This Startup Lets Millennials Shop Online for Investment Properties (2024)

In this article, read about:

  • Real Estate Investment Cloud

  • What Is PropTech

  • Why Millennials Are Investing in Rural Properties

Millennials represent the largest generation in the United States. Yet, when it comes to owning a home, they are far behind than their parents and even, grandparents. A study conducted by the Urban Institute shows that the homeownership rate among millennials, ages 25 to 34, is around 8 percentage points lower than it was for Gen Xers and baby boomers when they were in the same age group.

Though homeownership doesn't have to be a distant dream for America's poorest generation, thanks to companies like Roofstock. As a leading online marketplace, Roofstock enables users to buy and sell turnkey rental homes. They have hundreds of homes listed for sale, many of which are under $100,000. We even found one single-family rental for $38,000, earning $725 per month in rent.

The whole concept of buying rental properties gets enhanced further as the company places emphasis on inclusivity. Be it seasonal investors or people looking to "dip their toes" in investing, Roofstock offers low-cost entry into the traditionally-elite real estate market. In fact, according to Gary Beasley, CEO and cofounder of Roofstock: 75% of Roofstock users are first-time real estate investors, and more than half are under 35.

Real Estate Investment Cloud

"The idea of separating where you live and own has been happening for a while now. Since we've created the real estate investment cloud, you can plug into it and access opportunities across the country. The country is your oyster," says Beasley.

For most investors seeking to diversify their portfolio in the recessional market, single-family rental properties offer a strong alternative.

The widening wealth gap among the millennials is already a concerning issue as most struggle to pay their student debts, let alone think about buying a home. Though millennial investors need not deprive themselves of wealth-building real estate investment as companies like Roofstock are changing the whole investment approach. Fortunately, with SFRs, you no longer "buy" a house to live in, but invest in rent generating properties. It lets you grow your wealth and earn passively.

Using PropTech, Roofstock focuses on making the transition of buying and selling property as seamless as possible; not only for the investors but also for the tenants. That means no disruptions for tenants. With low-entry capital (20% down payment plus closing cost), millennial investors can partake in rent generating properties, ensuring regular cash flow as well as property appreciation over time.

Related: Why Single-Family Rentals Should Be Part of Your Portfolio

Prop-Tech: Evolving Tech in the Real Estate

Evolving investment technology has given mobility to the real estate market. Traditionally, the intimidating tasks of house hunting and scouring neighborhoods were enough to push the thought of investing in real estate on the back burner. Now, with a more data-backed investing process, real estate investing is as easy as "buying a pair of shoes."

Roofstock uses digital innovation to address the needs of the single-family rentals industry. Being PropTech-focused, it gives investors the convenience of selecting from a wide range of properties without ever having to visit them.

Detailed property photographs, inspection reports, valuation, neighborhood rating, and comparisons with similar homes—Roofstock lets the user choose properties from 70 US markets (including Atlanta, Memphis, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, and the greater Chicago area).

Related: Learn More About Long Distance Real Estate Investing

Mass Millennial Urban Exodus Through SFRs

This Startup Lets Millennials Shop Online for Investment Properties (2)

Investing in single-family rentals doesn't only mean investing and renting out the properties, but also comes with the additional possibility of a long-term commitment. It's becoming even more difficult for millennials to afford urban living as the cost of housing skyrockets. So, millennials chasing experiences and quality living, or FIRE (Financial Independence, Early Retirement) lifestyle are adopting the idea of investing in rural properties only to shift to remote working and rural living in the eventual future.

For these millennial investors, SFRs are the prudent, low-capital-entry investment vehicle that adds low-volatility and consistent cash flow to their portfolio. You can also leave the day-to-day operations of managing the rental to a professional property manager, since Roofstock has vetted several options for you in each market.

Sign up today to learn more about investing in single-family rentals with Roofstock!

The contents of this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. It's important to perform your own research and consider seeking advice from an independent financial professional before making any investment decisions.

We may earn a commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Newsweek AMPLIFY participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

This Startup Lets Millennials Shop Online for Investment Properties (2024)

FAQs

This Startup Lets Millennials Shop Online for Investment Properties? ›

Roofstock uses digital innovation to address the needs of the single-family rentals industry. Being PropTech-focused, it gives investors the convenience of selecting from a wide range of properties without ever having to visit them.

Do Millennials invest in real estate? ›

The fact is, 85 percent of millennials see real estate as a valuable asset– more than any other age group in the U.S. And while considerable student loan debt has delayed the path to homeownership for many, millennials now represent the largest share of home buyers of any generation.

How much can 100k buy in real estate? ›

Because down payment requirements may be higher for properties bought purely for investment, the same $100,000 may be able to purchase a home worth approximately $333,000 assuming a 30% down payment.

Is it really harder for millennials to buy a house? ›

Millennials have been hit hard financially, with more debt and a lower net worth than their parents had at the same life stage. Growing that wealth has been made more difficult due to the drop in housing supply over the last 15 years, which has pushed prices up and made it that much harder to get into the market.

Are millennials buying houses or renting? ›

As we continue to see, the current trend is in millennials renting over buying their home. The housing situation of millennials is trending drastically different from that of their predecessors. Millennials renting their homes is the trend that seems to be sticking.

Can I afford a 500k house on 100k salary? ›

To afford a $500,000 house, you need to make a minimum of $91,008 a year — and probably more to make sure you're not house-poor and can afford day-to-day expenses, maintenance and other debt, like student loans or car payments. One good guideline to follow is not to spend more than 28 percent of your income on housing.

How much house can I afford if I make $36,000 a year? ›

On a salary of $36,000 per year, you can afford a house priced around $100,000-$110,000 with a monthly payment of just over $1,000. This assumes you have no other debts you're paying off, but also that you haven't been able to save much for a down payment.

Can I buy a 300k house with 100k salary? ›

Using my rough estimates and plugging in the factors mentioned above, someone with a $100k salary should look for a home between $320,000 – $400,000. Bear in mind that in 2023's high-interest rate environment, $300k+ won't go as far as it would when interest rates were sub 4% back in 2022.

What are millennials investing in? ›

Gen Z and millennial investors emphasize value, growth, and large cap stocks. The most common types of stocks owned by Gen Z and millennials -- as well as older generations -- are growth stocks, value stocks, and large-cap stocks.

What age do most people start investing in real estate? ›

Real Estate Investor age breakdown
Real Estate Investor YearsPercentages
40+ years71%
30-40 years22%
20-30 years7%

What percentage of millennials buy houses? ›

Millennials in America have hit a significant milestone according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau: a homeownership rate of 51.5%.

What generation owns the most real estate? ›

This is in part because of a growing trend in which baby boomers, the generation that owns the largest share of American homes, are planning to stay put.

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