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RealtyShares
RealtyShares, founded by Nav Athwal in 2013, crowdfunded over $300M in real estate debt and equity investments before winding down in 2020.
RealtyShares
Nav Athwal founded RealtyShares in 2013 after working in real estate acquisitions at the Meridian Group and launching an earlier startup, Drawbridge Realty. The company raised $23.5M in venture funding from Battery Ventures, Menlo Ventures, and others. Wealth origin for Athwal was not publicly disclosed; the platform itself did not represent a family office. RealtyShares originated real estate debt and equity investments across multifamily, commercial, residential development, and raw land. The firm vetted sponsors and structured each deal as a separate security, typically preferred equity or senior debt. Portfolios included assets in California, Texas, Florida, and other markets. A 2018 SEC filing showed over 330 offerings completed. The firm did not hold a permanent fund structure; each deal had its own SPV. At its operational peak, RealtyShares employed roughly 40 people in San Francisco. The platform had over 150,000 registered users. The company maintained a secondary market for investors to trade positions before winding down in 2020 (per public record). No philanthropic or adjacent vehicles were disclosed. RealtyShares was structurally distinct from both traditional real estate funds and direct ownership. It operated as a regulated crowdfunding intermediary (Reg A+ and Reg D), offering retail and accredited investors access to institutional-grade sponsor deals. This model created a two-sided marketplace that depended on continuous deal flow and regulatory compliance. The firm ceased new investments in 2020 and entered wind-down.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2013
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Nav Athwal
CEO & Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who ran investment decisions at RealtyShares?
CEO and co-founder Nav Athwal led the firm, overseeing deal sourcing, underwriting, and platform strategy. The investment team vetted sponsor credentials and property-level risk before listing offerings. Athwal previously worked in real estate acquisitions at the Meridian Group.
How did RealtySources source proprietary deal flow?
The firm relied on a network of experienced real estate sponsors who submitted deals for platform listing. RealtyShares did not originate its own properties — it screened sponsor-managed investments across asset types. The platform model created a marketplace rather than a fund pipeline.
Is RealtyShares structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Neither. RealtyShares was a real estate crowdfunding platform regulated as a broker-dealer and funding portal. It did not operate as a family office or venture capital firm. The company raised VC funding from institutional investors including Battery Ventures and Menlo Ventures.
What investment stages did RealtyShares typically target?
The platform offered both equity and debt investments in commercial real estate, typically structured as preferred equity or senior debt. Target returns ranged from 8% to 15% annualized with deal durations of 1 to 5 years.
What happened to RealtyShares in 2020?
RealtyShares ceased originating new investments in 2020 and began winding down operations. The company had faced slower deal flow and regulatory pressure following the SEC's increased scrutiny of crowdfunding platforms. As of 2025, the firm's website no longer functions, and no new investment opportunities are available.
Where does the underlying wealth for RealtyShares come from?
RealtyShares was not a principal investor. It aggregated capital from individual retail and accredited investors who committed to specific deals. The firm did not maintain its own proprietary capital pool.
Does RealtyShares maintain philanthropic structures?
No philanthropic foundations or charitable vehicles were publicly disclosed. The firm operated solely as a for-profit real estate marketplace.
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