In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, Taylor sits down with Nate Klatt — CPA, former startup operator, and co-founder of HomeHop — to break down how he went from flipping houses with thin margins to building a short-term rental portfolio, launching a property management company, and raising STR investment funds.
Nate shares the real behind-the-scenes of scaling: why conservative underwriting matters when you’re taking friends-and-family money, how they structured investor returns, what changed once they brought in real design, and why they’re shifting toward bigger homes and higher-end amenities in their next fund.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Nate’s path from Michigan State football + CPA to real estate entrepreneur
- The biggest mistakes (and lessons) from their first flips
- Why they stopped chasing cheap renovations and started building properties people fall in love with
- How promissory notes helped them scale early — and why they eventually launched a fund
- The exact structure they used: preferred return, margins, and staying conservative on projections
- What it takes to build a real property management operation (tools, SOPs, and hiring VAs)
- Why larger homes and “hero amenities” are becoming the clearest path to outperforming in today’s market
- Where HomeHop is headed next: expansion decisions, fund strategy, and growth over the next 12–24 months
Connect with Nate:
LinkedIn: Nate Klatt
Website: homehop.com
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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search
STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 325+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com
