Ark7 vs Realbricks

For investors seeking to build wealth through rental real estate without the landlord responsibilities, the choice between fractional ownership platforms can significantly impact your portfolio’s performance and diversification. While both Ark7 and Realbricks offer SEC-qualified shares in U.S. rental properties, their approaches differ fundamentally in experience, diversification, and income frequency. Ark7 brings high-yield rental home investment to you with a multi-year track record, monthly cash distributions, and access to 10+ markets nationwide. Understanding these critical differences—between established performance versus newer market entrants—helps investors select the platform that aligns with their long-term wealth-building objectives.

Key Takeaways

• Ark7 delivers a long track record of consistent monthly dividend payments, compared to Realbricks’ quarterly payments and four consecutive quarters of dividend payments with unproven long-term sustainability
• Geographic diversification defines portfolio resilience – Ark7 offers properties across 10+ U.S. markets (TX, CA, IL, FL, GA, WA, AZ, VA, TN, PA) versus Realbricks’ concentrated focus on Omaha, Nebraska
• Investment flexibility meets different investor needs – Ark7 provides access to single-family, multifamily, and short-term rental properties with both accredited and non-accredited options, while Realbricks currently offers only long-term single-family rentals
• Tax-advantaged investing through IRA accounts – Ark7 enables Traditional and Roth IRA investments through established custodian partnerships, a feature not available on Realbricks
• Proven scale and user trust – Ark7 serves 220,000+ investors with $23+ million in property value funded and maintains strong user ratings, compared to Realbricks’ thousands of investors with minimal third-party review data

Understanding Each Platform’s Core Positioning

Ark7 positions itself as the accessible gateway to high-yield rental home investment, founded on the principle that everyone should have the freedom to build wealth through real estate. Since 2018, Ark7 has built its reputation on making fractional real estate investing as easy as a stock investment, with minimum investments as low as $20 per share. The platform serves a broad investor community seeking passive income through professionally managed rental properties, emphasizing operational transparency and monthly cash distributions. Ark7’s mission centers on democratizing real estate investment while maintaining rigorous standards for property curation and investor protection.

Realbricks takes a more specialized approach, focusing primarily on debt-free single-family rental properties in select markets. Founded in 2021, Realbricks has built its model around eliminating mortgage exposure entirely, purchasing properties with 100% equity. The platform emphasizes higher recent dividend yields (8-9% actual performance in 2025) and immediate liquidity with no holding period restrictions. However, Realbricks operates with a more concentrated geographic focus and limited property variety compared to established platforms.

The fundamental difference lies in maturity and diversification: Ark7 offers proven, diversified real estate exposure across multiple markets and asset types, while Realbricks provides a specialized, concentrated approach with limited historical performance data.

Track Record and Market Experience Show Clear Leadership Differences

Ark7’s established presence demonstrates consistent operational excellence:

• 7 years of market experience since founding in 2018
• 220,000+ active investors building wealth through the platform
• Long track record of consistent monthly dividend payments as of September 2025
• $23+ million in total property value funded across diverse markets
• $3.5+ million in total dividends paid to investors
• Strong third-party recognition including features in The Penny Hoarder and WallStreetZen

This track record provides investors with confidence in Ark7’s ability to navigate various market cycles and maintain consistent cash flow distributions.

Realbricks’ emerging presence shows promising initial performance but limited historical depth:

• Founded in 2021 as a newer market entrant
• Thousands of investors according to company data
• Four consecutive quarters of dividend payments (Q4 2024-Q3 2025) with 8-9% actual performance
• Minimal third-party media coverage or independent review data
• Not featured in major “top platforms” roundups as of 2025

While Realbricks’ recent dividend performance is attractive, the sustainability of these higher yields over full economic cycles remains unproven compared to Ark7’s multi-year consistency.

For investors seeking reliable, long-term wealth building, Ark7’s proven track record provides significant peace of mind that newer platforms cannot yet match.

Investment Minimums and Accessibility Reveal Different Entry Strategies

The minimum investment requirements reflect each platform’s approach to investor accessibility.

Ark7’s flexible entry points include:

• $20-$100 per share depending on the specific property
• No minimum share purchase requirement beyond one share
• Accessible to both accredited and non-accredited investors through Reg A+ offerings
• IRA investment options for Traditional and Roth retirement accounts through Ark7 IRA
• Mobile app accessibility for iOS and Android devices with high app store ratings respectively

This approach makes real estate investment highly accessible while providing options for different investment strategies and account types.

Realbricks’ entry structure focuses on lower per-share pricing:

• $10 per share in the primary market
• $100 minimum investment requirement regardless of share count
• No IRA investment options currently available
• Mobile app available for both iOS and Android platforms

While Realbricks offers a lower per-share price point, Ark7’s flexibility in minimum investment amounts and additional account options (particularly IRA investing) provides greater overall accessibility for different investor needs and retirement planning strategies.

Property Types and Geographic Diversification Create Risk Profile Differences

Ark7’s diversified portfolio offers comprehensive market exposure:

• Property variety: Single-family homes, multifamily properties, and short-term rentals
• Geographic spread: 10+ markets including Texas, California, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Washington, Arizona, Virginia, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania
• Market-specific opportunities: Properties like Dallas-S8 in growing Sunbelt regions and Atlanta-T3 near major employers
• Accredited investor options: Ark7+ multifamily and premium properties for qualified investors
• Property performance tracking: Top markets showing yields up to 7.65% (Urbana) and 6.22% (DFW)

This diversification strategy helps mitigate concentration risk and provides exposure to multiple economic drivers across different regions.

Realbricks’ concentrated approach focuses on specific markets:

• Property limitation: Only long-term single-family rentals currently available
• Geographic concentration: Concentrated focus on Omaha, Nebraska
• New construction emphasis: Focus on newly built properties in emerging markets
• No accredited investor premium options documented

While Realbricks’ focus on new construction in high-growth markets offers potential upside, the lack of geographic and asset class diversification creates higher concentration risk compared to Ark7’s multi-market, multi-asset approach.

Income Distribution and Cash Flow Frequency Impact Investor Experience

Ark7’s monthly distribution model provides consistent cash flow:

• Monthly dividends paid on the 3rd of each month
• Long track record of consistent monthly payments
• Average annualized yield of 4.4-4.5% in 2025
• Historical range of 2.5-6.4% depending on specific properties
• Immediate income for funded properties

This monthly frequency supports better cash flow planning and enables faster compounding of returns compared to quarterly distributions.

Realbricks’ quarterly approach offers different timing:

• Quarterly dividends with Q1 2025 showing 2% quarterly payout (8% annualized)
• Higher recent yields of 8-9% actual performance in 2025 based on limited data
• 90-day waiting period for new construction properties before first dividend

While Realbricks’ recent yields appear more attractive, the quarterly frequency provides less immediate cash flow flexibility, and the sustainability of these higher returns over longer periods remains unproven compared to Ark7’s consistent multi-year performance.

Liquidity and Secondary Market Maturity Show Operational Differences

Ark7’s established secondary market provides proven liquidity infrastructure:

• 12-month minimum holding period to align investors with long-term property performance
• Operational trading via PPEX ATS (SEC-registered Alternative Trading System)
• Institutional-grade trading infrastructure through North Capital partnership
• Regulatory oversight and established trading mechanics

The 12-month holding period prevents speculative trading and encourages long-term investment alignment, while the mature secondary market provides reliable liquidity options after the holding period.

Realbricks’ liquidity approach emphasizes immediate availability:

• No holding period restriction – shares can be listed for sale once property is fully funded (30 days)
• Peer-to-peer marketplace rather than institutional trading platform
• Less mature secondary market infrastructure

While Realbricks’ no-holding-period policy offers theoretical immediate liquidity, the actual ability to sell shares depends entirely on finding buyers in their less-established marketplace, whereas Ark7’s PPEX ATS provides institutional-grade liquidity infrastructure with better price discovery and regulatory oversight.

Fees and Transparency Reflect Different Operating Philosophies

Ark7’s transparent fee structure includes:

• 3% one-time sourcing fee embedded in property purchase price
• 8-15% ongoing management fee of rental income
• $0 transaction fees for buying or selling shares
• IRA custodial fees: $100 per property, capped at $400/year (waived for balances >$100,000)
• “No hidden fees, no surprise ever” commitment

This transparent approach ensures investors understand all costs upfront, with clear documentation across third-party reviews and platform materials.

Realbricks’ fee structure includes:

• Undisclosed one-time sourcing fees (likely embedded in purchase price)
• 0.75% quarterly AUM fee plus 8% of rental income
• $2.50 per trade transaction fee
• No IRA options (so no custodial fees apply)

While both platforms have comparable total cost of ownership (approximately $78-$120 vs $85 annually for a $1,000 investment), Ark7’s fee transparency and lack of transaction fees provide clearer cost visibility and better value for active investors.

Regulatory Compliance and Investor Protections Ensure Security

Both platforms operate under SEC Regulation A+ with the same broker-dealer of record (Dalmore Group LLC, FINRA/SIPC member), ensuring equivalent regulatory oversight for securities transactions. However, Ark7 provides more comprehensive investor protections:

• Full operational transparency with 24/7 access to legal and financial documents
• Series LLC structure providing liability protection between properties
• Clear risk disclosures in offering circulars
• Trustpilot rating of 4.1/5 based on 224+ reviews demonstrating user trust
• Accredited business badge verification

Realbricks maintains basic regulatory compliance but lacks the extensive transparency infrastructure and third-party verification that Ark7 has built over its 7-year history.

Why Ark7 Delivers Superior Value for Long-Term Real Estate Investors

For investors seeking to build lasting wealth through rental real estate, Ark7’s combination of proven performance, geographic diversification, and operational maturity creates compelling advantages over newer platforms like Realbricks.

Key advantages of Ark7’s approach:

• Proven track record: Long history of consistent monthly dividends versus Realbricks’ four consecutive quarters provides confidence in sustainable, realistic returns across market cycles.

• Monthly cash flow: Consistent monthly distributions enable better financial planning and faster compounding compared to quarterly payments, with actual payments occurring on the 3rd of each month.

• True diversification: 10+ market geographic spread across major U.S. regions reduces concentration risk, while access to single-family, multifamily, and short-term rental properties provides asset class variety that Realbricks’ single-focus approach cannot match.

• Tax-advantaged options: IRA investing capability through established custodian partnerships enables retirement account growth in real estate—a unique feature not available on Realbricks that supports comprehensive financial planning.

• Mature infrastructure: Operational secondary market via PPEX ATS provides institutional-grade liquidity and price discovery, while the 12-month holding period aligns investors with long-term value creation rather than encouraging speculative trading.

For investors seeking reliable, diversified real estate exposure with consistent monthly income and proven operational excellence, Ark7 represents the superior choice for building long-term wealth through fractional rental property ownership.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum investment required to start with Ark7?

Ark7 offers fractional shares starting as low as $20 per share, with some properties beginning at $100 per share. Investors can purchase just one share to begin building their real estate portfolio, making it highly accessible compared to traditional property ownership. This low barrier to entry allows investors to start building wealth through real estate with minimal capital while maintaining flexibility to scale their investment over time.

How does Ark7 ensure transparency in its real estate investments?

Ark7 provides full operational transparency with complete legal and financial disclosure accessible 24/7 through the platform. Investors can review all property details, financial statements, offering circulars, and performance metrics for each property they invest in. Additionally, Ark7 maintains a “No hidden fees, no surprise ever” commitment, with all fees clearly disclosed upfront. The platform’s series LLC structure also provides clear separation between properties, ensuring investors understand exactly what assets their shares represent.

Can I sell my Ark7 shares easily, and what are the restrictions?

Ark7 shares can be sold on the secondary trading market via PPEX ATS after a 12-month minimum holding period. This holding period aligns investors with long-term property performance and prevents speculative trading. While there’s no guarantee of finding a buyer (as with any private security), the PPEX ATS provides an institutional-grade trading platform with better price discovery than peer-to-peer marketplaces. Investors should be prepared to hold shares indefinitely, as liquidity depends on market demand and state regulations.

What kind of properties does Ark7 offer for investment?

Ark7 offers a diverse portfolio including single-family homes, multifamily properties, and short-term rentals across 10+ U.S. markets. Properties range from newer townhomes in Atlanta’s Jonesboro area to single-family homes in Dallas’ Mesquite and Tampa’s Land O Lakes. The platform focuses on high-yield rental properties in growing markets with strong job growth, population trends, and rental demand. Investors can view specific properties like Dallas-S8 with detailed market data and performance metrics before investing.

Are there any hidden fees when investing with Ark7?

Ark7 maintains a “No hidden fees, no surprise ever” policy with all costs clearly disclosed upfront. The platform charges a 3% one-time sourcing fee (embedded in the property purchase price) and 8-15% ongoing management fees from rental income. There are no transaction fees for buying or selling shares. For IRA accounts, Inspira Financial Company charges $100 annual fee per property (capped at $400/year), which is waived for account balances over $100,000.

How does investing through Ark7 compare to traditional real estate ownership?

Ark7 eliminates the landlord responsibilities of traditional ownership while providing fractional ownership benefits with monthly cash distributions and no tenant management burdens. The platform’s minimum investment of $20-$100 per share is substantially lower than full property purchase requirements, and geographic diversification across 10+ markets reduces concentration risk. Additionally, Ark7’s professional property management and technology-driven operations ensure consistent performance without the time commitment required for direct ownership.