Tax FAQ

  • Guiker is a Propsharing investment platform that empowers people to invest in properties like they would stocks. Propsharing is a new type of investment vehicle that allows anyone to participate in the benefits of investing in real estate.

  • Propsharing splits a property into fractional units that can be purchased via guiker.com. Propsharing removes the high upfront costs of investing in real estate and simplifies the process of owning property so that anyone can be a real estate investor.

  • Traditional real estate investment usually involves significant upfront costs and the complexities of property management. Propsharing with Guiker removes these barriers, allowing anyone to become a real estate investor without the heavy initial financial commitments.

    In addition to reducing upfront costs, Propsharing has many other advantages:

    • Flexibility: Propsharing delivers the financial advantages of traditional ownership, like access to low-cost leverage to make your money go farther, regular rental income and property appreciation, without getting locked into a 30-year mortgage.

    • Limited downside: Since investors are limited partners, their downside is limited to what they invest.

    • Professional Management: Investors benefit from expert management that handles all property-related tasks, like leasing, rent collection, paperwork, and maintenance.

    • Regulated: Guiker is fully regulated and subject to Canadian Securities laws. Before you invest, make sure to double-check!

    Learn more about the differences between Propsharing and real estate here.

  • Yes! Guiker’s wholly-owned subsidiary Willow RET Financial Services Inc. is regulated by the Ontario Securities Commission—the first real estate investment platform in Canada to have received OSC approval to offer real estate as fractional securities. Willow RET Financial Services Inc. is registered in every province and territory in Canada.

  • Guiker makes investing in rental properties simple for anyone.

    1. First, Signup and fill out your account details.

    2. Browse Opportunities: Explore full ownership or Propsharing opportunities by browsing pre-vetted properties based on their investment potential and ability to deliver returns through rental income and capital appreciation.

    3. Invest: Fund your purchase by connecting your bank account and signing the necessary documentation to own shares in the selected properties.

    4. Earn Income: Once ownership is complete, start earning income from future rental payments and track your total investment balance on the summary page.

    Guiker will take care of all the operational logistics of managing the properties: including working with tenants, managing any maintenance needs, and keeping track of accounting, insurance, and annual tax returns.

  • There are two main ways you can make money on Guiker:

    Rental profits, in the form of dividends which are paid out every quarter.

    Property appreciation, which is realized when the property is sold.

  • With Propsharing, users find professionally sourced and managed properties on the Guiker platform, and the legal ownership is standardized and split into 100,000 units per property.

    Crowdfunding limits the total amount raised to $1.5 million, meaning the best investment properties are unavailable. Crowdfunding also limits the amount an individual can invest in a single property to a max of $2,500, limiting potential upside.

  • Full control over the properties you invest in: Guiker enables clients to choose the specific properties they want to invest in and create custom portfolios based on those choices. You pick the properties based on asset type, strategy, and location, giving you 100% confidence in where your money is invested.

    Transparency into the costs and earning potential of each investment: By investing with Guiker, you gain insight into the costs and management efficiencies/inefficiencies of each property, helping you make more informed investment decisions.

    Tax efficiencies: Guiker is more tax-efficient than REITs, saving you half the tax by being charged Capital Gains tax versus Income tax on the income generated from your investments.

  • There are no built-in investment limits in Propsharing. Guiker is regulated by the same organizations who oversee other types of securities trading, like stocks and bonds. Prior to investing, potential investors must complete a questionnaire to determine their qualifications as investors. Guiker also conducts a suitability assessment which assigns an investment limit tailored to each investor’s goals and risk tolerance.

    More information about the different types of investors can be found in the FAQ below.

FAQs

Want to learn more about Propsharing? Check it out here.

  • Guiker manages a Limited Partnership with a unique series for each property consisting of 100,000 units. This isolates the risk and returns to each property. Guiker is the General Partner, similar to executive management in a company, and manages the partnership.

  • Guiker has an experienced acquisitions team whose market knowledge is informed by the thousands of units rented and managed through Guiker every year. This gives us a unique ability to source the best deals, which are often off market

    We conduct thorough due diligence on every property, including appraisals, physical inspections, interviews with tenants, contract reviews, and location and financial analyses.

    Once an attractive market and property have been determined and negotiated at an attractive price with the seller, Guiker signs a conditional sale agreement. Guiker then conducts additional due diligence on the property before listing it on the platform for reservations.

  • Simply visit www.guiker.com and fill out an investor profile. Our compliance and investment teams will review your financial profile and investment goals before approving and providing recommendations.

  • We'll be looking for things like:

    • Name, address, and other contact information

    • Current employment and history

    • Investment experience

    • Investment goals and timelines

  • In Canada, investors can qualify as either an Accredited investor, an Eligible investor, or a Non-Eligible investor.

    Accredited Investors can invest any amount

    Eligible Investors can invest up to $100,000 per year

    Non-eligible Investors can invest up to $10,000 per year

    To qualify as Accredited or Eligible, investors must meet the criteria specified by the Ontario Securities Commission.

  • The Ontario Securities commission defines Accredited and Eligible investors as the following:

    Accredited investors must meet at least one of the below criteria:

    • Net income before taxes of more than $200,000 in each of the two most recent calendar years and expected net income of more than $200,000 in the current calendar year.

    • Net income before taxes combined with a spouse of more than $300,000 in each of the two most recent calendar years and expected combined net income of more than $300,000 in the current calendar year.

    • Financial assets, alone or with a spouse, of at least $1 million before taxes but net of related liabilities. Financial assets include cash and bank deposits but not the value of a house.

    • Net assets, alone or with a spouse of at least $5 million. Net assets generally include all of your assets after subtracting your debt.

    Eligible investors must meet at least one of the below criteria:

    • Net assets, alone or with a spouse, exceeding $400,000.

    • Net income before tax exceeding $75,000 in the previous two calendar years, with an expectation to exceed that level in the current year.

    • Net income, alone or with a spouse, exceeding $125,000 in the previous two calendar years, with an expectation to exceed that level in the current year.

  • Guiker's unique market advantage is our completely integrated rental and investment ecosystem. We know first-hand the high costs associated with unhappy tenants or mismanaged properties and know that the way to maximize returns for investors is to be responsible managers and good landlords.

  • Most Propsharing companies contract out to third-party managers to handle the day-to-day operations of their fractional investment listings - things like rent collection, paperwork, and repairs. This not only means higher costs to investors, but it also reduces transparency into the costs that impact investor returns.

    Here are some of the advantages of Guiker’s unique structure:

    Access to the best opportunities: We use our first-hand insight into the costs and earning potential associated with the properties that we lease and manage to source deals with significant upside. Many of the deals we offer to investors are off market, which means they are at their peak earning potential.

    Increased transparency: By removing third parties we’re able to offer investors increased transparency into the costs and management decisions that affect their returns.

    Better management efficiencies: Years of management experience combined with our proprietary technology means we don’t have to compromise on quality and can deliver a more efficient management experience for investors and tenants.

  • In most cases, yes. We typically acquire buildings that are occupied and generate steady monthly income.

  • At the time of acquisition, most Guiker properties are already generating rental income with paying tenants.

    The rental application process includes employment and income verification, rental history, and credit report and background checks.

  • Guiker's experience leasing thousands of properties every year gives us unique insights into the ideal market rent for properties in the markets in which we operate. This results in less vacancies and higher potential return. Our market rent is priced to match the quality of the property and stay competitive to comparable properties in the area.

  • Clients participate in financial ownership only. There are no occupation rights. Although, if you’re a tenant in a Guiker property, we would encourage you to buy some of the property to save on rent.

  • Guiker has insurance on every property. Clients can be reassured that in significant loss scenarios insurance coverage will be triggered.

    If minor repairs are needed, such as a new toilet or fridge, these costs would come out as monthly expenses from the monthly revenue. If the monthly expenses are more than the rent generated, those costs would be covered by the cash reserve for each property. When the cash reserve has been depleted, the monthly rental payments will go toward replenishing it before any dividends are paid. The target cash reserve amount is posted on each property.

  • No. All expenses and liabilities fall on the partnership, and clients cannot lose more money than they invest. Guiker, as the General Partner, assumes any additional risk on behalf of the partnership.

  • All of our clients’ cash and investments are separate from Guiker’s operations and are subject to creditor protection. All cash is held in in-trust accounts at Canadian financial institutions. All cash would remain accessible, and your ownership of properties would not be impacted.

  • No. Guiker is responsible for managing each property.

  • No. Investors have no property management responsibilities. Guiker handles property selection, purchase, renovation, tenant placement, and maintenance, allowing investors to earn income from rent payments with minimal effort.

  • Part of our due diligence process before adding a property to our portfolio is conducting a review of who’s living in or occupying the spaces. Each property has a cash reserve to fund the gaps between vacancies. Guiker’s years of leasing experience contributes to our ability to find qualified tenants quickly and maintain high returns for investors.

  • When we acquire a building, we determine a defined life span for it on our platform that may range from 1 to 15 years. While it is on the platform, its units can be traded freely. When a target sale date has been reached, trading will be paused. The property will be delisted as we go to market and find a buyer.

    When the building is sold, each investor will receive payment from the profits that is proportional to their unit ownership, e.g., an investor who owns 1% will receive 1% of the proceeds as cash into their Guiker account.

    It’s important to note that 100% of every sale goes back to our clients. There are no performance fees.

  • Each property has a unique anticipated hold period, but we typically estimate a timeline of 7-10 years.

    The determination of when to sell a property is made based on a series of relevant factors, including the prevailing and projected economic conditions, whether the property is anticipated to appreciate or decline substantially, and how any existing lease may impact the sales price we may receive.

  • Guiker strives to give investors the opportunity to build wealth through real estate and historically, real estate returns have been maximized when treated as a long-term investment over multiple years. As a result we have designed the Guiker platform and our products for investors who are looking to build wealth over the long term. We do not recommend Guiker for investors that wish to hold their investment for days, weeks or even months.

    Guiker's preference for long-term investments in real estate is driven by the stability and wealth-building advantages it offers. This approach ensures consistent returns, minimizes transaction costs, and effectively navigates market cycles for optimal results.

  • Although our goal is to stay as true to our initial timelines as possible, if we feel the market is mispriced as the target sell date approaches, we may delay selling the property until we think the market is fairly pricing the asset. However, this would be rare and depend on extenuating circumstances. If that happened, we would set a new target date and share it with all clients.

  • We maximize liquidity for our clients by having a target sell date. Clients can have peace of mind knowing that they won’t be locked into an investment indefinitely. This also ensures properties are priced accurately on the market.

  • Overall market forces dictate the value of a unit. Guiker assesses the property based on numerous factors, including recent appraisals, demand for the property, outstanding mortgage balance, cash reserves, and overall market conditions.

  • Your entire investment will go toward the property minus the fees. Guiker does not take any percentage of the profits.

  • Rental profits are typically distributed to investors quarterly. Amounts may vary due to expenses, and vacancies. Amounts are deposited into clients’ Guiker wallet where they can be withdrawn or re-invested.

  • Distributions are deposited into clients’ Guiker wallet. These funds can be used to invest in other units or transferred to their personal bank account.

  • We anticipate filing a secondary trading market, however there can be no guarantee if/when that will be available.

  • If the closing date comes and not all of the equity has been raised, Guiker may secure the balance and sell off the remaining units after the acquisition. If Guiker chooses not to back-stop the acquisition of a property due to a lack of client interest, any of the clients who contributed to that property will receive a full refund.

  • Guiker’s primary focus is on income-producing residential, office, and retail properties. As we grow, we hope to broaden the types of properties available.

  • Our clients can expect to have access to properties across Canada. Over time we will offer international properties as well.

  • For international investors, book a call with us to determine your eligibility. Email us at invest@Guiker.com to get in contact with one of our team members.

  • Yes, there is risk to any type of investment. However, unlike direct investment in real estate, Guiker clients cannot lose more than they invested. Guiker clients can also be assured that an experienced acquisitions team and seasoned investment committee conduct thorough analysis of every property to ensure a sound investment.

  • Yes, but we have some of the lowest fees in the real estate industry. Guiker has a simple and transparent fee structure:

    • $4.99 transaction fees + $0.65 HST (about 99.9% less than traditional selling fees)

    • 2% asset management fee

    • 1% one-time property acquisition fee for each new property on the platform.

    • 0% performance fee (meaning our clients earn 100% of any property appreciation on top of the income generated)

  • Transaction fees are charged on each transaction on the platform.

    • The 5% property management fee is charged on the amount of rental income for the property and is deducted monthly.

    • The 1% property acquisition fee is built into the cost of the units, so no additional fee is taken from your investment.

    • The 2% asset management fee is charged annually

  • Our asset management fee (2%) is based on the value of the equity invested in each property. Many of our properties are partially funded by a mortgage, so the value of equity invested will always be less than the Net Asset Value of the property

    Guiker’s MERs reflect the fees in relation to the equity portion of an investment.

    For example, a property on Guiker with a 50% mortgage, would have an MER of about 1%. This will be slightly lower for properties with a lower mortgage ratio, and slightly higher for ones with a higher mortgage ratio.

    By comparison, average MERs for mutual funds in Canada are approximately 2.25%, and fees for typical real estate investment are even higher.

    It’s important to note that Guiker does NOT charge performance fees. Our clients capture any appreciation in asset value on top of the monthly income generated from the rents.

  • Currently the property management fee is 5% of the gross rental income. Most third-party property managers charge 7-15%.

    Property managers may also charge one-time expenses for repairs, and maintenance.

  • No. Clients are not responsible for the mortgage on the properties, and their investments have no impact on their credit scores.

  • As long as prospective clients meet the age of majority, they are free to sign up. Guiker will conduct a suitability assessment with tailored limits based on their specific financial details entered during the onboarding questionnaire.

  • We want to make sure people who are investing on our platform are using Guiker in a way that is appropriate and advantageous for their individual circumstances.

    Much like other registered investment platforms, we look at a number of factors to ensure we accept clients who are in the right position to invest on Guiker, including:

    • Overall net worth

    • Risk appetite

    • Investment knowledge and experience

    These factors help us determine the threshold of purchases clients are authorized to make on Guiker. If a trade is viewed as unsuitable based on your profile, Guiker will advise that the action is not recommended. Our goal is to ensure our clients are well-informed about the risks inherent to investing in any industry.

  • Unlike other crowdfunding platforms, Guiker does not have a minimum or maximum funding requirement, as our investors come from different financial backgrounds and goals. Each property has a different price per unit, so this should be taken into consideration when adding funds to your Guiker wallet. But, you are free to fund your account in any amount you would like.

  • The quickest and easiest way to purchase investments on Guiker is to pay directly from your bank account. You can also fund your wallet from your bank account for a later purchase. We do not accept credit card payments.

  • No. We do not accept credit card payments.

  • When you sign up, you will receive detailed disclosures on the properties available for investment. On each property page, you'll find an offering memorandum providing extensive information on each property. You’ll also find a Limited Partner agreement, where you can review your rights as a Limited Partner. Throughout the duration of your investment, we keep clients informed through quarterly updates and any other changes.

  • An Offering Memorandum (OM) provides essential details about the investment opportunity, including its financials, and risks, allowing potential investors to make informed decisions. This document is crucial for transparency and compliance in private placements where securities are not publicly registered.

  • We are working to offer TFSA- and RRSP-eligible investments.

  • Absolutely. We have built bank-grade security to keep everything safe. Want to know more? Check out our blog for more info.

  • As with any investment, your jurisdiction’s tax laws will apply. Guiker will prepare all necessary documentation and guidance to help our clients file their taxes appropriately. We recommend you consult a tax professional to assess your specific circumstances.

    Guiker property distributions are considered Return of Capital, meaning they reduce the cost basis of your investment. When those units are sold, Capital Gains tax is applied to the sale price less the adjusted cost basis.

    For example, you bought $5,000 worth of units of 356 Queen Street West and received $1500 in distributions over 10 years, and then sold those units for $8,000. You would be taxed Capital Gains tax on $4500 (8,000 - 3500), which is then taxed 50% at your marginal tax rate.

    In contrast, with other real estate investment vehicles such as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), distributions are considered Income and are taxed at 100%. Meaning, if you made the same amount of profit with Guiker versus a REIT over that same 10-year period, you would pay half as much taxes with Guiker.

  • No. All purchases must take place on the Guiker platform. We determine whether we accept or fill trades.

Real Estate Investing Key Terms

  • IRR, or "Internal Rate of Return," is a key tool in real estate investment analysis. It helps investors figure out how profitable an investment might be over time by looking at the annual rate of return. Imagine you're planting money in a garden, and IRR helps you see how much your money will grow each year.

    In simple terms, IRR is like a special calculator. It helps you decide if a real estate investment is a good idea. It looks at how much money you put in at the start and how much you expect to get back later. If the IRR is high, it means the investment might make you a lot of money. But remember, IRR isn't the only thing to look at – sometimes, it's used together with other numbers to make smart investment choices.

  • Return on Investment, or ROI, is a way to figure out how much profit you've made from an investment compared to how much money you initially put in. It's like asking, "If I spent a certain amount, how much did I earn or lose?" The ROI formula is straightforward: divide the net gain (or loss) from your investment by the initial cost, then multiply by 100 to get a percentage. A higher percentage means a more profitable investment.

    Internal Rate of Return, or IRR, is a bit like looking at how well your investment performs over time. Imagine you're trying to find the "magic" interest rate that makes your future earnings balance out exactly with your initial investment. It considers not just how much you gain but when you gain it. If your investment's IRR is high, it suggests that it's not only making money but doing so in a way that considers the timing of those earnings. Unlike ROI, IRR is a bit more complex to calculate, often requiring specialized tools or software.

  • Capitalization Rate, or Cap Rate, is a percentage that shows how much money you'd make each year compared to the property's current market value.

    In simple terms, Cap Rate helps you understand the profitability of a property by dividing its annual net operating income (NOI) by its current market value. A higher Cap Rate generally indicates a potentially more profitable investment, but it doesn't consider financing or mortgage costs—think of it as a quick way to gauge the property's financial health.

  • The Loan-to-value (LTV) is a percentage that shows the relationship between the amount of money borrowed (the loan) and the appraised value of the property. For example, if you have a $180,000 loan on a $200,000 house, the LTV is 90% because the loan covers 90% of the home's value. LTV is important for lenders and borrowers alike – higher LTVs may mean more risk for the lender, and borrowers with lower LTVs may get better loan terms. It's a useful measure to understand how much equity (ownership) you have in a property and how much is financed.

  • In investing, a dividend is a payment made by a company to its shareholders. In fractional real estate investing, it refers to the income distributed to investors from a property's rental earnings. Investors receive a portion of this income based on their fractional ownership. The timing and amount of the payments will vary based on expenses (property tax, management costs, etc).

  • Levered:

    • Purchased with a mortgage

    • More volatile returns - appreciation potential is higher, but the risk of loss is higher

    Non levered:

    • Does not include a mortgage

    • Typically more stable, consistent, anticipated returns do not fluctuate as quickly

  • While investors own 100% equity, Guiker may use financing to maximize returns. Factors include property yield, interest rates, and predicted earnings volatility. Mortgages are non-recourse, ensuring no personal liability for investors.

  • The total purchase cost of a property is often higher than the initial property cost due to various additional expenses and fees associated with the real estate transaction. These additional costs can include but are not limited to: closing cost, offering cost, and holding cost.

    Closing Cost:

    Closing costs are fees paid by buyers and sellers near the end of a real estate deal. They cover expenses like taxes, insurance, title fees, and more, associated with transferring property ownership.

    Offering Cost:

    Offering costs are expenses sellers pay to market their property, including photography, staging, and ads, to attract potential buyers and achieve a successful sale.

    Holding Cost:

    Holding costs are expenses incurred by property owners over time, including mortgage interest, taxes, maintenance, and utilities. These costs are crucial for investors to factor into decisions about property ownership and potential returns.

  • Debt service percentage, or Debt Service Ratio (DSR), is a key measure in real estate and other industries. It gauges a property's ability to cover loan payments by comparing annual debt service to the property's annual income. A higher percentage can indicate higher debt burden, while a lower one suggests better financial health. Lenders use DSR to assess risk, and acceptable levels vary based on property type and market conditions.

  • Operating expenses associated with owning and running a real estate property include a range of costs required to maintain, operate, and manage the property. These expenses are essential for ensuring the property's functionality, safety, and overall value. Some typical operating expenses include:

    Property Management Fees: Compensation paid to property management companies or professionals for their services in overseeing day-to-day operations, tenant relations, maintenance, and administrative tasks.

    Utilities: Costs for electricity, water, gas, and other essential services necessary to keep the property habitable and functional.

    Maintenance and Repairs: Expenses for regular upkeep and repairs to maintain the property's condition, including routine maintenance, plumbing, electrical repairs, painting, and more.

    Reserve Funds: Funds set aside for future capital expenditures, such as roof replacements, HVAC upgrades, and major repairs, or to account for periods of vacancy.

    Property Taxes: Taxes levied by local governments on the property's assessed value, used to fund public services and infrastructure.

    Administrative Costs: Expenses for administrative tasks, including bookkeeping, legal fees, and accounting services.

    Advertising and Marketing: Costs associated with advertising vacant units and promoting the property to attract new tenants.

    HOA or Condo Fees: Fees paid to homeowners' associations (HOAs) or condominium associations for shared amenities, maintenance, and community services.

Tax FAQs for current investors

  • A T5013 is a tax form used in Canada for reporting partnership income. It is similar to the T4 slip for employees or the T5 slip for investment income, but it is specifically designed for partnerships, such as Willow LP. The form reports various types of income or deductions and other relevant information related to your investment in the partnership. Each partner in the partnership receives a T5013 slip from the partnership, which they use to report their share of the partnership's income or loss on their annual tax return.

  • The RL15 slips is the Quebec equivalent of the T5013 slip used for the Quebec portion of your tax return filing. It is only applicable to residents of Quebec.

  • When completing your tax return, you should add a T5013 slip to your tax return, similar to how you would add a T4 or T5 slip to your tax return. Add the T5013 slip to your tax return and input the figures from the slip into your tax software.

    For Quebec residents only, you should also add the RL15 slip information to your tax return and input the figures from the slip, similar to how you would for any other regular tax slip.

  • T5013: The information of each box is summarized on the second and third page of the tax slip provided to you. Enter the amount from the corresponding box on the form in your tax return. Some more detail is provided below:

    107: Limited partner’s rental loss. This is your share of the rental loss for tax purposes in the year based on the amount of investment you’ve made in either QSTW and/or RRDO. If the amount is a rental loss for the year, it will be applied as a tax deduction for you.

    105 &106: Limited partner's at-risk amount. The "at-risk amount" for a limited partner refers to the maximum amount of money that the partner stands to lose in the partnership. In other words, it represents the extent to which the partner's investment is at risk if the partnership were to incur losses or fail. This amount does not affect your taxes and is informational in nature only.

    117: Gross Canadian and foreign rental income. This is your proportionate share of the gross revenue of your investment in QSTW and/or RRDO.

  • RL15 (Quebec residents only):

    The information of each box is summarized on the second and third page of the tax slip provided to you. Enter the amount from the corresponding box on the form in your tax return. Some more detail is provided below:

    3: See box 107 of T5013

    26: See box 105 & 106 of T5013

    14: Gross revenue of the partnership. This amount does not affect your taxes and is informational in nature only.

    36: This is the percentage of the partnership’s total net loss that is attributable to you based on your ownership in QSTW and or RRDO. This amount does not affect your taxes and is informational in nature only.

    37: This is the total units you own in the partnership of QSTW and or RRDO. This amount does not affect your taxes and is informational in nature only

  • Partnerships have until March 31, annually to provide these slips to their investors.