Female Real Estate Investors Prove to be a Rising Tide

In the traditionally male-dominated world of real estate investment, our Atlanta-based startup, Roots, is seeing a steady growth in female investors; commanding 38% of investors. Considering that women couldn’t secure a mortgage without a husband or male co-signer until 1974, this is a big deal and we hope to see more women investors join in to reshape the real estate investment landscape. 

Roots co-founder, Daniel Dorfman entered the real estate investment market through his wife, Rosanne who was among the 68% of realtors who are women. The couple intended to start a business to flip properties, but realized long term investment made more sense. From his initial investment, Daniel could see generations of people being sidelined because of barriers to entry in real estate investment.

“I was meeting our neighbors who had to sell family homes they inherited because they couldn’t afford to pay the taxes,” said Dorfman. “The status quo was basically breaking the chain of generational wealth, and that just didn’t seem right.”

By enabling access to investing, Roots is lifting at least some of the barriers to women. In addition to providing access to investment, we also help residents with financial education so they can make smart saving and spending decisions with the money they earn from the fund.

By paving the way for easier access and education, we see a significant shift. Nearly 60% of resident investors are women.

Our traditional female investors and our female resident investors have the financial acumen, strategic foresight, and a keen eye for opportunities. 

Anyone, including non-accredited investors, can invest as little as $100 and as much as $3 million in the Roots REIT with only a $5 transaction fee to get started and quarterly distribution of profits. We partner with our residents to upkeep their homes and build wealth. Roots residents earn quarterly rebates to invest into the fund by taking care of their property, paying rent on time, and being a good neighbor.

It’s something that attracted me to Roots. The opportunity to be a part of one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in Atlanta with a mission to help one million renters build wealth is something I hope I pass along to my daughters and generations of women to come.

Studies indicate that women tend to take a more cautious and thorough approach when evaluating investment opportunities. Women tend to prioritize long-term stability and sustainability, focusing on investments with potential for growth and resilience in fluctuating markets. 

Beyond financial gains, women bring a fresh perspective to real estate investment; prioritizing community impact, sustainable development, and ethical business practices, contributing to the overall social responsibility of the industry.  Being composed of affordable workforce housing assets, Roots helps bridge the housing and wealth gap.

With a growing involvement in the industry, women are rewriting the narrative of who belongs at the decision-making table. While the journey towards gender parity in real estate investment is far from over, we see this new era of female real estate investors being about impact, strong returns, empowerment, and the evolution of an industry towards greater diversity and inclusivity.

By Jori Mendel