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Modiv allows you to invest in its real estate portfolios with an investment of $1000 through its own online platform. Because it trades privately, Modiv does not suffer the fees that publicly traded companies must pay. That’s a plus point, though lack of liquidity is a disadvantage for shareholders.
Pros
Start investing with $1000Get access to commercial real estate investmentsAll profits after 6.5% are split 40% to Modiv and 60% to you.Open to non-accredited investors
Cons
Long term investment – 4 to 7 yearsLack of diversification – only REIT
Jump to: Full Review
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What Does Modiv Invest In?
Modiv (previous Rich Uncles) was founded in 2012 by Ray Wirta and Harold Hofer. As a former chairman of CBRE Group, the world’s largest real estate services and investment firm, Wirta knows a thing or two about real estate. So does Hofer, who has participated in real estate transactions valued in excess of $2 billion as both a principal and a broker in his 35-year real estate career.
Modiv offers two funds: The National Real Estate Investment Trust (or REIT) and The Student Housing REIT.
The National REIT
The focus in this REIT is to acquire and hold commercial properties located in primary, secondary and certain tertiary markets. They are leased to tenants with strong finances, and on a ‘triple net’ basis – the tenant is responsible for paying taxes, insurance and maintenance. Leases are long term with defined rental increases. Minimum investment is $1000.
The Student Housing REIT
The Student Housing REIT focuses on properties that have been built as student accommodation. All are within one mile of an NCAA Division 1 university that has at least 15,000 students enrolled. They have at least 150 beds and a 90% occupancy rate.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Modiv
Before deciding to invest, it’s wise to understand the advantages and disadvantages of investing in Modiv.
Advantages
No traditional REIT expenses – Modiv does not suffer from the fees typically paid by traditional REITs.
Monthly dividend – Modiv pays its dividends monthly, and you choose whether to receive those dividends or reinvest to benefit from the power of compounding returns.
Modiv only makes money if you make money – One of our favorite features. Only if the company makes enough money to pay investors does it make money.
A passive real estate investment – Modiv makes all the business decisions and does all the work, while you sit back and bag your dividends.
Risk reduced by equity – In The National REIT, properties are acquired with 50% equity, providing a cushion against a falling real estate market.
Disadvantages
Minimum investment – The minimum investment is $1000
Liquidity – With no secondary market for trading, you are reliant on the company agreeing to a share purchase request. That could be tricky if many investors want to withdraw at the same time.
Monthly dividends are not guaranteed – If tenants don’t pay their rent, there will be no income to distribute.
The payment structure of Modiv – It’s great that Modiv doesn’t make money unless investors make money, but the payment structure after this gives Modiv a big chunk of the potential payout – a massive 40% of the first 6.5% of profits.
Lack of diversification – Although you are investing in a portfolio that is diversified in its class, you suffer from lack of diversification in two ways:
You are restricted to real estate of one type (e.g. commercial property or student housing)
You are investing in a single company, with all the risks of doing so – if it goes bust, you lose all your money
Alternatives to Modiv
There are several other private companies that are direct competitors to Modiv. These include:
RealtyMogul – A crowdfunding platform enabling investors to invest in its private REITs. Minimum investment is $1,000, and it only accepts accredited investors – you must be a sophisticated investor with a net worth of at least $1 million or an annual income of at least $200,000.
Patch of Land – With a minimum investment of $1,000, Patch of Land allows investors to improve their security of investment by investing in short-term debt instruments. Should a company go bust, you’ll be first in line for any payout. Patch of Land takes between 1% and 2% of any distributions made to its investors. As with RealtyMogul, you will need to be an accredited investor to invest.
Other Sites Like Modiv
Modiv Review – Our Conclusion
Personal Capital Summary
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There are many advantages of investing in Modiv – a low financial commitment in a passive investing structure that offers the potential for high returns is an attractive proposition. The fact that the company makes no money unless you are making money is a philosophy with which we agree.
However, before investing in Modiv, you must weigh up the risks of doing so. We think that these tip the scales against investing in Modiv:
You will be investing in a single company, with all the associated risks of doing so
You will be investing in a single real estate sector
Modiv does not have a long history of successful trading (even though its founders do have)
The lack of liquidity means you may not be able to liquidate your investment when needed
One of the primary keys to successful investment is to maintain a diversified portfolio. If you wish to invest in real estate via REITs, a better way to do so would be to invest in a REIT ETF. This will provide greater diversification (because it invests in many REITs within a real estate sector) and better liquidity because it is tradable on the stock market.
For the greatest diversification in this risk category, you should consider investing in a fund that provides full exposure to the stock market – such as an S&P 500 ETF (which also includes some REIT stocks) – and includes other asset classes like bonds and cash in your portfolio.
There are many platforms that can help you get started in investing in a diversified portfolio that considers your financial goals and risk tolerance, such as Personal Capital, which uses ETFs to maximize your investment potential while minimizing your risk by steering clear of risky, single stock investing.
Modiv FAQ
What Is Modiv?
The pair wanted to bring real estate investing to the general public and founded Modiv to do so. Instead of being listed on the stock exchange, Modiv is a private company marketing directly to the public.
Modiv allows you to invest in its real estate portfolios with an investment of $1000 through its own online platform.
Because it trades privately, Modiv does not suffer the fees that publicly traded companies must pay. That’s a plus point, though lack of liquidity is a disadvantage for shareholders.