What are Private Investor Clubs, and How Do They Work?

Private investor clubs, also called private investor groups or alternative investment clubs, are online forums and in-person communities where accredited members find off-platform investment opportunities, compare their pros and cons, and negotiate better deal terms.

Off-platform investments include multifamily real estate syndications, angel investing, music royalties, life settlements, litigation finance, private equity, and interval funds.

When there is a down market on Wall Street, alternative investments become more attractive to investors. Markets for alternative financial instruments are widely available but harder to find than those for stocks, bonds, and cash investments.

Here is how they work in practice: members vet deals together, pool their due diligence, and use the group's combined buying power to negotiate reduced minimums and fees. Most are free to join but limit membership to accredited investors.

Investor Clubs vs. Investment Clubs

A private investor club is different from a private investment club.

An investment club is a group of people who pool small amounts of money to build a diversified stock portfolio together. These clubs are usually organized as an LLC or partnership with a shared brokerage account, and members vote on what to buy or sell. They can then apply the knowledge they gain to their own stock investments.

Members of an investor club are experienced, accredited investors. These are high-net-worth individuals seeking to safeguard and grow generational wealth.

The goal of a private investor club is for members to maximize their overall ROI from the collective knowledge and advice of others. If you are a wealthy investor, here are three clubs to consider for additional research and networking opportunities with like-minded alternative investors.

Private Investor Club

One of the largest clubs is the aptly named Private Investor Club, run by retired serial entrepreneur Ian Ippolito.

Club Membership

As of late 2025, the club has over 7,600 members and more than $26.3 billion in investable portfolio assets, which works out to roughly $3.5 million per member.

There is no cost to join the club and no membership fees. However, members can send donations to Ian.

Private Investor Club offers special deals and discounts to members, including reduced minimums and fees.

Asset Classes

Private Investor Club focuses on asset classes including real estate, litigation finance, royalties, private debt, private equity, and venture capital.

The club maintains an extensive due diligence library about its investments, so members do not need to do as much vetting of alternative investments.

Rules

Clubs like Ian's have strict rules of engagement, such that third parties cannot pitch their investments to club members. New members must confirm they have no connection to investment sponsors.

Members must sign a strict confidentiality agreement, and investors cannot share information outside of the group. Violation of the contract can result in ejection from the club and vigorous litigation.

Example Portfolio

Ian's personal alternative investment and real estate portfolio provides useful insight into the nature of these investments. His conservative core approach delivered a 41.32% return from June 2021 to May 2022.

Over this period, non-debt residential and multifamily residential represented almost 75% of his portfolio. In addition, Ian increased his investment in multifamily real estate by 40% over the previous period.

Family Office Club

Family Office Club is headed by Richard C. Wilson and now serves over 10,000 investors. Its sister company is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) named Centimillionaire Advisors.

The club counts more than 7,500 registered ultra-wealthy families and family offices among its community and hosts 30+ in-person events each year.

The club offers several charter membership tiers, ranging from an entry-level virtual membership up to a top-tier corporate VIP membership, with current pricing listed on its site.

Richard also heads up InvestorClub.com, which private investors can join. Asset classes include royalties, profitable companies, and cash-flowing real estate. Angel investing and venture capital are excluded.

Joining InvestorClub.com is free, but there is a profit-sharing fee on net realized gains. The club's revenue model is "we make money only when you make money."

506 Investor Group

506 Investor Group is a nationwide community of accredited investors founded in 2015. It now has more than 3,500 members with a collective net worth of about $18 billion.

It bills itself as one of the original online investment communities built exclusively for accredited investors.

The group aims to share deal flow and due diligence on alternative investments. All deal flow originates from members: doctors, lawyers, engineers, business executives, full-time investors, and other professionals.

Prospective members complete a short online application and verify their accredited investor status; most applications are reviewed within a few business days.

A private investor club is worth considering if you are an accredited investor seeking lesser-known ways to diversify your portfolio and generate more passive income.

Private Investor Club FAQs

What is a private investor club?

It is a private community, online or in person, where accredited investors share off-platform deal flow, exchange due diligence, and negotiate better terms on alternative investments.

How do private investor clubs work?

Members source and vet deals together, using the group's combined buying power to secure reduced minimums and fees. Most are free to join, and many keep their discussions confidential through an NDA.

Do you have to be an accredited investor to join?

Most investor clubs limit membership to accredited investors and verify that status during the application process.

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