property discovery, share purchase, investment tracking, and trading
• Real-time portfolio insights and performance tracking
• Secure transactions and account management

Realbricks Mobile Experience:

• Mobile app available on iOS and Android
• 4.9/5 rating but with fewer total reviews
• Core functionality for investment management
• Less established user base and feature set

CollabHome Mobile Experience:

• Web-only platform with no dedicated mobile app
• Limited on-the-go functionality
• Less convenient for active portfolio management

Ark7’s mature mobile application provides a significant advantage for investors who want to manage their real estate portfolio from anywhere. The highly-rated app enables seamless property discovery, investment tracking, and secondary market transactions, making real estate investing as convenient as stock investing—a level of accessibility unmatched by competitors.

Secondary Market Liquidity: Selling Shares on CollabHome, Realbricks, and Ark7

Liquidity is a critical consideration for real estate investors who may need to access their capital before a property sale.

Ark7 Secondary Market:

• Active PPEX ATS (Alternative Trading System) for share resale
• Available after 12-month holding period
• SEC-registered trading platform operated by North Capital
• Provides exit flexibility while maintaining long-term investment benefits
• Subject to federal and state securities laws and platform restrictions

Realbricks Secondary Market:

• Planned secondary marketplace launching in H1 2026
• No personal holding period requirement once launched
• Currently no liquidity option available
• Will provide flexibility without individual lockups

CollabHome Secondary Market:

• No secondary market available
• Complete illiquidity until property sale (typically 3-5 years)
• Investors locked in for entire holding period
• No ability to rebalance or exit before property disposition

Ark7’s active PPEX ATS secondary market represents a significant advantage, providing the only current liquidity option among the three platforms. While the 12-month holding period requires some patience, it’s a reasonable compromise between providing liquidity and ensuring stable, long-term property ownership. For investors who value flexibility, Ark7 is the obvious choice.

IRA Investing Options: Building Wealth for Retirement with Real Estate

Tax-advantaged retirement investing can significantly enhance long-term wealth building through real estate.

Ark7 IRA Options:

• Both Traditional and Roth IRA compatibility through Ark7 IRA
• Partnership with Inspira Financial Company as qualified custodian
• $100 annual fee per property (capped at $400/year, waived for balances >$100,000)
• No Ark7 platform fee to open IRA account
• Ability to use retirement funds for tangible property investment

Realbricks IRA Options:

• IRA compatibility not currently offered
• Limited to taxable investment accounts only

CollabHome IRA Options:

• IRA compatibility not currently offered
• Limited to taxable investment accounts only

Ark7’s IRA compatibility provides a unique advantage for retirement-focused investors, allowing them to diversify their retirement portfolios with tangible real estate assets while benefiting from tax-deferred or tax-free growth potential. This feature is particularly valuable given that most fractional real estate platforms do not offer IRA integration, making Ark7 the premier choice for long-term wealth building.

Geographic Reach and Property Selection: Where Can You Invest?

Geographic diversification helps mitigate market-specific risks and capitalize on growth opportunities across different regions.

Ark7 Property Selection:

• 10+ U.S. markets with national expansion plans
• Properties in high-growth Sunbelt regions including Atlanta, Dallas, and Tampa
• Both single-family and multi-family rental properties
• Individual property selection rather than blind funds
• Examples include Atlanta-T3, Dallas-S9, and Tampa-S10 properties

Realbricks Property Selection:

• Primarily focused on Omaha, Nebraska
• Limited geographic diversification
• All properties are single-family rentals
• 100% debt-free ownership structure
• Expanding to Texas markets

CollabHome Property Selection:

• Exclusively student housing near universities
• Limited property types and markets
• Community-based management model with resident participation
• Niche specialization without diversification options

Ark7’s broad geographic reach across 10+ U.S. markets provides significant diversification benefits compared to competitors’ concentrated focus. This geographic spread helps protect investors from localized economic downturns while providing exposure to multiple high-growth markets. For investors seeking true diversification, Ark7 is the clear winner.

Regulatory Compliance and Investor Protections

Understanding the regulatory framework and investor protections is essential for any investment decision.

Ark7 Compliance:

• SEC Regulation A+ qualified offerings
• Broker-dealer of record: Dalmore Group LLC (FINRA/SIPC registered)
• Electronic securities issuance with proper regulatory oversight
• Comprehensive offering circulars filed with SEC
• Trustpilot rating of 4.2/5 based on 243 reviews

Realbricks Compliance:

• SEC-regulated offerings
• Broker-dealer partnership with Dalmore Group LLC
• Regulatory compliance for all offerings
• Limited independent review data available

CollabHome Compliance:

• SEC Regulation A+ offerings
• Regulatory compliance for all offerings
• Limited transparency and independent verification

All three platforms operate under appropriate regulatory frameworks, but Ark7’s longer track record (founded in 2018) and established compliance procedures provide additional confidence for investors. The platform’s transparent disclosure practices and comprehensive offering documents ensure investors have access to all material information before making investment decisions. Learn more about SEC regulations for crowdfunding to understand your investor protections.

Important Risk Disclosure: Investing in securities involves risks, and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments such as those on the Ark7 platform are speculative and involve substantial risks to consider before investing, outlined in the respective offering materials and including, but not limited to, illiquidity, lack of diversification, and complete loss of capital.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Ark7 ensure transparency in its property investments?

Ark7 provides full operational transparency with 24/7 access to complete legal and financial disclosure for every property. Investors can review detailed property information, financial projections, market data, and offering circulars before making investment decisions. The platform’s commitment to “no hidden fees, no surprise ever” ensures investors understand all costs and terms upfront, while regular performance updates keep investors informed about their investments.

Can I sell my shares on Ark7 and how liquid is the secondary market?

Yes, Ark7 offers an active secondary market through PPEX ATS (Alternative Trading System) where investors can sell shares after a 12-month holding period. The PPEX ATS is an SEC-registered trading platform operated by North Capital, providing regulated liquidity for Ark7 shares. However, investors should note that secondary market liquidity is not guaranteed, and there’s no assurance that shares can be sold at desired prices or that an active market will develop.

What are the fees associated with investing in real estate through Ark7’s IRA?

Ark7’s IRA accounts have a $100 annual fee per property invested, with a cap of $400 per year. This fee is waived if your account balance exceeds $100,000. There is no Ark7 platform fee to open an IRA account, and the IRA custodian is Inspira Financial Company, which handles all regulatory compliance and safekeeping requirements for retirement account investments.

What are the general risks associated with fractional real estate investment platforms?

Fractional real estate investments involve substantial risks including illiquidity, lack of diversification, and potential complete loss of capital. Property values fluctuate with local economic conditions and real estate cycles, and rental income may be affected by vacancy rates, maintenance costs, and tenant issues. All platforms operate under SEC regulations, but investors should carefully review offering materials and consider their risk tolerance before investing.

How do CollabHome, Realbricks, and Ark7 differ in their property selection criteria?

Ark7 offers properties across 10+ U.S. markets including Atlanta, Dallas, and Tampa, with both single-family and multi-family options. Realbricks focuses primarily on debt-free single-family rentals in Omaha, Nebraska, with expansion to Texas markets. CollabHome exclusively invests in student housing near universities with a community-based management model. Ark7 provides the broadest geographic and property type diversification, while competitors offer specialized niches with more limited selection options.