Roots
Roots operates a private Reg A+ REIT allowing individuals to invest in a pooled residential property portfolio starting at $100, with a trademarked rewards program letting renters invest alongside traditional investors. As of April 2026, the Atlanta-based platform serves 29,500+ investors across 563 properties.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Roots does
Roots operates a private Reg A+ Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) under the legal entity Roots Real Estate Investment Community I, LLC, a subsidiary of parent holding company Seed InvestCo, LLC. Founded in 2021 by Daniel Dorfman (CEO), Scott Jacobsen (COO), and Larry Dorfman, and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Roots allows individual investors to participate in a pooled portfolio of income-generating residential properties with a $100 minimum investment through its self-serve web and mobile platform (app.investwithroots.com). The platform integrates Plaid for bank connectivity and Dwolla for payment processing, offers quarterly distributions with optional reinvestment, and provides limited quarterly liquidity (up to 5% of fund or $100k per quarter) after a one-year holding period.
The company's flagship differentiator is the Live In It Like You Own It program, a trademarked rewards system that enables renters in Roots-managed properties to earn quarterly rewards for on-time rent, property care, and good-neighbor behavior, and to invest those rewards directly into the same Roots REIT alongside external investors, aligning renter and investor incentives. Roots operates 563 residential properties (698 doors) across Atlanta, Augusta, Nashville, and Oklahoma City with a reported 90% occupancy rate as of April 2026 and a Net Asset Value of $116,603,929, with 29,500+ investors and 17.17% average annual return since inception. Supporting products include Roots+ ($10/month premium membership with no transaction fees, investment bonuses, and masterclass access via Success Unlocked), Wealth Building Rewards ($10/month nationwide rent-reporting and education platform launched January 2026), and Roots Custodial Accounts (UTMA/UGMA) for minor investors.
Roots monetizes primarily through fund-level asset management economics on its REIT, per-transaction investment fees ($5 standard, $3 recurring), and recurring subscription revenue from Roots+ and Wealth Building Rewards. Distribution is conducted exclusively through Roots' own digital channels (direct-to-consumer self-serve platform, weekly Friday webinars, The Seed newsletter with 47,800+ subscribers, social media, and earned media across CNN, FOX, CNBC, Forbes, and Morning Brew), with no disclosed external funding rounds and growth capital sourced entirely from investor participation in the Reg A+ offering.
Roots firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Roots
- Legal name
- Roots Real Estate Investment Community I, LLC
- Website
- https://investwithroots.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Roots operates a private Reg A+ REIT allowing individuals to invest in a pooled residential property portfolio starting at $100, with a trademarked rewards program letting renters invest alongside traditional investors. As of April 2026, the Atlanta-based platform serves 29,500+ investors across 563 properties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Roots industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Lessors of Real Estate (5311)
- SIC
- Real Estate Investment Trusts (6798), Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532)
- akta.pro primary industry
- REITs & Listed Real Estate Securities (FSAAAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Real Estate Funds — Core (Stabilized, Income) (FSANAEAF), Core Real Estate (Stabilized/Core-Plus) (FSAAAKAA)
Keywords
Where Roots is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Roots business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- REIT Investment Returns: Roots operates as a private Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Revenue is generated through rental income from residential properties and property appreciation. The REIT is required to distribute at least 90% of profits to shareholders. Investors earn returns through quarterly cash distributions and property value appreciation.
- Transaction Fees: Standard investments incur a $5 transaction fee per investment and $3 for recurring investments. Roots+ membership ($10/month) offers no transaction fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Investment - $100 minimum with transaction fees |
| Subscription | Monthly | Roots+ Premium Membership - $10/month |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Liquidity Terms - Quarterly with caps |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Roots product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Roots operates a private Reg A+ Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that pools investor capital starting at $100 to acquire income-generating residential properties. Investors receive quarterly cash distributions from rental income plus property appreciation. The fund's differentiator is the Live In It Like You Own It program, which lets renters in Roots properties earn rewards that can be invested in the same REIT, aligning incentives between renters and outside investors.
Product overview
Roots is a real estate investment platform built around its core Roots REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust), a Reg A+ offering that allows anyone to invest in residential properties starting at $100. The platform's flagship differentiator is the Live In It Like You Own It® Program, which enables renters to earn rewards and invest alongside traditional investors. Supporting the core REIT are several modules: Roots+ premium subscription (no fees, masterclasses, enhanced referrals), Wealth Building Rewards ($10/month rent reporting and education), and Custodial Accounts for minor investors. Users access the platform via the Roots Investment Portal and mobile applications, which integrate Plaid for bank connectivity and Dwolla for payments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Roots REIT A private Reg A+ Real Estate Investment Trust that allows anyone to invest in a diversified portfolio of income-generating residential properties starting at $100. Investors receive quarterly cash distributions with reinvestment or cash-out options, quarterly liquidity after a 1-year hold, and a $5 transaction fee per investment. Both accredited and non-accredited US investors are eligible.
- Live In It Like You Own It Program A proprietary rewards program for renters in Roots-managed properties. Renters earn quarterly rewards for paying rent on time, maintaining their property, and being good neighbors. Rewards can be invested in the same Roots REIT that outside investors buy into, allowing renters to build equity while renting.
- Roots+ Premium Membership A premium membership priced at $10/month that provides Roots REIT investors with no transaction fees, a $25 investment bonus, exclusive access to wealth-building masterclasses through Success Unlocked, and an increased $75 referral bonus on referrals.
- Wealth Building Rewards Platform A $10/month nationwide subscription platform launched January 2026 offering Investable Rewards, automated rent reporting to credit bureaus to help renters improve their credit scores, and financial education tools designed to help renters build wealth.
- Roots Custodial Account A UTMA/UGMA custodial investment account that allows parents, grandparents, or guardians to invest on behalf of minors in the Roots REIT with a $100 minimum. Provides control over taxation and wealth transfer for the benefit of the minor.
Quantifiable outcome
- 17.17% average annual return since inception (July 2021 - April 2026)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Roots
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Roots technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability2 records
Feature1 record
Roots partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Success UnlockedminorRoots partnered with Success Unlocked to provide Roots+ members with exclusive access to wealth-building masterclasses. Success Unlocked curates insights from real leaders on money, mindset, and building wealth. This partnership enhances Roots+' educational content offerings.
- PlaidcoreRoots uses Plaid Technologies, Inc. to facilitate automatic connection with users' bank accounts for transaction data and to prevent overdrafts and detect fraud. Plaid is a core financial technology integration for the investment platform.
- DwollacoreDwolla, Inc. provides payment functionality for the Roots platform. Users must open a Dwolla Account to use payment features. Funds are held or transferred by Dwolla's financial institution partners. Core payment infrastructure partner.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Roots competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Arrived Homes: Direct competitor offering single-family rental REITs with low minimums to retail investors. Roots explicitly compares itself to Arrived in marketing materials and targets the same accredited/non-accredited retail investor segment.
- Fundrise: Largest retail-facing private real estate platform offering eREITs and private funds across multiple asset classes with low minimums. Roots names Fundrise as a direct comparable in its own blog content, competing for the same retail real estate dollar.
- Groundfloor: Retail-accessible real estate platform offering debt and equity investments in residential projects. Roots explicitly compares itself to Groundfloor and competes for non-accredited investors seeking alternative real estate exposure.
- Streitwise: Private non-traded REIT targeting retail investors with low minimums and quarterly dividends, focused primarily on commercial real estate. Operates a similar Reg A+ private REIT model to Roots.
- RealtyMogul: Online platform offering private REITs and individual deal investing to retail and accredited investors. Competes with Roots across the democratized private real estate space.
- DiversyFund: Multi-asset private REIT and growth fund platform offering low-minimum access to commercial and residential real estate. Competes for non-accredited retail real estate investors.
- EquityMultiple: Real estate investment platform focused on commercial deals for accredited investors with low minimums. A comparable democratized private real estate platform competing for the same investor audience.
- Cadre: Tech-enabled commercial real estate investment platform serving accredited investors and institutional partners. Comparable in democratizing real estate investing through a digital platform, though focused on commercial rather than residential.
Broad incumbents
- Yieldstreet: Larger alternative investments platform offering real estate, art, marine finance, and other private market products to retail investors. Broader scope than Roots but overlapping on the real estate offering.
- Roofstock: Marketplace for buying and selling single-family rental properties with adjacent investment offerings. While focused on individual property transactions, it overlaps Roots' residential rental focus and investor base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Roots social profiles
Digital presenceRoots financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Roots leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Roots funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Roots M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Roots
What does Roots do?
Roots operates a private Reg A+ Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that pools investor capital starting at $100 to acquire income-generating residential properties. Investors receive quarterly cash distributions from rental income plus property appreciation. The fund's differentiator is the Live In It Like You Own It program, which lets renters in Roots properties earn rewards that can be invested in the same REIT, aligning incentives between renters and outside investors.
Is Roots a public or private company?
Roots is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Roots founded?
Roots was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Roots based?
Roots is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Roots make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. REIT Investment Returns are the primary driver. The others are transaction Fees.
Who are Roots's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Arrived Homes, Fundrise, Groundfloor, Streitwise, RealtyMogul, DiversyFund, EquityMultiple and Cadre. Broad incumbents are Yieldstreet and Roofstock.
Does Roots have an API?
No public API is recorded for Roots.
What industry is Roots in?
Roots's product category is Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAKAD, REITs & Listed Real Estate Securities, with a secondary code of FSANAEAF, Real Estate Funds — Core (Stabilized, Income). Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6798.