New offering: Devon on Northgate — Multifamily, Dallas, MSA. Now accepting commitments. View Marketplace →

Real Estate

Real Estate Credit Investing

Real estate credit investing lets you be the lender, not the owner. Fractional participations in institutional commercial real estate loans — senior and structured debt secured by hard, income-producing collateral. Minimums from $5,000 — start small and diversify across deals at your own pace.

Get started How it works

$5.5B+

Real estate transacted by our team

Senior

Secured position in the capital stack

$5K

Accredited investor minimum

Full life

Servicing and reporting handled

The asset class

Lending against property, not owning it

Real estate credit is lending against property. Crowdlender sources institutional-grade commercial real estate loans — multifamily and other income-producing assets — and offers accredited investors fractional participations in the debt. Returns come from contractual interest, secured by the underlying real estate.

Debt sits ahead of equity. As a lender, you are paid before the sponsor's equity sees a dollar, and your position is secured by the asset itself — a defined claim with a defined position in the capital stack.

A commercial property with a lien marker, representing real estate credit secured by hard, income-producing collateral

How it works

From an institutional loan to a position you hold

Each loan is originated by an institution, independently vetted, and offered to verified accredited investors as a fractional participation. Crowdlender services it through repayment.

See the full process
  1. 01

    Institutional origination

    A commercial real estate loan is originated against an income-producing property by an institutional lender.

  2. 02

    Independent vetting

    We review the asset, the sponsor, the collateral, and the loan terms before any participation reaches the platform.

  3. 03

    Fractional participation

    You take a pro-rata participation in the loan, secured by the property and senior to equity, from a $5,000 minimum.

  4. 04

    Earn and get repaid

    Receive interest on the loan's schedule. At maturity, your principal returns pro rata. We service it throughout.

Why real estate credit

The case for real estate credit investing

Real estate credit is repaid ahead of equity and secured by the property itself. That position shapes the risk and return profile.

Where real estate credit sits: common and preferred equity on top, senior debt at the base where Crowdlender participations sit, repaid before equity and secured by the property

Collateral protection

Your position is secured by hard, income-producing real estate — a claim on the asset, not just a promise.

Paid before equity

As a lender, you are repaid before the sponsor's equity holders — a defined, contractual claim.

Predictable income

Returns come from contractual interest on a stated schedule, rather than uncertain appreciation.

Defined duration

Each loan carries a stated term, disclosed on every offering, so you know the expected horizon up front.

Institutional sourcing

Loans are originated and underwritten by institutions with their own capital and reputation at stake.

Fully serviced

Crowdlender manages servicing, distributions, and reporting for the full life of every participation you hold.

Equity, the exception

Senior debt, with equity as the exception

On select transactions, Crowdlender also offers equity participations alongside the debt. These are clearly marked on each offering. The platform default is secured credit; equity is the exception, available on specific deals to qualified, accredited investors. Each offering states its structure, term, and collateral plainly so you can price the risk yourself.

Trust deeds

Trust deed investments

A trust deed investment is a real estate loan secured by a recorded deed of trust on the underlying property. You lend to a real estate borrower, and the deed of trust records your secured claim against the asset as collateral. Crowdlender offers trust deed participations as a form of real estate credit — conservatively underwritten, first-lien where noted, and clearly marked on every offering.

  • First-lien, senior position — repaid before junior lenders and equity.
  • Secured by a recorded deed of trust on the underlying real property.
  • Conservative loan-to-value — typically 65% or less, leaving an equity cushion.
  • Shorter terms — often six months to three years — with interest paid on a set schedule.
  • The deed of trust, term, and loan-to-value are disclosed on each offering up front.

Like all Crowdlender offerings, trust deed participations are made under Reg D 506(c) to verified accredited investors and are speculative and illiquid. Collateral reduces but does not eliminate risk — property values can fall and recovery is not guaranteed. Review each offering's private placement memorandum in full before investing.

View Our Track Record

Closed Real Estate Transactions

View all →

Understand the risk

What to weigh before you invest

Real estate credit carries real risk. These investments are speculative and illiquid, and you could lose some or all of your principal. Collateral reduces but does not eliminate risk — property values can fall, borrowers can default, and recovery on collateral is not guaranteed.

  • Illiquid: capital is committed for the stated term, with limited or no early exit.
  • Speculative: loss of some or all principal is possible; collateral does not guarantee recovery.
  • Accredited only: offerings are made under Reg D 506(c) to verified accredited investors.
  • Review the offering: each loan's private placement memorandum governs in full.

Any target returns or projections are hypothetical, not guaranteed, and subject to change. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Review each offering's private placement memorandum in full and consult your own financial, legal, and tax advisors before investing.

Ready to review live offerings?

Verify your accredited status once, then browse and participate in real estate credit offerings inside the platform.

Get started How it works

Build your private credit portfolio, one participation at a time.

Open a Crowdlender account in minutes. Passive income — institutional-grade private credit — no surprises.

Open an account Browse marketplace