PeerStreet

The platform has proven to be attractive for investors as they have the hard asset of the property as security against the loan. In a bid to diversify, the company has launched a new feature called Peerstreet Pocket, a high-yielding facility for investors to store spare capital as an alternative to high street banks. Pocket was created to keep customers loyal to the platform while providing additional liquidity for the company.

Peerstreet launched in 2013, and as a well-established brand, it's in a solid position to continually attract new investors and borrowers. Some have criticized the platform's policies regarding vetting for both investors and borrowers. It also takes a healthy cut of the loan interest, reaping up to 1% on every loan. Though Peerstreet was one of the first to offer democratized investments in real estate, the market boom in the sector has further increased the take-up of new services and the viability of new players. Competitors such as Groundfloor have launched a similar service and are seeing success with a more borrower-centric model.