Realbricks vs Concreit vs Ark7: Which Fractional Real Estate Platform is Right for You in 2025?

When evaluating fractional real estate investment platforms, investors face a critical choice between accessibility, control, and liquidity. Traditional approaches often require significant capital, landlord responsibilities, or complex property management. This is where modern platforms like Ark7, Realbricks, and Concreit transform the landscape, offering different approaches to real estate ownership. While all three platforms enable fractional investing in rental properties, they differ significantly in their investment models, minimum requirements, and investor experience. This comprehensive guide examines the key differences between Realbricks, Concreit, and Ark7 across 50+ factors to help you determine which platform aligns with your investment goals, with particular emphasis on why Ark7 emerges as the optimal choice for most investors seeking both accessibility and control.

Key Takeaways

• Ark7 offers the industry’s lowest minimum for individual property selection at just $20 per share, enabling true micro-diversification across specific rental properties rather than pooled funds
• Monthly cash distributions from Ark7 provide more frequent income than Realbricks’ quarterly payouts, while maintaining individual property control unlike Concreit’s pooled fund
• Proven market validation with 230,000+ active investors, $23+ million in property value funded, and $3.5+ million in total dividends paid demonstrates Ark7’s established track record
• Geographic diversification across 10+ U.S. markets reduces regional concentration risk, compared to Realbricks’ Omaha-focused approach or Concreit’s pooled fund structure
• IRA investment integration through Millennium Trust enables tax-advantaged real estate investing, a feature not specified by competitors
• Established secondary market operational since 2022 provides proven liquidity, unlike Realbricks’ planned flexible liquidity options

Understanding Real Estate Crowdfunding: Are Realbricks, Concreit, and Ark7 Good Options?

Real estate crowdfunding has democratized access to rental property investment, allowing individuals to build wealth through real estate without the traditional barriers of large capital requirements, property management responsibilities, or landlord duties. These platforms offer fractional ownership in rental properties, enabling investors to earn passive income through rental distributions and potential property appreciation.

The three platforms represent different approaches to this model:

• Ark7 enables investors to select specific rental properties and purchase shares starting at $20, with monthly distributions and full operational transparency
• Realbricks focuses on debt-free single-family rentals in Omaha with a $100 minimum investment and quarterly distributions
• Concreit operates as a pooled fund with a $1 minimum investment, offering weekly distributions but no individual property selection

Each platform serves different investor priorities, whether it’s property control, debt-free stability, or maximum liquidity. Understanding these fundamental differences is crucial for making an informed investment decision.

Ark7: Accessible & Transparent Fractional Real Estate Investing

Ark7 stands out as the premier solution for investors seeking both accessibility and control in fractional real estate investing. By enabling individual property selection with the industry’s lowest minimum investment, Ark7 democratizes access to high-quality rental properties while maintaining transparency and investor choice.

Key Features of Ark7 Investment

Individual Property Selection with Low Barrier to Entry Ark7’s core differentiator is its $20 per share minimum investment for specific rental properties, not pooled funds. This enables investors to build a diversified portfolio across multiple properties based on their preferences for location, property type, and yield potential. Unlike Concreit’s pooled fund approach, Ark7 investors know exactly which properties they own shares in, with full access to property details, financial projections, and operational updates.

Monthly Cash Distributions Ark7 pays rental income distributions monthly, providing more frequent cash flow than Realbricks’ quarterly distributions. This monthly schedule aligns with real-world rental income cycles and enables better cash flow management for investors. The platform has distributed over $3.5 million in total dividends.

Geographic Diversification Ark7’s property portfolio spans 10+ U.S. markets, primarily in high-growth Sunbelt regions. This geographic diversification reduces regional concentration risk and provides exposure to diverse rental markets with varying economic drivers, population growth patterns, and housing demand factors.

Zero AUM Fees Ark7 charges no annual asset management fees, only property-level costs (3% one-time sourcing fee and 8-15% property management from rental income). This fee structure reduces the total cost of ownership over multi-year holding periods compared to platforms with ongoing AUM fees.

How Ark7 Makes Investing Easy

Full Operational Transparency Ark7 provides complete operational transparency with 24/7 access to legal and financial documents, property performance metrics, and tenant information. Investors can monitor their portfolio performance, track distributions, and access detailed property information through the user-friendly platform.

Professional Property Management Ark7 handles all aspects of property management, including tenant screening, maintenance coordination, and rent collection. This hands-off approach allows investors to earn passive income without landlord responsibilities while maintaining ownership in specific properties.

IRA Investment Options Ark7 supports self-directed IRA investing through Millennium Trust, enabling tax-advantaged real estate investment. This feature allows investors to use their retirement funds to purchase fractional shares in rental properties, combining the benefits of real estate investment with tax-deferred or tax-free growth potential.

Established Secondary Market Ark7’s secondary market through PPEX ATS has been operational since 2022, with 70% of properties actively trading. This established liquidity mechanism provides investors with a proven path to exit their investments after the 12-month holding period, unlike Realbricks’ planned but not yet launched secondary market.

Realbricks: Investment Approach and Offerings

Realbricks represents a conservative approach to fractional real estate investing, focusing exclusively on debt-free single-family rental properties in Omaha. The platform’s model eliminates leverage-related risks while providing stable rental income and potential appreciation.

Realbricks’ Core Investment Model

100% Debt-Free Properties Realbricks purchases all properties with cash, eliminating interest rate risk, foreclosure exposure, and monthly mortgage payments. This debt-free model provides maximum stability and ensures that all rental income flows directly to investors after property management expenses.

Omaha Market Focus Realbricks concentrates its portfolio in the Omaha, Nebraska market, which offers stable rental demand, moderate property values, and consistent appreciation potential. While this focused approach provides deep market expertise, it limits geographic diversification compared to Ark7’s multi-market strategy.

Quarterly Distributions Realbricks pays distributions quarterly rather than monthly, with recent performance showing 2-2.25% quarterly returns, putting the platform on pace for 8-9% annualized returns. This higher recent yield performance exceeds their conservative 6% annual estimate but comes with less frequent income events.

Realbricks’ Liquidity Approach

Faster Path to Secondary Market Realbricks emphasizes no personal lockup periods and is planning flexible liquidity options, with a 30-day path to liquidity post-funding compared to Ark7’s 12-month holding period. This shorter timeline could provide faster access to capital for investors, though the secondary market is not yet operational.

No Personal Lockup Periods Once properties are available on Realbricks’ secondary market, investors face no personal holding period requirements, allowing for immediate resale after the initial 30-day period. This flexibility contrasts with Ark7’s consistent 12-month minimum across all properties.

Concreit: Diversified Real Estate Investments for Steady Returns

Concreit takes a fund-based approach to fractional real estate investing, offering maximum liquidity and accessibility through a pooled investment structure. The platform focuses on real estate debt and income equity rather than direct property ownership.

Concreit’s Investment Structure

Pooled Fund Model Concreit operates as a single pooled fund (Concreit Fund I, LLC) that invests across multiple real estate debt and equity positions. This hands-off approach provides automatic diversification but eliminates individual property selection and control. Investors cannot choose specific assets or markets within their investment.

Ultra-Low Entry Point Concreit offers the lowest absolute minimum investment at just $1, making it the most accessible entry point for fractional real estate investing. However, this comes at the cost of individual property selection and transparency, as investors cannot see specific underlying assets.

Weekly Distributions Concreit pays distributions weekly, providing the most frequent income schedule among the three platforms. The current distribution rate stands at 6.5%, with automatic reinvestment options available for hands-off compounding.

Concreit’s Liquidity Advantage

Maximum Liquidity Concreit’s standout feature is its maximum liquidity, allowing investors to withdraw funds at any time without a holding period requirement. This flexibility is ideal for investors with uncertain timelines or emergency fund needs, though withdrawals within one year incur an interest reduction penalty.

No Property Selection Trade-off The liquidity advantage comes at the cost of individual property selection and control. Concreit’s pooled fund structure means investors cannot choose specific markets, property types, or individual assets, limiting their ability to customize their real estate exposure.

Comparing Investment Models: Fractional Ownership vs. Fund-Based

The fundamental difference between these platforms lies in their investment structure: direct property ownership versus pooled fund investment.

Direct Property Ownership (Ark7 and Realbricks)

Property-Specific Control Both Ark7 and Realbricks offer direct ownership in specific rental properties, allowing investors to select individual assets based on location, property type, yield potential, and other factors. This control enables strategic portfolio construction and customization based on personal investment criteria.

Transparency and Visibility Direct property ownership provides complete transparency into the underlying assets, including property details, tenant information, rental income, expenses, and performance metrics. Investors can monitor their specific properties and understand exactly what drives their returns.

Appreciation Potential Direct property ownership captures both rental income and property appreciation, providing dual return components. Historical property value gains contribute to total returns alongside monthly or quarterly distributions.

Pooled Fund Investment (Concreit)

Automatic Diversification Concreit’s pooled fund automatically diversifies across multiple real estate debt and equity positions, eliminating the need for individual asset selection. This hands-off approach simplifies the investment process but removes investor control over specific allocations.

Limited Asset Transparency The pooled fund structure provides fund-level reporting rather than property-specific details, limiting transparency into the underlying assets. Investors cannot see specific properties, markets, or individual performance metrics.

Income-Focused Returns Concreit’s model is primarily income-focused with limited appreciation component, as the fund invests in real estate debt instruments rather than direct property ownership. This provides steady income but potentially lower total returns compared to direct property appreciation.

Yields, Fees, and Returns: What to Expect from Each Platform

Understanding the complete cost structure and return potential is essential for evaluating these investment platforms.

Historical Performance Comparison

Ark7 Returns Ark7’s average dividend yield ranges from 3.96% to 4.36%. Some top-performing properties have achieved yields as high as 7.65%, demonstrating the potential for strong returns in select markets.

Realbricks publicly estimates a 6% annual dividend yield but has delivered stronger actual performance, with recent quarters showing 2-2.25% quarterly returns, putting the platform on pace for 8-9% annualized returns. This outperformance demonstrates the strength of their debt-free model and Omaha market selection.

Concreit Returns Concreit currently offers a 6.5% distribution rate with weekly payouts. The platform’s returns are primarily income-focused, with limited appreciation potential due to its debt instrument focus rather than direct property ownership.

Fee Structure Analysis

Ark7 Fee Structure

• One-time 3% sourcing fee
• Property management fees of 8-15% of gross rent (deducted before distribution)
• No annual AUM fees
• No secondary market trading fees

Realbricks Fee Structure

• No explicit investor fees (fees included in operational model)
• Property management included in structure
• $2.50 per order transaction fee on secondary market (once launched)

Concreit Fee Structure

• No investor acquisition fees
• 1% AUM fee (which equates to $5/month for accounts under $5,000)
• Interest reduction penalty for withdrawals within one year

Accessibility and Minimum Investment Requirements

The minimum investment requirements and investor eligibility criteria significantly impact platform accessibility.

Minimum Investment Comparison

Ark7: $20 Minimum for Property Selection Ark7’s $20 per share minimum represents the lowest barrier to entry for individual property selection in the fractional real estate space. This enables meaningful diversification across multiple specific properties with limited capital, making real estate investing accessible to a broader range of investors.

Realbricks: $100 Minimum Investment Realbricks requires a $100 minimum investment per property, which is higher than Ark7’s $20 threshold but still accessible for most investors. The higher minimum reflects their focus on debt-free properties and more conservative investment approach.

Concreit: $1 Absolute Minimum Concreit’s $1 minimum investment is the most accessible entry point overall, but this comes without individual property selection. Investors cannot choose specific assets or customize their real estate exposure with such a low minimum.

Investor Eligibility

All three platforms accept both accredited and non-accredited investors, making fractional real estate investing accessible to a wide range of individuals regardless of income or net worth requirements. This democratization of real estate investment aligns with the broader trend of making alternative investments available to retail investors.

IRA Investment Capabilities Ark7 explicitly supports self-directed IRA investing through Millennium Trust, allowing investors to use retirement funds for real estate investment. Neither Realbricks nor Concreit specifies IRA support in their public documentation, making Ark7 the clear choice for tax-advantaged real estate investing.

Liquidity and Secondary Markets: Selling Your Real Estate Shares

Liquidity considerations are crucial for real estate investors, as traditional property ownership typically involves illiquid, long-term commitments.

Secondary Market Comparison

Ark7: Established PPEX ATS Trading Ark7’s secondary market through PPEX ATS has been operational since 2022, with 70% of properties actively trading. The 12-month holding period ensures property stability and protects against short-term speculation, while the established trading platform provides proven liquidity mechanisms. However, sale is not guaranteed as it depends on buyer availability in the secondary market.

Realbricks: Planned Flexible Liquidity Options Realbricks emphasizes no personal lockup periods and is planning flexible liquidity options, with a 30-day path to liquidity post-funding. This shorter timeline could provide faster access to capital, but the market is not yet operational, making liquidity theoretical rather than proven.

Concreit: Anytime Withdrawal Concreit offers maximum liquidity with anytime withdrawal capability, though withdrawals within one year incur an interest reduction penalty. This flexibility is ideal for uncertain timelines but comes at the cost of individual property selection and control.

Liquidity Trade-offs

The liquidity options reflect fundamental trade-offs in real estate investing:

• Maximum liquidity (Concreit) requires giving up property selection control and accepting pooled fund limitations
• Property selection control (Ark7 and Realbricks) requires accepting longer holding periods and potential liquidity constraints
• Proven liquidity (Ark7) provides confidence through established trading history, while faster theoretical liquidity (Realbricks) offers potential advantages but lacks operational validation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum investment for Ark7 compared to Realbricks and Concreit?

Ark7 requires a $20 minimum investment per share for individual property selection, which is significantly lower than Realbricks’ $100 minimum while still maintaining property-specific control. Concreit offers a $1 minimum but operates as a pooled fund without individual property selection. Ark7’s $20 minimum represents the optimal balance between accessibility and control, enabling meaningful diversification across specific rental properties with limited capital.

How do returns differ between fractional ownership platforms like Ark7 and fund-based platforms?

Fractional ownership platforms like Ark7 provide both rental income and property appreciation potential, with returns ranging from 2.5% to 7.65% depending on the specific property. Fund-based platforms like Concreit focus primarily on income generation through real estate debt instruments, offering steady 6.5% returns but limited appreciation potential. Ark7’s direct property ownership model captures the full spectrum of real estate returns, including both monthly cash flow and long-term value appreciation.

Are there hidden fees when investing with Ark7, Realbricks, or Concreit?

Ark7 maintains a transparent fee structure with a one-time 3% sourcing fee and property management fees of 8-15% of gross rent (deducted before distribution), with no annual AUM fees or hidden charges. Realbricks includes fees within their operational model with no explicit investor charges. Concreit charges a 1% AUM fee (which equates to $5/month for accounts under $5,000). Ark7’s no hidden fees policy ensures complete transparency in cost structure, aligning with their commitment to operational transparency.

Can unaccredited investors participate in real estate crowdfunding through these platforms?

Yes, all three platforms—Ark7, Realbricks, and Concreit—accept both accredited and non-accredited investors, making fractional real estate investing accessible to a wide range of individuals regardless of income or net worth requirements. This democratization enables more investors to build wealth without traditional barriers to entry.

What are the liquidity options for investments made on Ark7?

Ark7 investments have a 12-month minimum holding period, after which shares can be listed on the PPEX ATS secondary market for potential resale. While the secondary market has been operational since 2022 with 70% of properties actively trading, sale is not guaranteed as it depends on buyer availability. This structure balances property stability with proven liquidity mechanisms, protecting against short-term speculation while providing a path to exit after the holding period.

Is investing in real estate crowdfunding considered ‘passive income’?

Yes, investing in real estate crowdfunding platforms like Ark7 generates passive income through monthly rental distributions without requiring active property management or landlord responsibilities. Ark7 handles all aspects of property operations including tenant screening, maintenance coordination, and rent collection, allowing investors to earn passive income. The monthly cash distributions provide consistent passive income streams while the underlying property ownership offers potential long-term appreciation.