What Is an Accredited Investor, and Are You One?

If you have started exploring private real estate, you have probably hit the phrase “accredited investor.” It sounds exclusive, and in a sense it is: it is the bar regulators set before you can participate in certain private offerings. The good news is that the definition is concrete, and many high-earning professionals already meet it.

The definition

In the United States, you generally qualify as an accredited investor if you meet any one of these tests:

Net worth over $1 million, excluding the value of your primary residence (alone or together with a spouse or partner).

Income over $200,000 individually, or $300,000 jointly, in each of the last two years, with a reasonable expectation of the same this year.

You hold certain professional licenses (such as a Series 7, 65, or 82) in good standing.

How to know if you qualify

Add up your assets (investments, retirement accounts, real estate equity, cash), subtract your liabilities, and leave your primary home out of the calculation. If the result clears $1 million, you likely qualify on net worth. If not, check the income test against your last two tax returns. Either path is enough on its own.

How verification works for our offerings

Because our opportunities are offered to verified accredited investors, qualifying is not just self-reported. As part of onboarding we use a straightforward third-party verification step, typically a review of a few documents or a letter from your CPA or attorney, so the paperwork is handled once and cleanly.

This article is educational and not legal, tax, or investment advice. Definitions and thresholds can change; confirm your status with your own advisors.