How can I get started in syndication investing?

This site is geared toward helping people all along the spectrum of syndication investing--from people just realizing that it exists (yes, a whole new world opens up in front of you...) to those who have been investing in syndications for decades (or generations; yes, the wealthy have been syndicating deals since time immemorial).

If you are just arriving, welcome! You are at Post #1. We encourage you to take a peek at our Start Here page if you haven't already. After that, read on for steps that we suggest you to take (noting, of course, that nothing we offer here is legal, tax, or investing advice! We've said that enough times, have we?)...

• Join the community of investors gathered here by subscribing. We will email you updates as we post useful information here.
• Start listening to podcasts when you are working out or going from place to place. We listen to a whole pile of them and will post features on podcasts that we think are especially good. We happen to like the Life and Money show from Goodegg Investments (one of our personal favorite syndication firms based on direct experience; the podcast is co-hosted by firm principals Julie Lam and Annie Dickerson) and the Real Estate Syndication Show from Lifebridge Capital for starters (this one is daily and hosts many leading syndicators as guests of the host, Whitney Sewell).
• Visit our Directory and sign up for the investing "clubs" of a few leading syndicators. In order to invest with most syndicators you will need to have a "relationship" with them. This has to do with the regulatory requirements associated with making certain kinds of investments in the United States. So to get the ball rolling, you can apply to join these "clubs" online. Typically, they will admit you to the "club" right away and then prompt you to sign up for a call with them on Zoom or by phone.
• Talk to some syndicators to get a feel for what they are offering. These calls can be very helpful as you get started because you can ask questions about what kinds of deals they are doing, what's coming down the pike, what you can expect if you work with them, and so forth. And after you've signed up for their "club" or list and have started to see their deals come through your email inbox, you can evaluate some deals side-by-side before you take the big plunge.
• Consider making a small investment in one of the crowdfunding sites in the area of interest. While we had made real estate investments before, and our family has been invested in syndications for a long time, we decided to test out a few of the crowdfunding sites before jumping in to a private multifamily syndication online. We started with several of them at once, but the one we have stuck with out of that initial bunch has been Fundrise. We will say more about Fundrise on their Directory page and in blog posts, but for now, you might consider it as a way to invest a small amount of money to dip your toe in the water first. Fundrise has a few big advantages: (1) a low minimum initial investment (as of early 2022, the Starter level is $10), (2) you do NOT have to be an accredited investor, and (3) they do publish more about the results of their investors than most, which in our book means they have a higher score on the transparency front than most others.
• And let us know you are out there by sending us a note!

We look forward to being in touch and creating a community of investors together. Wishing you good fortune in your investing journey.

Navigation aid: This is "Post 1" for new investors. If you are just getting going, backtrack to "Post 0" entitled Start Here or, if you've already been there, continue on to "Post 2": What to expect when you make your first syndication investment.