Episode 254 - From One Apartment to Thousands: Sergii Starostin’s Co-Living Growth Playbook

Aug 20, 2025

52:00

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What if you could turn one rented apartment into a thriving 2,000-room co-living empire? In this episode of Invest2FI, Sergii Starostin shares his journey from working in healthcare in Ukraine to pioneering co-living operations in New York City. Discover how Sergii turned a single 6-bedroom rental into a scalable business model. He shares how he attracted investors, navigated complex regulations, and built systems to handle massive growth.

In this conversation, Sergii also talks about strategies for negotiating with landlords, building a strong team, resolving conflicts, and adapting during crises like COVID-19.

Whether you’re curious about co-living as an investment strategy or simply want practical, scalable property management insights, you’ll find plenty of actionable tips here. Sergii dives into the future of co-living, nationwide expansion plans, and how to create real pathways to homeownership for residents.

If you want to learn how to scale quickly while keeping risks low, this episode is a must-listen. It’s a masterclass in operational excellence and real estate entrepreneurship.

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS:

[03:57] Sergii’s background from Ukraine to U.S. real estate start

[06:58] Launching the first co-living apartment in New York in 2016

[09:40] Overcoming landlord objections with strong business planning

[14:42] Raising $100K–$150K per project with investor partnerships

[17:48] Scaling units rapidly through multi-property landlord deals

[21:41] Navigating severe COVID losses and landlord negotiations

[24:45] Converting leases to a management model for business survival

[26:48] Acquiring failed competitor portfolios during market downturn

[29:31] Systems to maintain tenant satisfaction and cleanliness

[33:15] Managing conflicts and enforcing house rules effectively

[37:19] Team structure: sales, operations, customer service, tech, finance