Trump wants to drive US house prices up for homeowners, block those who don’t ‘work very hard’ from buying. Do this now

Meanwhile, repeat buyers have a median age of 62 — also an all-time high — and roughly 30% paid all cash for their homes.

For many Americans shut out of the market, the issue may have less to do with “didn’t work very hard” and more to do with how incomes stack up against home prices. Realtor.com estimates that a typical U.S. household now needs to earn about $118,530 a year to afford a median-priced home of $402,500 — more than 50% above the median household income of roughly $77,700 (4).

The good news? These days, you don’t need to buy a home outright to start building wealth with real estate.

Become a real estate mogul — starting with $100

While elevated home prices — combined with high mortgage rates — have made home affordability a pressing issue, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived have made it easier than ever for everyday investors to gain exposure to America’s real estate market.

Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.

The process is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.

Read More: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you're not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast)

Invest alongside a $12B AUM real estate owner

Owning a rental property sounds great — until something goes wrong. One bounced check and your rental income disappears.

But institutional investors don’t face that problem. Their portfolios are diversified across hundreds — sometimes thousands — of units.

Now, accredited investors can tap into that same approach through platforms such as Lightstone DIRECT, giving you access to institutional-quality multifamily and industrial real estate — with a minimum investment of $100,000.

Founded in 1986 by David Lichtenstein, Lightstone Group is one of the largest privately held real estate investment firms in the U.S., with more than $12 billion in assets under management.

Over nearly-four decades, their team has delivered strong, risk-adjusted performance across multiple market cycles — including a 27.6% historical net IRR and a 2.54x historical net equity multiple on realized investments since 2004.

With Lightstone DIRECT, you gain access to that proprietary deal flow.

Here’s the kicker: Lightstone invests at least 20% of its own capital in every deal — roughly four times the industry average. With skin in the game, the firm ensures its interests are directly aligned with those of its investors.

Earn passive income from blue-chip rentals

Another option is mogul, a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.m . tenant calls.

Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.

Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.

You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties here.