My last blog post about Estateguru was less than two months ago. In early February, 21.9% of the loans had defaulted, and now, at the end of March, the figure has risen to 29.87%. The number of defaulted loans has increased from 43 to 63. The proportion of repaid loans hasn’t risen as much, going from 78 to 91. So far, not a single one of the defaulted projects has been auctioned. It could take years before I get my money back. But let’s slow down a bit—what exactly is Estateguru?
Introduction
EstateGuru is a European peer-to-peer platform that specializes in real estate financing. Here, investors can invest in real estate projects and potentially achieve attractive returns. However, like any investment, there are risks involved with EstateGuru. Please note, this is not investment advice, but simply reflects my personal experience. What are the risks?
Credit Default Risk
Credit default risk is one of the main issues with any P2P platform, and EstateGuru is no exception. If a borrower fails to meet their obligations and the loan repayment does not happen, there is a risk that investors could lose their invested capital. EstateGuru mitigates this risk by conducting thorough due diligence and using real estate as collateral. Nevertheless, there is no guarantee that a borrower will not default, and credit default risk remains present.
Loss of Collateral
The collateral used by EstateGuru when granting loans is real estate. In times of crisis or a significant drop in property values, the value of the collateral may decrease and may not be enough to cover investors’ claims. In such cases, investors could lose part or even all of their invested capital. Since I have yet to see anything happen with a single defaulted loan, I’m slowly coming to terms with the idea that I may not see some of my money again.
Platform Risk
As with any P2P platform, there is also the risk that the platform itself may experience financial difficulties or even go bankrupt. In such cases, investors may not be able to make new investments, and it is uncertain whether they will recover their outstanding claims. To minimize this risk, it is important to carefully assess the financial stability and business model of the platform. Although the collateral is supposed to exist independently of EstateGuru, how exactly do I claim it? And how do we, as investors, organize ourselves, especially when we don’t even know each other?
Liquidity Risk
Investors in P2P platforms like EstateGuru must be aware that their investments are typically tied up for the duration of the loan. Although EstateGuru offers a secondary market where investors can sell their investments early, there is no guarantee that they will find a buyer for their shares. Liquidity risk can mean that investors are unable to withdraw their funds as quickly as they would like. And that’s exactly what is happening to me right now. It’s not that I urgently need the money, but based on the current pace of recovery, it could take years before I get my money back.
Regulatory Risks
As EstateGuru operates in different countries, changes in legislation and regulatory frameworks can impact the platform and its investors. Possible regulatory changes could affect the platform’s operations, the tax treatment of investments, or the requirements for investors. In extreme cases, regulatory changes could lead EstateGuru to suspend its operations in certain countries. I have no idea what would happen to the loans in such a case.
Conclusion
EstateGuru offers investors an attractive opportunity to invest in real estate projects and benefit from higher returns. However, like any investment, there are risks that investors should be aware of and consider. These include credit default risk, loss of collateral, platform risk, liquidity risk, and regulatory risks.
Careful due diligence and a diversified portfolio that spans different projects and countries can help minimize these risks. Investors should also stay informed about the latest developments in the industry and closely monitor EstateGuru to adjust their investment decisions according to changing conditions.
Overall, EstateGuru remains an interesting option for investors who are willing to accept the associated risks and carefully manage their investments. The biggest problem might be one’s own greed, as where else can you find 10% or even more returns with such “security”? My mistake was thinking that the real estate market in Germany was safe, but about 80% of the outstanding sums are from German projects. In some cases, there was a bonus for investing a certain minimum amount, and since things felt too slow, I invested an unreasonably large sum in a project instead of the usual 50-100 euros.
Now, I no longer deposit money onto the EstateGuru platform each month; instead, I withdraw funds as loans are repaid, and I no longer reinvest this money automatically. I have already withdrawn 5% of my funds, 27% have defaulted, and are waiting for successful recovery. The interest and bonuses earned so far have not yet compensated for the effort involved.