INVEST2FI
Craig Curelop aka The FI Guy
Real estate is undoubtedly one of the most profitable and thriving industries out there - especially if you are looking to achieve financial independence! It offers a wide variety of ways to invest actively and passively. If you are new to real estate investing and FI, and seek the proper guidance from experts, you are in the right place. Welcome to Invest2FI, hosted by Craig Curelop. In this series, we talk with real-life house hackers, real estate (and other!) investors and real people on a mission to become financially independent. Not everybody enjoys working a 9-5 job. No one wants to be stuck in analysis-paralysis feeling unsure how to finally jump into real estate. We teach you how to exit the rat race and work on living the life you want. This is the show for beginners and learners who want to achieve financial freedom through real estate. Whether you want to increase your savings, optimize your expenses, or build a prospering income source, we have helpful solutions. We talk all the tips and tricks for making your very first purchase. We discuss how you can build your skills on this initial transaction to close better deals in the future. This is also a show for techie types who are passionate about crunching numbers and the digital side of operating business and investments. If you are drawn to financial independence, we'll enlighten you with grounded, practical strategies for achieving real estate success. Each of our guests offers creative and practical strategies to begin a real estate investing career. They break down every single investing tactic you can emulate yourself. Receive essential lessons from their experiences as they open up about their real estate journey. They reflect on the moments when they got lucky or proved their intelligence and offer their fair share of “horror” stories too. Guests embrace their vulnerabilities and speak about challenges and failures, explaining how to overcome or avoid them. There is no better host for this podcast that Craig Curelop. His is a living testaments of what you should aspire to be in this industry. Achieving financial independence in his twenties, he take pride in his first-hand experiences through every facet of real estate. Craig specializes in a unique style of real estate investing called house hacking. He literally wrote the book on it: The House Hacking Strategy. This method purchases multi-unit properties and rents them out by portion. Craig is also the lead broker of The FI Team. If you are stuck in an unfulfilling corporate job, let this show bring you far more rewarding opportunities. Craig is your guide to making a major career shift and becoming part of the exciting world of real estate. Do not feel discouraged by the towering paperwork and complex principles. Equip yourself with the right knowledge and strategies, and you are good to go! Whether you are starting an active or passive venture, the key in real estate is proper training and a constant desire for growth. Invest2FI fortifies your confidence and provides you with a smooth, clear path to success. Listen to the podcast today!
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 12, 2021 • 46min
Episode 33 - How To Focus On FI With House Hacker & Agent Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith was working as a consultant when he first discovered BiggerPockets in 2017. He started taking steps to get into real estate investing, but it was only when COVID hit that he really decided to focus on achieving FI—taking inspiration from Craig and Zeona (!).In this week’s episode, Jordan gives an overview of his foray into real estate investing, breaking down the numbers of his first property and the mistakes that he learned from. Stay tuned for great advice on your first house hack, curating your social media feeds to trick your brain into learning, and how to get your significant other involved.
May 5, 2021 • 57min
Episode 32 - Mom's House Comes First! Flipping & BRRRRing His Way To FI With Ernesto Hernandez
After encountering Mr. Money Mustache about a decade ago, Ernesto Hernandez shifted his priorities and investing interests. He left his W2 and through prudent financial management, was able to help his mom buy a house of her own, and is now flipping houses full-time and serving as an investor agent in the Bay Area.In this episode, Ernesto goes in-depth with his BRRRRs and how this strategy taught him about flipping. It hasn’t always been easy—he’s had to back out of deals, he’s had property managers who took off with his money and contractors who didn’t finish their jobs. But through it all, he has learned from his mistakes, improved his process and is building a successful portfolio while helping others do the same.Stay tuned until the end for solid tips on long-distance real estate investing, utilizing inspectors, and mitigating rehab risks from this man who has a lot of heart for his family - and quality tequila.
Apr 28, 2021 • 1h 5min
Episode 31 - Swimming, Brewing & Rapping His Way To FI With Matt Giovanisci
Today on the show, Craig and Zeona are joined by Matt Giovanisci—CEO of Swim University and Brew Cabin, website designer and developer, AND music producer! He used to be terrible with money but with a little help from his mom (!) and reading the usual suspects, he has achieved FI through pure creativity and good old-fashioned hustle. Real estate investing is only a fraction of what this guy is up to! Matt talks about his pool cleaning business-turned-digital-media-company and his year-long immersion in learning personal finance. He also dwells on his personal beliefs and his WHY.You don’t want to miss this exciting episode because this jack-of-all-trades explains why his decision to buy a condo was a bad one, how he paid off his credit card debt, and why it’s okay to not have hard and fast goals
Apr 21, 2021 • 52min
Episode 30 - FI Before FI Was A Thing! Buy & Hold Pays Off For Legendary Luc Nadeau
Some people are well on their way to FI before even realizing what it is, and Luc Nadeau was one of them! Through rentals and buy-and-hold, this jack-of-all-trades investor generated enough equity and passive income to retire at the age of 42!This week, Craig and Zeona sit down with Luc to talk about his real estate deals and how it got him out of debt, the advantages of DIY’ing rehabs and repairs, and how he eventually freed up some of his equity to invest in the stock market.Stick around to hear how Luc knows Mr. Money Mustache, how one can maintain a frugal lifestyle, and about his part-time job of building caskets (!).
Apr 14, 2021 • 41min
Episode 29 - How The Queen Of Short Term Rentals Rocks A Thriving Business With Avery Carl
After 3 corporate jobs, Avery Carl realized that she did not make a good employee! Her first foray into real estate catapulted her into short-term and vacation rentals, and The Short Term Shop was born! Thanks to her go-getter attitude, she has over 30 properties under her belt and was one of The Wall Street Journal’s Top 100 Agents in 2020.This week, Avery talks about her vacation home loan hack, the diversity of her rental portfolio, and her reasons for focusing on drive-to markets. Know more about how she built a successful team, her recruitment process, and her WHYs for pursuing real estate investing.
Apr 7, 2021 • 49min
Episode 28 - A Nomad's Unusual Road To FI With Location Indie Founder Jason Moore
Jason Moore had a $20,000 student debt and a dream to see the world, so he worked as a “glorified carny” and traveled all over the US and overseas—for over a decade! He eventually bought his first property and turned it into a rental for passive income. Now, he’s based in Norway with his wife and kids, helping others achieve that same location independent lifestyle he’s created.Whether you live on the road or at home, there are always going to be ups and downs so start living the life you want today. Tune in to get an idea of how you can build a business around the lifestyle you want (instead of the other way around!
Mar 31, 2021 • 52min
Episode 27 - How New FI Team Agent Ben Rhodin Got Started With Real Estate Investing
Today on the show, we welcome hustler, inspirational investor, and member of the FI Team, Ben Rhodin! He lost his W2 job because of COVID, but instead of taking it easy, he used his free time to get into real estate investing. He managed his parents’ rentals, learned about financing, closed his first property, renovated it, and got his license—all in 2020(!).From film school graduate to real estate agent, Ben is an example of someone who’s made the most of the hand he’s been dealt. He shares some of the lessons he’s learned from his parents and what he was able to do with a HELOC.
Mar 24, 2021 • 49min
Episode 26 – From New-To-The-Concept To Buying His First House Hack In ONE Week! With David Bandler
Thirty-year-old David Bandler discovered house hacking less than a year ago (in the middle of the pandemic!), and just one week later, he put in an offer for his first property! His story is a true testament to the power of going for it and how important it is to have the right mindset and the right allies in place to embrace this path to FI.In this week’s episode, he’ll talk about his process for vetting tenants, how he addressed unexpected house problems, and what living with roommates has been like. But not only that. Listen until the end to go deeper and learn how David reemerged from a difficult rock bottom in his life to overcome a struggle with addiction and truly soar to new healthy heights, choosing the path to FI.
Mar 17, 2021 • 58min
Episode 25 - Real Estate Investing With The FI Queen Rachel Richards AKA @MoneyHoney
We are super stoked this week to be joined by the one and only @MoneyHoney FI Queen Rachel Richards! Retired at 27, she is known for helping a growing number of fans get their Financial $hit Together, and real estate investing was a key strategy!Investing in real estate can seem daunting, but 24-year-old Rachel Richards decided to accept the risks when she bought her first property. Two+ years and some 40 units later, she had enough passive income to retire at the age of 27 and is currently living off $15,000 a month! Now, she’s the author of two bestselling books with an 8-week online course on financial literacy.In this episode, Rachel talks about her rentals, the lessons she’s learned as a long-distance landlord, and how real estate can be a means to an end. Stay tuned to learn more about property management and also self-publishing as a passive income stream.
Mar 10, 2021 • 54min
Episode 24 - The Accidental House Hack To 63 Units In 4 Years With Bo Kim
Some things occur by chance but what matters is what you do with an opportunity when it comes. This is what Bo Kim, an accountant, did after he and his wife bought a three-bed, three-bath townhome in 2016. He discovered FIRE after his first real estate investment and then did his research—aligning everything he’s learned with his goal of cash flow—and took action.From knowing nothing about real estate investing just a few years ago to having 63 units across three markets, Bo is an example that you can do an extraordinary amount of things within just four or five years.Tune in this week to learn more about turnkey properties and providers, out-of-state rentals, creative financing strategies, and the importance of having a good team.
