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| COURTESY SECURE LIVING LLC |
| Vontenea Stokes is CEO of Charlotte-based Secure Living, which raises awareness of retail investors in underrepresented communities. |
A Charlotte startup is empowering real estate crowdfunding as an investment tool.
Secure Living is addressing investing disparities by raising awareness of retail investors, also known as non-accredited investors. Since 2016 retail investors, also known as non-accredited investors, have invested in start-ups and small businesses through regulation crowdfunding under Title III of the Jobs Act.
Despite the industry shift, knowledge and opportunities for retail investors isn’t abundant. According to a study done by Statista, only 29% of Americans are using crowdfunding services or plan to in the future.
Secure Living, which is registered with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission and a member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, views crowdfunding to provide alternative funding and investment opportunities in overlooked communities. Its goal is to bridge the wealth inequality gap with an online marketplace for the average investor to buy shares of real estate.
“We’ve seen a major shift in the securities industry and retail investors are not only empowered but are influencing the market – just look at the notorious 2021 AMC example,” Secure Living CEO Vontenea Stokes said, referring to wild swings in the theater company’s value due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Real estate builds wealth, but capitalization, finding and maintaining property and renovations can be daunting to retail investors who might gravitate towards stocks and bonds. Secure Living adds real estate to the list of more accessible securities.
Understanding how investing influences personal finance is important to a solid financial footing. The average household earns a larger percentage of income from W-2 employment, but it does put individual households at a disadvantage in the tax code.
According to bankrate.com, single taxpayers earning $10,276 to $41,775 annually are in the 12% tax bracket compared to long-term capital gains tax, which is 0% for single taxpayers earning less than $41,675.
Secure Living’s online platform allows retail investors to connect to real estate companies looking to raise capital and explore projects that fit their strategy and risk tolerance. Transactions start at $250 per share.
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