Real estate startups need capital. Banks won't touch you without collateral. VCs want proven traction.
Angel investors fill this gap. They write $25K-$500K checks from personal funds. They move fast.
This guide lists active real estate angels investing in 2025. Their focus areas. Check sizes. How to reach them.
No outdated lists. Just angels writing checks now.
How to pitch your real estate startup to angels
You've validated your PropTech idea. Found product-market fit. Built an MVP.
But angels won't respond to cold emails.
Generic pitch decks get deleted. You don't know if they even opened it. No idea which parts resonated.
Smart founders use trackable pitch links. See when angels view your deck. Know which slides they study. Get notified when they share with co-investors.
Ellty lets you track every interaction. Update your deck without resending. Control who sees what.
20 Real estate angel investors
1. Adam Neumann
WeWork co-founder turned real estate angel investor.
Investment focus: PropTech, flexible workspace solutions, commercial real estate innovation
Investment range: $100K-$1M per deal
Notable investments: Multiple real estate ventures post-WeWork
Contact: linkedin.com/in/adamneumann
2. Travis Kalanick
Uber co-founder actively investing in real estate technology.
Investment focus: PropTech disruption, urban mobility integration with real estate
Investment range: $250K-$2M
Notable investments: Real estate ventures leveraging technology
Contact: twitter.com/travisk
3. Joe Gebbia
Airbnb co-founder with deep real estate expertise.
Investment focus: Hospitality tech, short-term rental platforms, design-focused real estate
Investment range: $100K-$1M
Notable investments: Sharing economy real estate startups
Contact: joegebbia.com
4. Naval Ravikant
AngelList founder and prolific real estate tech investor.
Investment focus: Platforms disrupting traditional real estate, debt investments
Investment range: $50K-$500K
Notable investments: PeerStreet and other fintech/real estate platforms
Contact: angellist.com/naval
5. Joanne Wilson
Active angel with 90+ investments including significant real estate focus.
Investment focus: NYC real estate, PropTech, women-led ventures
Investment range: $25K-$250K
Notable investments: Sweeten, Nestio, Clutter, multiple NYC properties
Contact: gothamgal.com
6. Shane Neman
Serial entrepreneur with extensive real estate portfolio.
Investment focus: PropTech, commercial and residential development
Investment range: $50K-$500K
Notable investments: Two dozen large-scale properties across US
Contact: linkedin.com/in/shaneneman
7. Clark Landry
Managing Partner at Clover Leaf Ventures with real estate focus.
Investment focus: Commercial real estate marketplaces, PropTech platforms
Investment range: $100K-$1M
Notable investments: CREXi (commercial real estate marketplace)
Contact: cloverleafventures.com
8. Scott Belsky
Adobe Chief Product Officer and active real estate angel.
Investment focus: Design-driven PropTech, creative real estate solutions
Investment range: $50K-$500K
Notable investments: 16 deals in past 12 months across sectors
Contact: scottbelsky.com
9. Roman Smolevskiy
Co-founder at BuildTech VC.
Investment focus: Construction tech, BuildTech innovations
Investment range: $50K-$250K
Notable investments: 9 real estate tech deals in past year
Contact: buildtech.vc
10. Rudy Gadre
Former Facebook General Counsel, active in real estate.
Investment focus: Legal tech for real estate, PropTech platforms
Investment range: $100K-$500K
Notable investments: Real estate and tech crossover ventures
Contact: linkedin.com/in/rudygadre
11. Michael Bristow
CEO & Co-Founder of CP Capital (UK).
Investment focus: European PropTech, peer-to-peer property platforms
Investment range: £50K-£500K
Notable investments: RENTUU and other UK property tech
Contact: cpcapital.co.uk
12. Errol Damelin
Founder of Wonga, active European real estate angel.
Investment focus: Fintech/real estate crossover, marketplaces
Investment range: £100K-£1M
Notable investments: 75+ digital and tech companies globally
Contact: linkedin.com/in/erroldamelin
13. Felix Jahn
McMakler founder and real estate tech investor.
Investment focus: Hybrid real estate models, German PropTech
Investment range: €100K-€500K
Notable investments: Zalando, Auto1 Group, HomeToGo
Contact: mcmakler.de
14. Varun Alagh
Indian angel focusing on real estate and consumer tech.
Investment focus: Indian PropTech, real estate marketplaces
Investment range: $25K-$250K
Notable investments: 3 real estate deals in past 12 months
Contact: linkedin.com/in/varunalagh
No pitch deck yet? Start with this template
15. Aakrit Vaish
Haptik co-founder, active in PropTech.
Investment focus: AI-powered real estate solutions, Indian market
Investment range: $50K-$500K
Notable investments: Consumer tech and B2B SaaS with real estate focus
Contact: twitter.com/aakritvaish
16. Sonny Kalsi
Co-CEO at BentallGreenOak.
Investment focus: Commercial real estate tech, property management platforms
Investment range: $100K-$1M
Notable investments: VTS, AltoVita, BuildSupply
Contact: bentallgreenoak.com
17. Vinny Lingham
Serial entrepreneur and real estate angel (South Africa/US).
Investment focus: Blockchain real estate, African PropTech
Investment range: $50K-$500K
Notable investments: Real estate and fintech crossover ventures
Contact: vinnylingham.com
18. Jonathan Wasserstrum
Former JLL executive turned angel investor.
Investment focus: Commercial real estate tech, waste management for properties
Investment range: $50K-$250K
Notable investments: WATS, NewHomesMate
Contact: linkedin.com/in/jonathanwasserstrum
19. Justin Stanford
Co-founder of 4Di Capital (South Africa).
Investment focus: African PropTech, emerging market real estate tech
Investment range: $50K-$500K
Notable investments: Ekaya.com and other African property platforms
Contact: 4dicapital.com
20. Wayne Gosling
South African angel with real estate focus.
Investment focus: Property marketplaces, rental platforms
Investment range: $25K-$250K
Notable investments: Ekaya.com, 8bit
Contact: linkedin.com/in/waynegosling
How to approach real estate angel investors
What angels actually want
Forget the pitch deck. Real estate angels care about one thing: the deal structure.
They want their money back in 3 years with a 3x return. Show them exactly how. Property at 70% market value? Great. Clear renovation plan? Better. Exit buyer already interested? You've got their attention.
Skip the "Uber for real estate" nonsense. Just show the numbers.
Finding real angels (Not tire kickers)
Real estate is local. NYC angels don't care about your Phoenix flip.
Where to find them:
- Your city's real estate investor meetups (not the guru seminars)
- Property auctions - they're there buying
- Ask commercial brokers - they know everyone
Best intro? Through someone they've already made money with.
The 5-minute pitch
"I found a $2M building selling for $1.4M. Owner needs quick cash. With $200K renovation, comps show $2.8M value. I need $300K for 30% equity. Similar deal last year returned 280%."
That's it. If they want more, they'll ask.
Deal structures that get yes
Option 1: Straight equity - they get 25-35%
Option 2: 8% preferred return + 20% upside
Option 3: 12% interest + small equity piece
Never offer: Personal guarantees, board seats, or majority control. If they ask, walk away.
Don't do this
- Cold LinkedIn messages
- 40-page business plans
- "Revolutionary" PropTech ideas without properties
- Asking for NDAs
- Promising 10x returns
Angels see 100 deals monthly. Don't waste their time.
Alternative funding sources
Hard money lenders
Need cash in 7 days? Hard money works.
12-15% interest. 6-12 month terms. 65-70% LTV.
They care about the property, not your credit.
Best for: Flips, bridge loans, auction purchases
Top lenders: Lima One, RCN Capital, Kiavi
Crowdfunding platforms
Raise $50K-$5M from multiple small investors.
RealtyMogul: $25K minimum investments, commercial focus
Fundrise: $10 minimum, residential and commercial
YieldStreet: $10K minimum, alternative real estate plays
Takes 30-90 days. Must have solid track record.
REITs and syndications
Create your own mini-REIT. Raise from accredited investors.
Minimum deal size: $1M
Typical raise: $250K-$10M
Investor minimums: $25K-$100K
SEC compliance required. Legal fees: $15K-$50K.
Seller financing
The hidden gem. 20-30% of sellers will carry financing.
Typical terms: 5-7% interest, 5-30 year amortization
Down payment: 10-20%
No banks, no qualifying
Works best with: Tired landlords, estate sales, tax-motivated sellers.
Private money partners
Not angels. Think doctors, lawyers, tech employees with cash.
They want: Passive income, secured by real estate
You offer: 8-10% returns, first position lien
Typical investment: $50K-$500K
Find them through: Financial advisors, CPAs, wealth managers.
How Ellty helps real estate founders
See which angels are actually interested
Angel spent 10 minutes on your financial model = interested.
Bounced after slide 2 = not interested.
Stop chasing ghosts. Focus on engaged investors.
Fix your pitch based on real data
Your exit strategy slide gets skipped every time? Fix it.
Property photos get 5+ minutes? Lead with them.
Real data beats guessing.
Keep your deals confidential
Angels forward PDFs to competitors. Happens daily.
With Ellty:
- Revoke access anytime
- See who has your deck
- Update numbers without resending
Follow up at the right time
"Hi John, saw you reviewed our property portfolio. The Miami project just got permitted."
Beats "Just circling back" every time.
FAQs
What's the typical check size from real estate angels?
$50K-$500K. First-time angels start at $25K. Experienced ones go up to $1M.
How long does it take to close angel funding?
30-45 days average. Angels move faster than VCs. Some close in 2 weeks if they like the deal.
Do I need a proven track record?
Yes. Angels want to see you've done at least 1-2 successful deals. No track record = bring an experienced partner.
Should I give personal guarantees?
No. If they insist, find different angels. Good angels understand business risk.
What returns do angels expect?
20-30% IRR minimum. They want 3x their money in 3-5 years.
Can international founders raise from US angels?
Yes, but you need US property deals. Angels invest locally. Structure through US entity.
