Roofstock vs Arrived (2026): Rental Property Platforms for Remote Investors Compared

The dream of owning rental properties no longer requires driving across town to show a duplex or dealing with late-night maintenance calls. In 2026, two platforms dominate the conversation around remote real estate investing: Roofstock and Arrived. Both allow you to invest in single‑family rentals from your laptop, but they take fundamentally different approaches.

Roofstock is a marketplace for buying whole properties—you become a direct landlord (with professional management). Arrived offers fractional shares of rental homes, letting you diversify with as little as $100. Which one fits your portfolio, risk tolerance, and time commitment? This in‑depth comparison breaks down every angle.

1. Overview: Roofstock vs Arrived

Roofstock (founded 2015) is the established leader for buying and selling turnkey single‑family rentals. You purchase the entire property, select a property manager, and collect rent directly. It’s designed for investors who want to build a portfolio of real estate with leverage (mortgages) and full ownership benefits like depreciation.

Arrived (founded 2020) pioneered fractional real estate investing. You buy shares in a rental property, receive quarterly dividends based on rent, and have no landlord responsibilities. It’s a way to add real estate to your portfolio with low capital and zero active management.

2. Head‑to‑Head Comparison (2026)

3. Roofstock Deep Dive

Roofstock is built for investors who want to own rental property without being local. The platform lists thousands of certified single‑family homes, duplexes, and small multifamily properties in markets across the U.S. Each listing includes a detailed property inspection, rent estimate, lease status (if occupied), and local market data.

Pros of Roofstock

• True ownership: You get all the advantages of real estate—appreciation, equity build‑up, tax deductions.
• Leverage: Using a mortgage can amplify returns (cash‑on‑cash) and spread capital across multiple properties.
• Market selection: Access to 70+ markets with data on rent, employment, and school ratings.
• Rent‑ready properties: Many homes come with tenants already paying market rent.

Cons of Roofstock

• High capital barrier: Even with financing, you need $15–30k per property (down payment + closing costs).
• Active role: You must choose and monitor a property manager, handle unexpected issues (though the manager does the work).
• Liquidity: Selling a property can take 3–6 months and cost 6–10% in commissions.
• Risk concentration: A single vacant property or bad tenant can wipe out months of cash flow.

4. Arrived Deep Dive

Arrived democratizes real estate by letting anyone buy shares of rental homes for as little as $100. The platform acquires single‑family homes in growing markets, manages them, and distributes rental income (minus fees) to shareholders quarterly. You can reinvest dividends or withdraw cash.

Pros of Arrived

• Accessibility: $100 minimum opens real estate to everyone.
• Passive experience: No tenant calls, no maintenance coordination, no accounting.
• Diversification: Spread $1,000 across 10 different homes for built‑in risk reduction.
• Liquidity option: A secondary market (in development) may allow share sales before the property exits.

Cons of Arrived

• Limited upside: No leverage means returns are generally lower than direct ownership (but also less risk).
• Fees: 1% annual asset management fee reduces net yield.
• Illiquidity during hold: Shares are not publicly traded; you typically wait for property sale to get principal back.
• Tax complexity: K‑1 forms can be more complicated than standard 1099s.

5. Which Investor Profile Fits Best?

Choosing between Roofstock and Arrived depends on your capital, time, and goals.

6. Real‑World Scenarios

7. Fees, Returns & Hidden Costs

Roofstock fees:

• Buyer fee: 0.5–3% depending on property (often negotiable).
• Closing costs: 1–2% (title, escrow).
• Property management: 8–10% of monthly rent.
• Ongoing maintenance: typically 1% of property value annually (set aside).
• Potential vacancy and turnover costs.

Arrived fees:

• One‑time setup fee: $0 (none for investors).
• Annual asset management fee: 1% of the property’s value (deducted before dividends).
• Property management fee: included in the 1% (Arrived pays managers from its fee).
• No transaction fees for buying shares.

8. Liquidity & Exit Options

Roofstock: Exiting means selling the property, which typically takes 3–6 months. You can also refinance to pull equity out, but that’s not a full exit. Roofstock has a “Instant Access” program for selling quickly, but at a discount.

Arrived: The intended exit is after 5–7 years when the property is sold and proceeds distributed. In 2026, Arrived is developing a secondary market where shareholders can sell to other investors before the property sells. This could improve liquidity, but it’s not guaranteed. Dividends are paid quarterly and can be withdrawn anytime.

9. Risks: Market, Platform & Management

Roofstock‑specific risks:

• Property manager quality – a bad manager can lead to vacancies, high turnover, and deferred maintenance.
• Tenant risk – evictions, property damage.
• Unexpected capital expenditures – roof, HVAC, foundation issues can cost thousands.

Arrived‑specific risks:

• Platform risk – Arrived could face regulatory or operational issues.
• No control – you cannot fire the property manager or sell the property if it underperforms.
• Exit uncertainty – the secondary market may not provide liquidity when you need it.

10. Tax Considerations

Roofstock: You can deduct mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, management fees, maintenance, and depreciation (cost recovery). When you sell, you may qualify for a 1031 exchange to defer capital gains. Depreciation recapture applies.

Arrived: Investors receive a Schedule K‑1 each year showing their share of rental income, depreciation, and expenses. The depreciation can offset some of the dividend income. When the property sells, you’ll report capital gain (or loss) on your shares. K‑1s are more complex and may delay your tax filing.

12. Conclusion: Which Platform Wins?

There is no single winner—both Roofstock and Arrived are excellent tools, but they serve different purposes. If you have significant capital and want to build long‑term wealth through direct real estate ownership, Roofstock gives you control, leverage, and maximum tax advantages. If you’re just starting out, have limited funds, or prefer a completely passive experience, Arrived lets you add real estate to your portfolio with a few clicks.

In 2026, the smartest approach might be to use both: anchor your portfolio with a couple of Roofstock properties, then use Arrived to diversify across additional markets and property types. This hybrid strategy captures the upside of direct ownership while mitigating single‑property risk.