Every Fifth "Röntgen" Investor is Brought in by Recommendations from Acquaintances: Credibility and Good Project Selection Valued the Most
The greatest strengths of the crowdfunding platform "Röntgen", according to its users, are its strong reputation and reliability (39%), attractive projects and their careful selection (35%), and clear communication (28%). Additionally, every fifth investor is brought to the platform by recommendations from friends and acquaintances. These results emerged from a survey conducted by the KOG Institute of Marketing and Communication Sciences, which polled more than 500 "Röntgen" investors and registered users.
According to the survey data, 15% of "Röntgen" users identified ease of investment as the platform's strength, 13% pointed to well-calculated risks and asset collateral, and 12% cited good returns and timely interest payments.
These results were similar among both active investors and those registered users who had not yet invested. The most notable difference between these two categories was in the criterion of project attractiveness and careful selection, which was cited as "Röntgen's" strength by 49% of users who had already invested in several real estate projects.
According to Greta Zarembiene, Head of Investor Relations at "Röntgen", the survey of investors confirmed the relevance of the conservative and transparent strategy chosen at the beginning of the platform's operations.
"From the very beginning, we decided to focus on the most conservative, liquid, unique projects in their category, developed by experienced developers, with transparent and detailed communication, and active involvement in the ongoing projects. Therefore, the survey results are gratifying but not surprising – we were confident that there would be demand for such a product even before we started operations. However, it is certainly pleasing that the feedback from those already investing is even better, with these individuals actively recommending us to their relatives," said G. Zarembiene.
The most frequently mentioned weaknesses of "Röntgen" were the small number of projects (26%) and low interest rates (16%), ranging from 7-11% on the platform. However, G. Zarembiene sees these results as a compliment.
"Our main goal is to help investors preserve their capital with moderate growth, without taking on high risk. A 7-11% annual return is not small even for professionals, considering sustainable collateral and the absence of any delayed projects. Although this strategy indeed results in a relatively smaller number of projects and returns compared to the market average, it also means correspondingly lower risks. Last year, we offered 44 funding stages and 18 different projects, so investors had plenty to choose from," commented G. Zarembiene.
More than 90% of "Röntgen" investors completely agreed or agreed that the platform fulfills its commitments to investors on time, provides clear and comprehensive information about projects, ensures that projects are of high quality and well-selected, and that investments can be made simply and quickly. More than 80% of respondents completely agreed or agreed that the investment returns correspond to their risk and that reliable protections and risk management are offered to investors. More than 70% completely agreed or agreed that it is easy to get professional advice on "Röntgen" and that the platform has sufficient functionalities. However, only 47% completely agreed or agreed that there are enough investment projects on the platform for diversification.
"We always accept criticism and hear the expectations of investors. We seek and find diversification opportunities geographically, as well as by offering assets or projects in the energy and aviation sectors that already generate income. We plan to offer such opportunities this year, giving priority to the quality and reliability of projects," G. Zarembiene affirmed.
The Recommendation Factor and Other Insights
During the survey, investors also answered various other questions, providing interesting insights. For example, those who had already invested through the platform overwhelmingly considered crowdfunding with real estate collateral to be their most successful investment. However, among those who had not yet invested through the platform, crowdfunding was ranked slightly below real estate purchases and stocks.
Among the measures that would encourage more active investment, the most frequently mentioned by a large margin was the opportunity to invest in other areas (not just real estate). However, investors also mentioned monthly interest payments, the opportunity to participate in "Röntgen" events and training, and quick personal consultations. Among registered but non-investing platform users, there was no single dominant reason for hesitation – people mentioned a lack of time, funds, and knowledge, unsatisfactory returns, or distrust in the current real estate market.
Investors were also asked how they learned about the "Röntgen" platform. 19% of users were brought in by recommendations from acquaintances. This figure is even higher among users who have invested in several projects, and the highest – around 30% – is among investors whose portfolio amounts exceed 5000 EUR.
According to G. Zarembiene, the high recommendation rate is the most inspiring part of this study. "A recommendation is the highest proof of the other strengths mentioned – transparency, risk management, and attractive projects. It means that investors not only illustrate their trust with their actions but also with their personal reputation in front of their acquaintances. We hope to continue improving our work processes, which will later be reflected in future studies," said G. Zarembiene.
The KOG Institute conducted the survey from October to December 2022. They surveyed 529 "Röntgen" users, including 200 who had invested in several projects, 102 who had invested in one project, and 227 registered users who had not yet invested.