There is always talk about the damaging effects of technology. And it’s no wonder, when prominent philosophers have continuously harped on how “technology suffocates human existence”. The great existentialist Karl Jaspers even went so far as to call it a kind of “demonism” which transformed human society into “mass rule”.
Whatever the case may ultimately be, this dogmatic attitude takes things too far. Technology has undoubtedly come to play a role in virtually every part of human life, and sometimes for the better. Let’s just think about accessibility: personal computers and the internet have really opened the doors to a wealth of information and possibilities before undreamt of.
This democratization has been felt in the stock trade sector. With a slew of robo-advisors and automated stock advisors on the market, the average joe can now succeed where before they needed a high-priced brokerage firm behind them. This is just one of the many ways in which technology has actually given us greater agency.
But there is an often forgotten, untapped side to real estate investment: farmland. We don’t often think of agricultural space as a potential gold mine, but it has great potential for growth in the coming years. Still, how does one even get started?
A platform like AcreTrader makes it all pretty easy, as long as you have the requisite sum to put down on the table. Founded in 2018 by investment honcho Carter Malloy, the company has seen steady growth and increasing popularity. As of today, they employ 15 highly trained individuals and have raised more than $5 million dollars.
How does it all work? Sort of like your run-of-the-mill investing platform, such as Betterment, SoFi, or Vanguard. If you are familiar with these sorts of things, you won’t find AcreTrader unusual at all.
This is the kind of real estate investing that most people have yet to dream of. In fact, AcreTrader purports annual appreciation rates of 7-9% across the board. Modest Money’s AcreTrader review writes glowingly of its potential, highlighting the reasons as to why it may just be the next big thing.
Let’s take a closer look at some of this novel platform’s features.
Key Features of AcreTrader
- Ease of Use: AcreTrader is oft praised for its sleek, user-friendly interface. This allows newbies to get a grip on this new world of investing opportunities; what’s more, its simple to get started: once you’ve set up a user account and linked it to an existing bank account, you can get started. There are not a lot of investing options, as opposed to regular stock trade platforms, which can often dazzle the beginner; no, with AcreTrader everything is crystal-clear from the get-go.
- Information and Knowledge: We’ve found that one of the neatest things about AcreTrader is how they provide a brief description of every “farmstead” available for investment. This gives you a sense of knowing the land, and of having some stack in the fortunes of real laboring individuals.
- Investment Thresholds: $10,000 is the minimum amount one can invest on AcreTrader, and investors are required to purchase at least one acre of land. This may seem extravagant, but it’s really not: this is the real deal we are talking about, a finite, limited resource; a slice of Mother Earth. And it must be noted that because of this “one acre rule”, initial investments may actually entail upwards of $25,000 or more.
- Accredited Investors Only: As of now, AcreTrader is only open to accredited investors. Such an investor is endowed with a special “status” under financial regulation laws. This means that most of us are not able to partake in AcreTrader, though they do plan on opening it up to us non-accredited types in the very near future.
Is AcreTrader Legit?
With such a short track-record, this is a question a lot of us are asking. And since they require such a hefty initial investment, it’s naturally a legitimate one. But many signs point to AcreTrader being a stalwart in the industry for years to come. All funds in escrow go through a member of the SIPC and FINRA, a bulletproof combo if there is one.
What’s more, AcreTrader holds a solid ‘A’ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and with Carter Mallory as its largest shareholder, the future looks bright and steady for this enterprise.
The Bottom Line – Should I Take the Plunge?
Real estate investing is a great alternative to general stock investing, and can be more rewarding. With that said, it is somewhat difficult to recommend AcreTrader to true beginners.
If you are a veteran of the investment world and are on the look-out for some new flavor or eccentric enterprise, AcreTrader is undoubtedly worth the look – especially when it opens for unaccredited traders. If you don’t find the initial investment amounts daunting, there is real room for growth in this overlooked sector.
And don’t forget its novelty: involving yourself with something like farmland investment can offer up real fruit for all that watercooler talk. It’s eccentric, in a good way.
Essentially, AcreTrader is an intuitive, legit, and safe platform for those looking for something a little different. Invest in the American heartland, help farmers do the essential work that has been the backbone of this country for time immemorial. Be daring, take a leap: you may simultaneously fill wallet, heart, and soul.
