Assess their risks, liquidity, investments, returns, timeframes and other terms
Invest in wine and whiskey
Invest in real estate loans
Groundfloor enables individuals to begin investing in real estate with a minimal initial requirement of only $10.
Investing with Vinovest involves market fluctuation risks, potential loss from early sale fees, limited insurance coverage, and no guarantee of liquidity or fair value realization on the secondary market.
Investing on Groundfloor involves credit risk from borrower default, market risk due to real estate market fluctuations, liquidity risk as investments are tied up until loan maturity without a secondary market for early exit, regulatory risk from changes in laws affecting real estate and crowdfunding, and platform risk related to operational disruptions or cybersecurity threats.
Vinovest permits selling of assets with no extra commissions but charges a 1.5% listing fee for sales made before the ideal time window. Liquidity is not guaranteed and depends on market demand.
On Groundfloor, liquidity is tied to the term of the real estate loans, which range from 6 to 18 months. Investors' funds are committed until the loan matures and the borrower repays.
Between 2015 and 2022, whiskey and fine wine have historically generated annual returns of 13.8% and 8.9%, respectively.
Groundfloor's loans are graded from A to G, with interest rates ranging from 5.5% to 25.5% annually, based on risk. A diversified portfolio across all repaid loans to date would have earned a 10.72% annualized net return.
Vinovest offers three time horizons for wine investment: short-term (5-7 years), medium-term (7-10 years), and long-term (10+ years), with customization options for higher-tier clients.
Groundfloor investments have loan terms ranging from 6 to 18 months.
Vinovest is open to investors who can meet the platform's minimum investment thresholds, catering to a wide audience from beginners to seasoned collectors and various entities.
Groundfloor is accessible to investors both in the US and internationally. However, for non-US investors, a minimum transfer-in amount of $5,000 is required.
Vinovest's assets, like wine and whiskey, can face market volatility with swift price changes, posing risks of financial loss for short-term investors.
The assets on Groundfloor, which are short-term real estate loans, generally exhibit lower volatility compared to stocks, as their value is more closely tied to specific real estate projects and less to daily market swings.
Vinovest is audited annually by insurers and an independent auditor but is not SEC-regulated as it does not deal in securities.
Groundfloor offers securities under Regulation A of the Securities Act of 1933, allowing it to sell securities to residents in states where it's qualified or announced its intent under Regulation A's Tier 1 or Tier 2.
Vinovest insures client assets against damage, with reimbursement at full market value, although not all loss scenarios may be covered.
Investments on Groundfloor are not insured by any government agency such as the FDIC or SIPC, nor are they guaranteed by Groundfloor. This means investors fully assume the risk of borrower default or project failure, without any insurance safety net.
Groundfloor pays interest on funded loans. Interest accrues from the investment date until the loan is repaid. Loans may have monthly or deferred payment terms, with monthly interest payments processed once a month and lump sum repayments for deferred loans.
Investors get money back from Vinovest after selling matured or scarce wines, generally within a 10 to 15-year timeframe.
Investors on Groundfloor get their money back, including principal and accrued interest, once the borrower repays the loan, typically within 6 to 18 months. Repayments are processed within 7 days, with funds made available in the investor's dashboard for withdrawal or reinvestment.
Vinovest charges tiered management fees: 2.5% (Standard), 2.35% (Plus), 2.15% (Premier), and 1.90% (Grand Cru), applied only on invested capital. A 1.5% selling fee is incurred upon sale, with free listing.
Investors on Groundfloor pay no fees. Instead, borrowers are charged an underwriting fee by Groundfloor, ranging from 2% to 4.5% of the loan's principal amount.
Wine gains taxation through Vinovest depends on location: taxed as collectibles in the U.S., often exempt in the U.K., with similar exemptions in other countries. Vinovest provides monthly and annual statements for tax reporting, not 1099 forms.
Groundfloor provides tax support by issuing a 1099-INT form for interest income over $10, a 1099-B for principal losses, and a 1099-MISC for promotional credits over $600.