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Independent Analysis on Real Estate, Alternative Investments, and the Macro Picture
This section shows the latest news and analysis from a sophisticated investor's perspective — written by Ian Ippolito, an investor and serial entrepreneur who has been covering real estate crowdfunding and alternative investments since 2017.
Coverage spans deal-by-deal portfolio disclosure, tax strategy, the macro and AI-era investing picture, and accredited investor and qualified-purchaser-level access to private funds.
No sponsor money accepted, by binding policy — every item here is from the perspective of what an independent investor would actually do, not what an affiliate site is paid to suggest.
New Low-Cost Way to Access Top-Ranked Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT)
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics BREIT is by far the largest and one of the best diversified core+ strategy funds (which along with core has historically outperformed all other strategies). But accessing it cheaply has been impossible for most investors. Until now. (Usual disclaimer: I'm just an investor and not a financial advisor, attorney or accountant. Consult your own financial professional before making any financial decisions). Blackstone
Ian Ippolito
Apr 14, 20183 min read
New "Code of Ethics" for the Site and Investment Club
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Many financial sites and investment clubs suffer from significant conflicts of interest that compromise their neutrality, integrity and usefulness. Today, I'm legally binding myself to a code that formalizes what I've done to make this site and club very different. (Usual disclaimer: I'm just an investor and not a financial advisor, attorney or accountant. Consult your own financial professional before making any
Ian Ippolito
Apr 7, 20184 min read
New Study Incidentally Reveals Secrets to Real Estate Success: Long-Term Holds and Timing
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics However, its main conclusion (that apartments walloped other commercial real estate classes) is questionable, and marred with a significant oversight. (Usual disclaimer: I'm just an investor and not a financial advisor or attorney. Consult your own financial professional before making any financial decisions). A new study was just released by a pair of researchers through the NMHC (National Multi Family Housing
Ian Ippolito
Mar 28, 20183 min read
A Peek Inside My 7-Figure Real Estate Portfolio: 2018 Q1/Q2 Update
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics A profitable exit on a risky investment (finally!), a dump of (awful) Lending Club loans, and a new long-term hold to avoid taxes indefinitely (with "defer, defer and die"). Note: this is an older version of this article series and there is another, newer update now available. Click here to view the master index which contains a link to the latest and greatest update (as well as all of the older updates). (Usual
Ian Ippolito
Mar 7, 20186 min read
Retail Armageddon Hits High-end Malls and Some Grocery-Anchored Strip Malls May Be Next
"It's the End of the Mall As We Know It..."
2017 set all sorts of terrible records for retail. Decades of overbuilding and gr
Ian Ippolito
Feb 28, 20184 min read
Self Storage, Senior Housing Drop to Lowest Levels Since 2014
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Self storage occupancy suddenly falls to lowest since 2014. Senior housing has been dropping for 2 years. As more building continues, no signs of changes in sight for either. (Disclaimer: I'm not a financial advisor, accountant or attorney. Consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.) "What could possibly go wrong?" The pitch-deck for that shiny new self-stor
Ian Ippolito
Feb 20, 20183 min read
How to Invest in Real Estate Without Paying a Penny of Tax (Legally): Part 2: "Defer, Defer and Die"
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics You can pay $0 in tax by pairing depreciation with a technique humorously called "defer, defer and die". Also, the new tax law opens up additional options... (Disclaimer: I'm not an accountant, attorney, nor your financial advisor. Always consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any tax, financial or legal decisions. Code of ethics: We do not receive any money from any sponsor or platform for
Ian Ippolito
Feb 12, 201810 min read
How to Invest in Real Estate w/o Paying a Penny of Tax: Part 1 Why IRAs + 401k's don't cut it
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics You can pay $0 in tax. IRA's/Solo 401k's are okay but won't get you the whole way there, due to limited tax sheltering and/or significant limitations. (Disclaimer: I'm not an accountant, financial advisor or attorney. Always consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any tax, financial or legal decisions. Code of ethics: We do not receive any money from any sponsor or platform for anything inc
Ian Ippolito
Feb 12, 20186 min read
Investor Club Exclusive: First Shot at Upcoming Off-Platform Deal from Popular All-Star Sponsor
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Rare sponsor with multiple-cycle experience and has never lost investor money. B-/C+ multi family value-added strategy with long-term holds, conservative leverage, considerable skin in the game, and concentrating in supply constrained areas. (Disclaimer: I'm not a financial advisor or attorney. Consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.) As most of you know, I
Ian Ippolito
Jan 29, 20182 min read
Rich Uncles' auditor charged with accounting fraud by SEC
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics This, on top of SEC investigation for marketing fraud, adds to embattled platform's woes. Now, a new Wall Street Journal article alleges Rich Uncles REIT's cash flow was plumped up after recent accounting change. (Disclaimer: I'm not a financial advisor or attorney. Consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.) The auditor of Rich Uncles, Anton & Chia, has bee
Ian Ippolito
Jan 29, 20182 min read
Beware of Sponsor Promises of a "Demographic Tailwind"
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics A dry real-estate study contains a hidden bombshell: One of the most popular ways investors pick "the best" investment is usually completely wrong. (Disclaimer: I'm not a financial advisor or attorney. Consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.) Paul Kaseburg, the author of "Investing in Real Estate Private Equity" has sat on both sides of the table on over $
Ian Ippolito
Jan 24, 20183 min read
Groundbreaking New Study (called "The Rate of Return of Everything") Finds Long-term Returns of Real Estate Walloped Bonds and Treasuries...and did About the Same as Stocks.
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics A new study of all major asset classes (going back to the 19th century) finds that long run returns from un-leveraged residential real estate have trounced bonds and treasuries, and were about the same as stocks. And this didn't include the after-tax benefits of real-estate (which are substantial versus equities). Data-driven investors may be adopting a tectonic shift in strategy. Original post: January 9, 2019. Up
Ian Ippolito
Jan 9, 20187 min read
How Mere Accredited Investors Can Access Elusive Core Real Estate
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Core has outperformed other strategies over the long run, yet is glaringly absent from the crowdfunding platforms. The Private Investor Club fund-of-funds will change that. (Disclaimer: I'm not a financial advisor or attorney. Consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.) Elusive core investments Core investments are highly recommended by real estate investment
Ian Ippolito
Jan 1, 20182 min read
How Will the New Tax Law Affect My Real Estate Investments?
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Sweeping changes will create some big winners, big losers and mixed results for others. Understand what's coming so you can strategize for 2018. (Disclaimer: I'm an investor and not an accountant, a financial advisor or attorney. Consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.) (Update: December 28, 2017. Some financial advisors (and the financial press) have been
Ian Ippolito
Dec 23, 20177 min read
Best Core and Core Plus Investments of 2017-2018
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics The best of this almost impossible-to-find, but highly recommended and historically high-performing strategy. (Disclaimer: I'm an investor and not a financial advisor or attorney. Consult your own financial and/or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.) IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATE: this info was posted before anyone knew we would be facing a global pandemic in the spring of 2020. So it may
Ian Ippolito
Dec 20, 20172 min read
SEC Fires Warning Shot at Bitcoin ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings)
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Unregistered investments put on notice that they're breaking the law, and can expect vigorous policing and enforcement 2018-02-01: Cyber currency exchange Bitfenex is accused of artificially propping up the price of bitcoin. It was first subpoenaed by US commodities regulator, and then fired the auditor it had originally hired to exonerate it. "There is a problem here," said Jill Carlson, a former trader at Goldm
Ian Ippolito
Dec 17, 20176 min read
All-Star Real Estate Crowdfunding Fund Managers 2017-2018
3 rare diamonds in the rough: sponsors who went through the last recession and never lost investor money. Real estate investment author,...
Ian Ippolito
Dec 8, 20171 min read
Comprehensive Guide to Hard Money Loan Investing Part 4: Top 19 Hard Money Loan Funds 2024
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics We found not just 1 but 19 needles in the haystack (in this difficult to find asset-class). Then we gathered 25+ data points on each one (to let you quickly compare and contrast). (Usual disclaimer: I'm just an investor expressing my personal opinion and am not an attorney, accountant nor your financial advisor. Consult your own financial professionals before making any financial decisions. Code of Ethics: To remove
Ian Ippolito
Nov 30, 20173 min read
Newcomer Zeus Crowdfunding Zooms to #7 in the Rankings
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Platform has industry-leading volume and unique features. (Usual warning: I'm just an investor and not an accountant, financial advisor, tax advisor or attorney. This is my opinion only, and you should consult your own financial and legal professionals before taking any action on this or other financial matters.) Hard money loan platform Zeus Crowdfunding debuts at a strong #7 in the rankings, with one of the hi
Ian Ippolito
Nov 28, 20171 min read
Investor-only Club Launched on The RECF Review
By Ian Ippolito · Last updated May 26, 2026 · Code of Ethics Membership is free and includes member-only analysis, articles, investment minimum discounts, and due diligence exchange. (Usual warning: I'm just an investor and not an accountant, financial advisor, tax advisor or attorney. This is my opinion only, and you should consult your own financial and legal professionals before taking any action on this or other financial matters.) I'm excited to announce that The Real
Ian Ippolito
Nov 5, 20171 min read
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