Podcast
The Co-Living Show
Hosted by Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain · EN
Co-living is one of the most misunderstood, and highest-potential, strategies in residential real estate investing. Most investors hear the buzzwords, see the cash-flow claims, and immediately assume it’s either too risky, too operationally intense, or too complicated to scale. The truth is simpler: coliving work exceptionally well when built on systems, governed by operational clarity, and executed like a real business, not a side hustle. The Co-Living Show exists to make that clarity accessible for serious professionals who want smarter returns without gambling on guesswork.
Hosted by BiggerPockets authors Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain, The Co-Living Show goes far beyond surface-level real estate content. This is the only real estate investing podcast dedicated exclusively to the economics, operations, regulations, and strategic frameworks that drive high-density co-living and shared housing at scale. Whether you’re new to the model or a high-earning, time-poor professional seeking exposure to a sophisticated cash-flow real estate strategy without becoming an operator, this show delivers the confidence, understanding, and insight needed to invest intelligently.
Each episode takes you inside the real-world systems behind co-living performance. You’ll hear from operators running multi-market portfolios, attorneys specializing in zoning and compliance, designers who understand space optimization and profitability, lenders financing room-by-room rental strategies, and property managers and city officials shaping the future of affordable housing innovation. You’ll also hear from the Co-Living Cash Flow Community, everyday investors solving operational challenges and executing the exact frameworks discussed on the show.
👉 Join the community: www.millermcswain.com/community
There is no fluff here. No hype. No motivational noise. Every conversation is grounded in data, regulatory insight, operational logic, and investor-level clarity. Co-living is not “passive income.” It’s not a shortcut. It’s a system. And systems — when executed correctly — produce scalable, predictable returns that outperform traditional rental models. This is not speculative theory. It’s cash-flow real estate strategy in action.
Craig brings acquisitions, underwriting, and market strategy. Miller brings operations, pricing systems, and standardization frameworks that make coliving scalable. Together, they deliver an operator’s perspective of an asset class most investors only see from the outside. As BiggerPockets authors, educators, and practitioners, they simplify complexity without diluting truth: coliving works, but only when done correctly.
You’ll hear underwriting breakdowns, operator case studies, deal teardowns, regulatory realities, tenant strategy, market analysis, and the economic logic behind high-density residential investing. You’ll learn how to invest passively, partner with ...
25episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
EP 14 - PadSplit vs. Self-Management: The Great Co-Living Debate
1w ago01:07:04Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain sit down with co-living investor Travis Schwartz to talk about one of the biggest debates in the co-living space: Should you self-manage your rooms, or use a platform like PadSplit?Travis brings a unique perspective. After starting out by building his own systems, managing leads, and filling rooms himself, he eventually moved his portfolio onto PadSplit. That decision helped him simplify operations, cut down on manual lead management, and shift his focus back to acquisitions.And the results were significant.Travis bought 12 co-living houses in one year, mostly in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, using a strategy built around high cash flow, aggressive renovations, and long-term holds.Craig and Miller challenge Travis on the tradeoffs of PadSplit, including fees, platform risk, saturation, and whether it still makes sense at scale. Travis also shares what he has learned from renovations, appraisals, permits, tenant retention, and building software for PadSplit hosts through PadPulse.In this episode, we discuss: How Travis got into co-living after years as an entrepreneur Why he bought three houses at once when he started His target of under $40,000 per finished room Why he focuses on cash flow more than short-term equity The hidden risk of negative equity in co-living renovations How PadSplit changed his operations The pros and cons of relying on a third-party platform Why some markets become saturated faster than others How to think about amenities, pricing, and tenant retention Why offering a discount to a good resident can be cheaper than turnover What Travis is building with PadPulse His long-term vision for co-living and private equity Connect with Travis: PadPulse: padpulse.io Email: travis@padpulse.ioLinkedIn: Travis SchwartzFollow the hosts: Miller McSwain: www.instagram.com/millermcswain Craig Curelop: www.instagram.com/craigcurelopJoin the free Co-Living Community: www.millermcswain.com/communityIf you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating and review, and share it with another investor who is trying to scale their co-living portfolio.
Transcribe →EP 13 - Invoice Authorization: The Co-Living Buyer's Secret Weapon
2w ago00:35:25Tap to summarizeMatt Osman is back... and this time we're going deep on one tool that can dramatically reduce the cash you bring to a co-living acquisition: the invoice authorization.In simple terms, it's an addendum where the seller agrees to pay your contractor directly at closing. Done right, it lets you fold renovation costs into your loan, keep the seller whole, satisfy the lender, and walk into a co-living-ready property with a fraction of the out-of-pocket spend.Matt shares real examples (including a $100K invoice authorization on one deal), the front-end vs. back-end negotiation playbook, how to position it with listing agents, and why the appraisal is the linchpin of the whole strategy.Connect with Matt: Email: matt@investslb.com Ask about the Co-Living Agent AcceleratorFollow Us: Miller - www.instagram.com/millermcswainCraig - www.instagram.com/craigcurelopIf you got value from this one, share it with an investor who's about to close on a co-living property, it might save them five figures.
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EP 12 - From Gray Area to Real Coverage: Fixing Co-Living Insurance
3w ago01:06:38Tap to summarizeThe Co-Living Insurance Gap (and How to Fix It) | ft. Matthew OsmanCo-living is growing fast—but insurance hasn’t caught up.In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Osman, a co-living realtor and operator who’s been working on one of the most overlooked risks in the space: improper insurance coverage.Most operators assume they’re covered under standard landlord policies. But once you go beyond 4 unrelated tenants, you may be operating in a gray area, or worse, completely exposed.We break down what’s really happening behind the scenes and what you should be doing instead.What We Cover: Why co-living doesn’t fit traditional insurance models The risk of having 5+ unrelated tenants under one policy Common scenarios where claims get delayed or denied How commercial-style co-living insurance works When to switch from landlord policy to co-living coverage How to think about insurance as you scale your portfolio Why This Matters:If you’re making co-living-level income, you need co-living-level protection. This episode gives you a clearer path to protecting both your property and your business.🔗 Resources & Links Join the Co-Living Community: https://millermcswain.com/community Co-Living Pro: https://colivingpro.io📲 Connect with Us Miller McSwain: https://www.instagram.com/millermcswain Craig Curelop: https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelopIf you found this helpful, share it with another operator. This is one of those topics most people don’t think about, until it’s too late.
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EP 11 - From 0 to 600+ Rooms: How Franco Scaled Co-Living Across the U.S.
4w ago00:58:20Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Co-Living Show, we sit down with Franco Montano, a seasoned operator managing 600+ co-living rooms (and owning 150+ himself), to break down what it actually takes to scale a co-living portfolio.Franco shares how he transitioned from running a 42-location T-Mobile business with 750 employees into real estate—and why co-living became his highest ROI strategy.If you’re serious about building a cash-flowing co-living portfolio, this episode is packed with real-world insights you won’t hear anywhere else.🔑 What You’ll Learn:How Franco scaled to 600+ rooms under managementWhy co-living works even in expensive markets (remote investing strategy)The truth about tenant demand, pricing, and vacancy cyclesHow to structure leases to avoid winter vacanciesWhy most operators fail due to poor underwriting (not operations)Franco’s remodel strategy (including converting homes for under $10K)The biggest mistakes new co-living investors makeHow to build systems and teams to scale beyond 20+ roomsWhy affordable, safe, and clean housing beats fancy amenitiesReal talk on tenant screening, evictions, and long-term retention🧠 Key Takeaway:Co-living isn’t complicated because of tenants,It’s complicated because of systems, operations, and scaling.Master those, and the upside is massive.🔗 Connect with Franco:📧 Email: Franco@highestmanagement.com🌐 Website: highestmanagement.com🔗 Connect with Us:📸 Miller McSwain: https://www.instagram.com/millermcswain 📸 Craig Curelop: https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelop💬 Join The Co-Living Community:https://millermcswain.com/community🚀 Resources Mentioned:👉 CoLiving Pro (Marketing + Pricing Tool): https://www.colivingpro.ioIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with another investor looking to scale in co-living.
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EP 10 - The Co-Living Lending Playbook: How Smart Investors Structure Deals (Most Miss This)
Apr 1501:06:15Tap to summarizeThe Co-Living Lending Playbook: How Smart Investors Structure DealsFinancing is the part of co-living that most investors underestimate… until a deal almost falls apart.In this episode of The Co-Living Show, Miller McSwain and Craig Curelop sit down with Jessica Khani, a top 1% loan originator and real estate investor who has helped structure and close a large portion of their portfolio. They break down what actually happens behind the scenes of getting deals funded—and why the right lender is often the difference between scaling and getting stuck.This is not theory. These are real stories, real deals, and real mistakes.🔑 What You’ll Learn: Why co-living financing is different from traditional real estate How to choose the right lender (and what questions to ask) Conventional vs FHA vs DSCR loans explained simply Why “shopping for the lowest rate” can cost you deals Creative financing strategies (interest-only, seller concessions, etc.) Real stories of deals nearly falling apart—and how they were saved 🔗 Connect with Us Miller McSwain → https://www.instagram.com/millermcswain Craig Curelop → https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelop Jessica Khani → https://www.instagram.com/homeswithjessicakhani/💬 Join the CommunityWant help with your next deal or financing strategy?Join The Co-Living Community to connect with other operators and get real feedback.⭐ If You Found This ValuableShare this episode with another investor and leave a review, it helps us reach more operators.
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EP 9 - How Alfredo Scaled to 800 Co-Living Doors in 12 Months (Systems, Ops & Strategy)
Apr 901:08:28Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Co-Living Show, Miller McSwain and Craig Curelop sit down with Alfredo Goytia, a co-living operator who scaled from 0 to 800 doors in just 12 months.This is not theory—this is real-world execution.Alfredo breaks down exactly how he built a high-performance co-living operation, including: The systems required to scale from small portfolios to hundreds of doors Why co-living operations are more about processes than properties How automation and tech replace traditional property management models The biggest mistakes operators make when trying to scale Why managing 8 tenants vs 800 tenants comes down to systems—not complexity We also dive into: Transitioning from traditional rentals to co-living Property management software and tools for scaling Lead flow, tenant communication, and operational bottlenecks The mindset shift required to operate at scale If you're serious about co-living investing, scaling rental portfolios, or building systems-driven real estate businesses, this is one of the most tactical episodes we’ve ever recorded.As Alfredo shares, scaling isn’t about doing more work, it’s about building better systems. 📲 Connect with the hosts & guest: Miller McSwain: https://www.instagram.com/millermcswain Craig Curelop: https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelop Alfredo Goytia: https://www.instagram.com/fredofyre
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EP 8 - Co-Living Operations Explained: Lessons from Managing 400+ Rooms
Apr 201:11:22Tap to summarizeScaling a co-living business isn’t about buying more properties.It’s about building systems that actually work.In this episode of The Co-Living Show, Miller McSwain and Craig Curelop sit down with Dave Edwards—an experienced co-living operator who has managed over 400 rooms—to break down the real operational systems behind scaling co-living rentals successfully.If you’re a real estate investor, house hacker, or co-living operator trying to increase cash flow, improve occupancy, and streamline property management, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to run co-living at scale.🚀 What You’ll Learn About Co-Living Investing: How to scale a co-living business from 1 property to hundreds of rooms The exact systems used to manage 400+ co-living units efficiently Common mistakes new co-living investors make (and how to avoid them) How to design your property and operations for long-term scalability The best lock systems, tenant management workflows, and maintenance processes Why most co-living operators struggle with operations—and how to fix it How to think like a professional operator, even with your first deal 🧠 Why This Episode Matters:Most real estate investors focus on acquisitions. But in co-living, operations determine your profit.Dave shares lessons learned from managing hundreds of tenants, testing multiple systems, and refining processes over time—so you don’t have to learn everything the hard way.This episode is especially valuable if you’re: Scaling beyond your first co-living property Struggling with tenant management or turnover Trying to increase occupancy and rental income Looking to build a repeatable co-living system 💡 Key Takeaway:You don’t need 400 rooms to build scalable systems. But you do need to think like someone who does.🔗 Connect with the Hosts:Miller McSwain (Co-Living Investor | Author of Co-Living Cash Flow) 👉 https://www.instagram.com/millermcswainCraig Curelop (Real Estate Investor | Author of The House Hacking Strategy) 👉 https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelop🎙 About the Guest:Dave Edwards is a co-living operator based in Houston who has managed 400+ rooms and built scalable systems for operations, tenant management, and property optimization.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djedwards83/📘 Resources for Co-Living Investors: Get the book: Co-Living Cash Flow (https://millermcswain.com/book/) Join the Co-Living Community (Facebook Group) 👉 https://millermcswain.com/community/⭐ Enjoying The Co-Living Show?If this episode helped you: Follow the show Leave a 5-star review Share it with another investor
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EP 7 - From $400K Loss to Millions: The Co-Living Lending Comeback Story
Mar 2501:13:48Tap to summarizeFrom $400K Loss to Lending Millions: The Co-Living Comeback StoryIn this episode, we’re joined by Fernando Corona, a co-living lender who’s helped investors close hundreds of deals—and built his business after losing over $400,000.We break down the real path to success in co-living: failure, resilience, and learning how to solve problems most investors avoid.Fernando shares how he: Went from zero income to owning multiple co-living properties Built a lending business by solving his own financing problems Uses creative loan strategies to help investors scale faster We also dive into: DSCR loans vs. bank statement loans Financing renovations into your purchase Why most investors misunderstand risk How to think like an operator, not just an investor 👥 Connect with the Hosts & Guest:Miller McSwain: https://www.instagram.com/millermcswain/ Craig Curelop: https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelop/ Fernando Corona: https://www.instagram.com/itsfernandocorona/🔔 Subscribe & Follow:Follow The Co-Living Show for weekly episodes covering: Deal analysis Operations & systems Financing strategies Real stories from active operators If this episode helped you, share it with someone who’s trying to get their first (or next) co-living deal.
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EP 6 - The Co-Living Operator’s Secret Weapon: Systems, Automation, and Scale
Mar 1800:54:23Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Co-Living Show, Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain are joined by Jordan Smith, a co-living operator who has built a 30-bedroom portfolio with a strong focus on systems, automation, and operational efficiency.Jordan breaks down how he got started with his first house hack, what the numbers looked like on that first deal, and how his background in management consulting shaped the way he now runs his portfolio. The conversation covers lead generation, pre-screening, automations, communication systems, maintenance workflows, tenant issues, and the operational mindset required to scale co-living well.They also discuss why co-living should be treated like a real business, not just a real estate strategy, and why investors need to think carefully about return on equity as they grow.If you want a more practical look at what it takes to build a sustainable co-living operation, this episode is for you.Connect with the hosts: Miller McSwain: www.instagram.com/millermcswain Craig Curelop: www.instagram.com/craigcurelopConnect with Jordan Smith: Instagram: www.instagram.com/smith.t.jordan
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EP 5 - How Clara Scaled Co-Living to 160 Rooms in 2.5 Years Without Ads
Mar 1100:55:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Co-Living Show, Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain are joined by co-living pioneer Clara Arroyave, who scaled a 160-room co-living portfolio generating nearly $2M annually using the arbitrage model.Clara shares how she filled rooms without paid marketing by partnering directly with employers, universities, and HR departments, how her portfolio grew rapidly in Boston, and what ultimately happened when COVID disrupted the arbitrage model.She also explains the lessons she learned from scaling quickly, why arbitrage shouldn’t be your long-term strategy, and how she’s now focused on purpose-built co-living developments.Topics covered include:• Building a 160-room co-living portfolio• Filling rooms through employer and university partnerships• The risks of the arbitrage model• Designing co-living properties that maximize occupancy• Why private bathrooms increase tenant retention• The future of co-living housingIf you're investing in co-living, house hacking, or room-by-room rentals, this episode provides real insights from someone who has operated at scale.Follow the hosts and guest:Craig Curelop – https://instagram.com/craigcurelopMiller McSwain – https://instagram.com/millermcswainClara Arroyave – https://instagram.com/lifeisrocknroll
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