Episode 241 - From $10K in a Living Room to $42M Co-Living Empire – Clara Arroyave’s Comeback Story

Can a $10K summer Airbnb hustle turn into a $42 million real estate empire? In this episode of Invest2FI, Craig Curelop is with Clara Arroyave, a pioneer in co-living and founder of ColivingCashflow.com. Clara reveals how she scaled from renting out a living room to managing 160+ co-living rooms, then lost it all during COVID—and how she’s now rebuilding with even greater momentum.  

You’ll hear her strategies on arbitrage, multi-family conversions, B2B tenant acquisition, and startup-style fundraising. This is a must-listen for real estate investors who want to grow fast, pivot through crisis, and make impact-driven housing decisions. If you’re passionate about co-living, affordable rentals, or multifamily investing—Clara’s resilience and insights will blow your mind.

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
[04:29] Clara shares how she earned $10K from a living room Airbnb
[07:35] First startup matched new residents with realtors open to no SSN
[08:38] Built B2B network with HR and university housing contacts
[10:37] Launched PlaceMe in 2016 to rent units as co-living spaces
[16:01] Zero ad spend: How she filled units using B2B referrals
[24:29] Raising money using SAFE agreements like a tech startup
[30:29] Why Clara believes co-living can't be replaced by AI
[32:34] COVID dropped occupancy from 95% to 40% in weeks
[33:49] Clara negotiates lease terminations to avoid full collapse
[34:15] Clara explains 30–36% rent boost from bedroom density in Boston
[35:18] Joined investment bank to learn high-level capital raising
[40:28] Discusses triple-decker conversions for scalable cash flow
[48:35] Boston’s housing shortage and her plan to add 50K units
[49:51] Why Clara is always near a Metallica concert
[50:50] Final advice: Stay authentic, focus on strengths, solve real problems
[51:50] Invitation to co-living conference and personal investor network

HOST
Craig Curelop    
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefiguy
📘 Book: https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/the-house-hacking-strategy
🏘️ Buy Real Estate: https://bit.ly/3V3QDze

🎟️ Co-Living Conference – June 6–7, 2025:  https://co-livingconference.com
Promo Code: ILOVECRAIG for $200 discounted ticket

GUEST
Clara Arroyave
🌐 Website: https://colivingcashflow.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeisrocknroll/
🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claraarroyave/