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Real Estate Platform Comparison· Updated July 15, 2026
A side-by-side breakdown of returns, liquidity, fees, and trustworthiness to help you decide where to invest your money.

Cadre is a credible accredited-only commercial real estate platform with strong reported historical IRRs and institutional backing, but its $50,000 minimum, the January 2024 acquisition by Yieldstreet (now Willow Wealth), and a 2018 Kushner Cos. property controversy mean retail investors and platform-trust-sensitive investors should weigh it carefully.

EquityMultiple is one of the more credible commercial real estate platforms for accredited investors: a selective deal pipeline (roughly 5% of proposed deals accepted), a reported double-digit net IRR on realized equity deals, and genuinely useful short-term Alpine Notes paying 6–7.35% fixed with no investor-level fees. The trade-offs are steep: accreditation is mandatory, most deals require $10,000–$30,000, fees vary deal-by-deal (0.5–1.5% plus origination and admin fees), most investments are illiquid for years, and the platform's customer-service reputation (delayed K-1s, poor communication) is a recurring complaint. Best for accredited investors building a CRE sleeve, not for beginners or income-focused investors.
At a Glance


Pros & Cons

Institutional-quality commercial deals
Cadre curates commercial real estate offerings: multifamily apartments, office, hotels, industrial, that typically only institutional investors can access directly.
Established platform with track record
Founded in 2014, Cadre has reported approximately $184 million in cumulative gross distributions to investors and a roughly 17.8% historical IRR across realized deals.
Cadre Direct Access Fund
Investors who don't want to pick deals one-by-one can use the Cadre Direct Access Fund, which builds a diversified portfolio across roughly 15 high-growth U.S. markets.
Backed by a larger alt-investment platform
Since January 2024, Cadre has operated as part of Yieldstreet (rebranded to Willow Wealth in October 2025), a multi-asset alternatives platform with broader product distribution. Cadre's CEO Ryan Williams continues to lead the brand and Cadre's investment team transitioned with the deal.
$50,000 minimum
Cadre's typical direct-deal minimum is $50,000, among the highest in our comparison set. Spreading capital across multiple deals (the prudent diversification strategy) requires several hundred thousand in available capital.
Accredited investors only
Cadre is closed to non-accredited investors. You must verify $200K+ income (or $300K+ jointly), $1M+ net worth excluding primary residence, or hold relevant financial licenses.
5–8 year hold periods, limited liquidity
Cadre deals typically run 5–8 years with no formal early-exit option. Sponsors decide when to liquidate. Capital should be considered locked for the full hold.
Now part of Willow Wealth (formerly Yieldstreet)
Yieldstreet completed its acquisition of Cadre on January 23, 2024 and rebranded the parent platform to Willow Wealth in October 2025. Investors who want a fully independent commercial real estate platform should factor in that Cadre's parent company has faced significant investor-loss coverage tied to other (non-Cadre) parts of its business.
2018 Kushner Cos. controversy
In 2018, Fortune Magazine and Bloomberg reported Cadre benefited from misleading rent filings on a Kushner Cos. property deal. The episode prompted significant scrutiny of the platform's underwriting and disclosure practices.
Limited public transparency
Independent reviewers (notably the Real Estate Crowdfunding Review) have flagged Cadre for declining to answer detailed performance and methodology questions. The platform reports its own IRR figures but external scrutiny is limited.

Institutional-quality CRE deal flow
EquityMultiple accepts roughly 5% of the deals it screens and offers equity, preferred equity, and senior debt positions in professionally managed commercial projects, exposure most retail platforms simply don't carry.
Strong realized track record
The platform reports a double-digit net IRR across realized equity investments since its Investment Committee was formed in 2019, with published target ranges per deal type so investors can benchmark expectations.
Alpine Notes for short-term fixed yield
Alpine Notes pay 6.0–7.35% fixed APY on 3, 6, and 9-month terms with no investor-level fees, EquityMultiple takes a first-loss position, and the company reports every maturing note has been repaid on time.
Clear product framework
Investments are organized into Keep (short-term notes), Earn (income-focused debt and preferred equity), and Grow (appreciation-focused equity), which makes it easier to match deals to a goal than scrolling an undifferentiated marketplace.
Accredited investors only, with high practical minimums
Every offering requires accredited status, and while the advertised minimum is $5,000, most individual deals require $10,000–$30,000. This platform is structurally out of reach for most retail investors.
Multi-year illiquidity on most deals
Outside Alpine Notes, capital is committed for the life of the project, typically 3–5+ years, with no secondary market and no guaranteed early exit. Distressed deals can extend well past their target hold.
Complex, deal-by-deal fees
Annual asset management fees run roughly 0.5–1.5% depending on the investment, plus origination fees on some deals, a $30–$70 annual administrative fee, and a promote (profit share) on many equity deals. True all-in cost takes work to calculate per deal.
Recurring customer-service and reporting complaints
Independent review sites and investor forums document weak trust scores for EquityMultiple, with recurring complaints about delayed K-1 tax documents, slow communication on troubled deals, and opaque updates when projects underperform.
Deep Dive
What You're Investing In
Individual commercial real estate deals (multifamily apartments, office, hotels, industrial) and the Cadre Direct Access Fund. Both carry meaningful minimums and accreditation requirements. Cadre branding lives inside the broader Willow Wealth platform.
Individual CRE deals (equity, preferred equity, senior debt), Alpine Notes (3/6/9-month terms), and periodic income funds. Deal flow is curated but finite, at any given time only a handful of offerings may be open.
Property Locations
The Cadre Direct Access Fund covers approximately 15 high-growth U.S. markets, with concentration in Sun Belt metros. Direct deals are sourced across the U.S.
Commercial projects across U.S. markets: multifamily, industrial, office, hospitality, and specialty assets, with deal-by-deal geographic disclosure in each offering's documents.
Expected Returns
Cadre reports a historical IRR of approximately 17.8% across realized deals and roughly $184 million in cumulative gross distributions. Advertised target returns on individual offerings typically range 10–15%. Past performance is platform-reported and not independently audited.
Varies by product: Alpine Notes pay 6.0–7.35% fixed APY, debt and preferred equity deals target roughly 8–14% annualized income, and common equity deals target higher total returns with commensurate risk. The platform reports a double-digit net IRR across realized equity deals since 2019, but individual deal outcomes range from strong exits to principal impairment. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees
Cadre's fee structure varies by offering and includes both platform-level and sponsor-level fees. Read each deal's fee schedule carefully. Fund products typically include both management and carried-interest fees.
Roughly 0.5–1.5% annual asset management fee depending on the deal, plus origination fees on some offerings, a $30–$70 annual administrative fee per investment, and a promote (carried interest) on many equity deals. Alpine Notes carry no investor-level fees.
Liquidity
Typical hold periods run 5–8 years. Sponsors decide when to liquidate; investors do not control exit timing.
Alpine Notes: 3, 6, or 9 months with early redemption after 30 days if rolled into another EquityMultiple offering. Everything else: the life of the deal, typically 3–5+ years with extension risk.
Who Can Invest
Accredited investors only. SEC accreditation requirements apply: $200,000+ annual income (or $300,000+ jointly), $1,000,000+ net worth excluding primary residence, or holding relevant financial licenses.
Accredited investors only (income of $200K+/$300K joint, or $1M+ net worth excluding primary residence). Individual, joint, entity, trust, and self-directed IRA accounts are supported. This requirement is structural, not a marketing choice, offerings rely on SEC exemptions limited to accredited investors.
The Verdict

Cadre is a credible institutional-quality commercial real estate platform with a strong reported track record and a diversified fund product. The $50,000 minimum and accredited-only access already limit it to high-net-worth investors, and the January 2024 acquisition by Yieldstreet, now Willow Wealth, plus the lingering 2018 Kushner Cos. controversy and limited public transparency add additional considerations. High-net-worth investors who already have institutional CRE exposure may still find selective value here, but most retail investors should look elsewhere.
Full Cadre review →
For accredited investors who want curated commercial real estate deals and can genuinely lock up five-figure sums for years, EquityMultiple is one of the stronger platforms in its class: selective underwriting, a credible realized track record, and Alpine Notes that are legitimately competitive for short-term cash. It loses points for complex fees, multi-year illiquidity, and persistent customer-service complaints. Non-accredited investors can't use it at all, and even accredited investors who value liquidity and steady income may prefer per-property fractional platforms. See how Lofty compares: $50 minimums, no accreditation requirement, daily rent payouts, and a 24/7 secondary marketplace.
Full EquityMultiple review →Bottom Line
EquityMultiple scores higher (3.5/5) and edges out Cadre on our investment quality criteria.
EquityMultiple is one of the more credible commercial real estate platforms for accredited investors: a selective deal pipeline (roughly 5% of proposed deals accepted), a reported double-digit net IRR on realized equity deals, and genuinely useful short-term Alpine Notes paying 6–7.35% fixed with no investor-level fees. The trade-offs are steep: accreditation is mandatory, most deals require $10,000–$30,000, fees vary deal-by-deal (0.5–1.5% plus origination and admin fees), most investments are illiquid for years, and the platform's customer-service reputation (delayed K-1s, poor communication) is a recurring complaint. Best for accredited investors building a CRE sleeve, not for beginners or income-focused investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our scoring criteria, returns, fees, liquidity, transparency, minimums, and track record, EquityMultiple (3.5/5) scores higher than Cadre (2.5/5). EquityMultiple is one of the more credible commercial real estate platforms for accredited investors: a selective deal pipeline (roughly 5% of proposed deals accepted), a reported double-digit net IRR on realized equity deals, and genuinely useful short-term Alpine Notes paying 6–7.35% fixed with no investor-level fees. The trade-offs are steep: accreditation is mandatory, most deals require $10,000–$30,000, fees vary deal-by-deal (0.5–1.5% plus origination and admin fees), most investments are illiquid for years, and the platform's customer-service reputation (delayed K-1s, poor communication) is a recurring complaint. Best for accredited investors building a CRE sleeve, not for beginners or income-focused investors.
Cadre's minimum investment is $50,000 (typical direct deal). EquityMultiple's minimum investment is $5,000 (accredited only).
Cadre: Typical hold periods run 5–8 years. Sponsors decide when to liquidate; investors do not control exit timing. EquityMultiple: Alpine Notes: 3, 6, or 9 months with early redemption after 30 days if rolled into another EquityMultiple offering. Everything else: the life of the deal, typically 3–5+ years with extension risk.
Cadre reports average yearly returns of ~17.8% historical IRR per Cadre's own platform reporting. EquityMultiple reports average yearly returns of Alpine Notes 6.0–7.35% fixed APY; realized equity deals have reported low-to-mid-teens net IRR (deal outcomes vary widely). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
One of the most flexible ways to invest in real estate
$50 minimums · Daily rent payouts · No lock-up periods · 24/7 exchange