Alison Stalch discusses home affordability and investing tendencies among Generation Z on our Fundrise website.
Housing Affordability Crisis: Institutional Investors Under Scrutiny
In the face of persistent housing affordability issues across the USA, institutional investors are making a significant mark in the residential real estate market. Some view this trend as justification of real estate as a solid long-term investment, while others worry it could squeeze out individual buyers, exacerbating the crisis.
Recently, lawmakers in New York, Virginia, New Mexico, and Georgia have put forth legislation to curb this growing trend.
Interview with Alison Staloch, Fundrise
Adam Zaki: With institutional investors like BlackRock and Vanguard intensifying their presence, does this support the credibility of the asset class for your investors or would you rather see more individual homeownership?
Alison Staloch: The housing crisis is rooted in supply shortage. By targeting markets undergoing demand overflow, we invest in much-needed housing such as single-family rentals, build-to-rent developments, and multifamily accommodations. This approach aligns impact with an opportunity, addressing persistent rental demand and potential profits.
In addition, the increasing institutional presence strengthens the conviction that residential real estate is durable, appealing, and fundamentally strong.
Gen Z's Impact on Investment Habits
This digitally-oriented generation prefers tangible assets over stocks and desires early access to investments. They are self-directed, preferring to execute their research, analysis, and decision-making without the intervention of traditional advisors.
Moreover, 68% of Gen Z investors believe AI has the highest growth potential, and they are drawn to products that grant access to pre-IPO companies. This generation expects an uncomplicated, transparent product experience but emphasizes the importance of competitive returns.
Cybersecurity in Finance
Alison Staloch, the Chief Technology Officer handles cybersecurity, while legal, finance, and IT team up for resource allocation and prioritization. Top-notch investor data and transaction security are non-negotiable. Prevention is more cost-effective than recovery, so cybersecurity arrangements receive significant investments. For other areas where security risks arise, the team assesses potential threats and phases in improvements accordingly.
CPA Licensure Changes
Having obtained her CPA certification in Ohio, Alison Staloch considers bright-line rules less effective. Instead, she values practical experience as more valuable than completed credit hours. The real question lies in the impact of the extra year on licensure, as it might not be the barrier that some assume.
Ongoing Debate on Institutional Investors in Real Estate
Recent legislative proposals in New York focus on curtailing institutional ownership of single-family homes and small multi-family residences, with measures like divestment requirements, tax penalties on hedge funds acquiring rental properties, and annual sell-off requirements on portfolios.
However, the New York State Association of REALTORS® advocates against regulations that may hinder new housing construction due to a reported housing shortage.
In Virginia, New Mexico, and Georgia, no recent targeted legislation has been identified that limits institutional investors in residential real estate, as of April 2025.
- The increasing presence of institutional investors like BlackRock and Vanguard in the residential real estate market is a topic of ongoing debate.
- Alison Staloch, from Fundrise, states that institutional investors can address persistent rental demand while ensuring potential profits.
- The housing crisis is primarily caused by a supply shortage, and Staloch's fund invests in much-needed housing.
- Some lawmakers in New York, Virginia, New Mexico, and Georgia have proposed legislation to curb the growing trend of institutional investment in residential real estate.
- Gen Z investors prefer tangible assets over stocks and favor products that allow early access to investments.
- This digitally-oriented generation highly values self-directed research, analysis, and decision-making in investments.
- 68% of Gen Z investors believe AI has the highest growth potential, and they are drawn to products offering access to pre-IPO companies.
- Cybersecurity in finance is essential, and prevention is more cost-effective than recovery.
- Alison Staloch, as the Chief Technology Officer at Fundrise, emphasizes top-notch investor data and transaction security.
- Staloch values practical experience over completed credit hours when it comes to obtaining her CPA certification.
- In the ongoing debate on institutional investors in real estate, there's a concern that new housing construction might be hindered by certain regulations due to a reported housing shortage.
- Institutional investors' presence in the residential real estate market can be seen as justification for real estate as a solid long-term investment.
- The trend of institutional investors potentially squeezing out individual buyers may exacerbate the housing affordability crisis.
- Cryptocurrency markets, technology, education and self-development, personal-finance, real-estate, sports, and business sectors are all areas that could attract investments along with stocks and shares in the finance and investing lifestyle.
