Nico is a neighbourhood investment company that makes it possible for people who love their neighbourhood to build a long-term financial stake in their community by investing in local real estate. We started Nico because too many people are left out of earning wealth created within their own neighbourhoods. Nico changes that by radically lowering the threshold for owning an interest in local real estate. Our mission is to localize wealth creation and broaden access to neighbourhood equity. Initially, we’ll do that with the launch of Nico Echo Park—the world’s first Neighborhood REIT. A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a type of company that owns a portfolio of income-producing properties that people can become shareholders in. A Neighborhood REIT means all properties owned are located in a specific neighbourhood—in this case, in and around Echo Park, a vibrant and dynamic neighbourhood near downtown Los Angeles.