Cottonwood Communities

What Cottonwood Communities does

Cottonwood Communities, Inc. (CWREIT) is a publicly registered, non-traded, NAV-based perpetual life real estate investment trust that owns a diversified portfolio of multifamily apartment communities and multifamily real estate-related assets across the United States. The company was launched as a REIT in 2018, with predecessor entities dating to 2004, and is sponsored by Cottonwood Communities Advisors, LLC, controlled by founders Daniel Shaeffer, Chad Christensen, and Gregg Christensen. As of March 2026, the portfolio comprised 47 properties with $2.6B in gross asset value and 91.4% occupancy, materially expanded by the December 2025 acquisition of a 3,576-unit RealSource portfolio for $500 million. Core investment strategies include operating multifamily properties, real estate-related investments (preferred equity, mezzanine, B-note loans), and ground-up development.

The company generates revenue primarily through rental income from operating multifamily properties, supplemented by returns from real estate-related debt and equity investments, capital appreciation, and equity raised through a continuous public offering of up to $750 million in common stock across four share classes (T, D, I, A). Distribution rates range from 5.14% to 5.99% depending on share class, with ITD average annualized returns ranging from negative 8.2% (Class D) to positive 7.0% (Class A). The sponsor operates a fully integrated platform covering acquisitions, asset management, capital markets, and property operations, supported by an executive team with over 200 years of combined industry experience.

Distribution is executed through Orchard Securities, LLC, a FINRA/SIPC member broker-dealer, targeting individual investors meeting minimum suitability standards and financial advisors seeking non-traded REIT allocations. The company maintains a share repurchase program and distribution reinvestment plan for liquidity and reinvestment flexibility, and files 10-K and 10-Q reports with the SEC. Operations span Western, Southeastern, Southwestern, Northeastern, and Mountain West US regions, with the Salt Lake City headquarters serving as the sponsor base.

Name

Cottonwood Communities

Legal name

Cottonwood Communities, Inc.

Website

https://cottonwoodcommunities.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Cottonwood Communities is a publicly registered, non-traded, NAV-based perpetual life REIT that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of 47 US multifamily apartment communities with $2.6B in gross asset value, raising capital through multiple share classes distributed via Orchard Securities to individual and advisor-led investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multifamily Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

NAICS

Rental and Leasing Services (532), Real Estate Credit (522292), Residential Property Managers (531311), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Real Estate Investment Trusts (6798), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Investment Property Brokerage (SFR/Small Multifamily) (BPAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Balance-Sheet / Portfolio CRE Lending (FSALADAG), Real Estate Capital Markets Advisory (Debt/Equity Placement, Refinancing) (BPAJANAE)

Keywords

• Multifamily real estate
• Non-traded REIT
• Property management
• Real estate investment trust
• Asset management

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Multifamily Property Operations: Income generated from operating multifamily apartment communities including rental income from tenants
2. Real Estate-Related Investments: Returns from preferred equity, mezzanine loans, and B-note loans investments
3. Share Offering Proceeds: Capital raised through continuous offering of up to $750 million in shares of common stock across multiple share classes
4. Capital Appreciation: Realization of capital appreciation in the value of real estate investments over the long term

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cottonwood Communities, Inc. (CWREIT) is a publicly registered, non-traded, NAV-based perpetual life real estate investment trust that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of multifamily apartment communities and multifamily real estate-related assets across the United States. The company raises capital through a continuous public offering of common stock across multiple share classes (T, D, I, A) and deploys it into operating properties, real estate-related investments such as preferred equity and mezzanine loans, and ground-up development. As of March 31, 2026, the REIT held 47 properties with $2.6B in gross asset value and 91.4% portfolio occupancy.

Product overview

Cottonwood Communities, Inc. (CWREIT) is a publicly registered, non-traded, NAV-based perpetual life REIT that offers multiple share classes (Class T, D, I, and A) of common stock to investors. The company operates three core investment strategies: operating multifamily properties (high-quality, income-producing apartment communities), real estate-related investments (preferred equity, mezzanine loans, B-note loans), and ground-up real estate development. The portfolio spans 47 properties with $2.6B in gross asset value and 91.4% occupancy as of March 31, 2026. Additional shareholder services include a Share Repurchase Program and Distribution Reinvestment Plan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CWREIT (Cottonwood Communities, Inc.) Common Stock A publicly registered, non-traded, NAV-based perpetual life real estate investment trust common stock offering that owns a diverse portfolio of multifamily apartment communities and multifamily real estate-related assets located throughout the United States, available to investors meeting the minimum suitability standards set forth in the prospectus at NAV per share plus applicable upfront selling commissions and dealer manager fees.
• Operating Multifamily Properties Investment Strategy Investment strategy of acquiring and operating high-quality, income-producing multifamily apartment communities forming the core of the CWREIT portfolio, targeting markets with strong demographics, sound job growth, and supply constraints to generate rental income and long-term capital appreciation.
• Real Estate-Related Investments Strategy Investment strategy focused on preferred equity, mezzanine loans, B-note loans and other structured real estate financing investments to complement the operating multifamily portfolio and provide diversified exposure to the multifamily sector.
• Ground-Up Real Estate Development Strategy Investment strategy of new ground-up development of multifamily communities for long-term value creation across CWREIT's selected target markets, executed by the development team led by the Chief Development Officer.
• Share Repurchase Program Program allowing CWREIT stockholders to have their shares repurchased by the company at the most recently disclosed NAV per share, subject to plan restrictions and board discretion, providing limited liquidity outside of share class-specific offerings.
• Distribution Reinvestment Plan Plan allowing CWREIT shareholders to reinvest their cash distributions into additional shares of common stock, supporting compounding of investment over time.

Quantifiable outcome

• ITD Average Annualized Return of 7.0% for Class A shares (inception 12/18/18)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Orchard Securities, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrchard Securities, LLC serves as the managing broker dealer for Cottonwood Communities, member FINRA/SIPC. Located at 365 Garden Grove Lane, Suite 100, Pleasant Grove, UT 84062. Securities are offered through this channel partner network.
• SS&C Technologies, Inc.coreOthersSS&C Technologies (formerly DST Systems) serves as the transfer agent for Cottonwood Communities. Contact: 844.422.2584. Address: 430 W 7th Street, Suite #219065, Kansas City, MO 64105.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Camden Property Trust: Public S&P 500 multifamily REIT operating ~170 apartment communities across the U.S. Same operating-asset-multifamily playbook as Cottonwood, with fully transparent public pricing as a comp.
• Apartment Investment and Management Co. (Aimco): Public, larger multifamily REIT that owns and operates a substantial apartment portfolio nationally. Comparable operating model (owned rental housing) but publicly traded and significantly larger scale.
• Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA): Large-cap public multifamily REIT focused on Sunbelt markets. Directly comparable asset class and geographic thesis (high-growth, rental-demand markets) with public-market pricing visibility.

Direct peers

• Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT): Large non-traded, perpetual-life, NAV-based REIT focused on multifamily and other rental assets, distributed through broker-dealers. Closest analog to CWREIT's structure, scale, and GTM motion via Orchard Securities.
• KKR Real Estate Finance Trust: Non-traded REIT targeting CRE debt and equity, with a similar broker-dealer distribution model and NAV-based subscription pricing. Comparable investor proposition of income plus diversification.
• Apollo Realty Income Solutions: Non-traded REIT sponsored by Apollo targeting CRE debt and multifamily equity, marketed through wealth platforms. Overlaps with CWREIT on private CRE debt strategies and broker-dealer fundraising.
• Starwood Real Estate Income Trust: Sponsored by Starwood Capital, SREIT is a non-traded NAV-based REIT raising continuously through a broker-dealer network. Competes for the same financial-advisor channel as Cottonwood.
• BlueRock Residential Growth REIT: Multifamily-only non-traded REIT that historically acquired Class A apartment communities in the Sunbelt. Direct overlap in single-sector multifamily focus and Sunbelt geographic exposure.

Emerging players

• Independence Realty Trust: Public multifamily REIT focused on non-gateway Sunbelt markets. Comparable Sunbelt multifamily acquisition and operating strategy, smaller scale than MAA but a useful pricing comp.
• Veris Residential: Public multifamily REIT concentrated in the Northeast (Hoboken/Jersey City). Comparable Class A urban multifamily operating strategy at smaller scale, with public-market liquidity unlike CWREIT.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CottonwoodResidential
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cottonwood-communities-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Communities