What would you do if you had no money, no job, and no local connections—but wanted to build a real estate portfolio? In this episode of Invest2FI, Craig Curelop sits down with Fernando Corona, a real estate investor and private money expert who leveraged out-of-state co-living properties to build wealth from scratch.   

Fernando reveals how he went from quitting his job with debt and no income to structuring creative deals, working with partners, and managing high-cash-flow PadSplit properties without ever visiting them in person.  

You'll learn what mistakes to avoid, how to work with contractors remotely, raise capital, and scale with the right systems in place. Whether you're new or seasoned in house hacking, partnership investing, or PadSplit rentals, this episode is packed with real-world advice and actionable strategies to grow your portfolio today. 

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS:

[03:42] Quit job broke and in debt with no clear plan 
[06:45] Reduced mortgage by house hacking with roommates out of necessity 
[09:44] Started first PadSplit investment property remotely in Tennessee 
[12:44] Chose ideal markets after analyzing cash flow and demand 
[18:42] Built systems to manage contractors completely out-of-state 
[21:44] Overlooked renovation costs weren’t included in contractor’s original quote 
[24:46] Low purchase price markets improve rent-to-cost investment returns 
[27:47] Mobile homes provide affordable entry with potential cash flow 
[30:42] Creative financing gave investor-friendly benefits and cash flow 
[33:42] Evaluates if deal makes sense based on location returns 
[36:43] Tenant churn in co-living eats into profit margins 
[39:46] Rental income used to qualify for better financing terms 
[42:49] Compared co-living, Airbnb, and section eight investment strategies 
[45:46] Shared personal story and investing journey through recent years 

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   

GUEST 

Fernando Corona 

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsfernandocorona/ 

🔍Linked: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-corona/ 

📲Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Itsfernandocorona