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

Tipping Point, Wie kleine Dinge Großes bewirken können - Malcom Gladwell | Buch 43