The Co-Living Show

Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain

Co-living is one of the most misunderstood, and highest-potential, ​ strategies in residential real estate investing. Most investors hear the buzzwords, see the cash-flow claims, and immediately assume it’s either too risky, too operationally intense, or too complicated to scale. The truth is simpler: coliving work exceptionally well when built on systems, governed by operational clarity, and executed like a real business, not a side hustle. The Co-Living Show exists to make that clarity accessible for serious professionals who want smarter returns without gambling on guesswork.​​Hosted by BiggerPockets authors Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain, The Co-Living Show goes far beyond surface-level real estate content. This is the only real estate investing podcast dedicated exclusively to the economics, operations, regulations, and strategic frameworks that drive high-density co-living and shared housing at scale. Whether you’re new to the model or a high-earning, time-poor professional seeking exposure to a sophisticated cash-flow real estate strategy without becoming an operator, this show delivers the confidence, understanding, and insight needed to invest intelligently.​​Each episode takes you inside the real-world systems behind co-living performance. You’ll hear from operators running multi-market portfolios, attorneys specializing in zoning and compliance, designers who understand space optimization and profitability, lenders financing room-by-room rental strategies, and property managers and city officials shaping the future of affordable housing innovation. You’ll also hear from the Co-Living Cash Flow Community, everyday investors solving operational challenges and executing the exact frameworks discussed on the show.​ 👉 Join the community: www.millermcswain.com/community​​There is no fluff here. No hype. No motivational noise. Every conversation is grounded in data, regulatory insight, operational logic, and investor-level clarity. Co-living is not “passive income.” It’s not a shortcut. It’s a system. And systems — when executed correctly — produce scalable, predictable returns that outperform traditional rental models. This is not speculative theory. It’s cash-flow real estate strategy in action.​​Craig brings acquisitions, underwriting, and market strategy. Miller brings operations, pricing systems, and standardization frameworks that make coliving scalable. Together, they deliver an operator’s perspective of an asset class most investors only see from the outside. As BiggerPockets authors, educators, and practitioners, they simplify complexity without diluting truth: coliving works, but only when done correctly.​​You’ll hear underwriting breakdowns, operator case studies, deal teardowns, regulatory realities, tenant strategy, market analysis, and the economic logic behind high-density residential investing. You’ll learn how to invest passively, partner with experienced operators, or simply understand the business model in depth, even if you never plan to manage a property yourself.​​The Co-Living Show does not claim co-living works. It proves when, why, and under what conditions it works.​​If you want confidence instead of conjecture, systems instead of speculation, and clarity instead of chaos, this is your source of truth for professional-grade residential real estate investing.​​Subscribe and join thousands of investors building deeper understanding, stronger portfolios, and smarter strategies, without wasting time on noise.​​This is the future of residential real estate investing. And now you’ll finally understand how it works.​​

  1. EP 4 - 500 Rooms. One Strategy: How Harrison Scales Co-Living in 100+ Unit Buildings

    MAR 4

    EP 4 - 500 Rooms. One Strategy: How Harrison Scales Co-Living in 100+ Unit Buildings

    In this episode of The Co-Living Show, Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain welcome Harrison DeMaira, a large-scale co-living operator with experience managing everything from small townhouse conversions to 100+ unit buildings and 400-unit purpose-built co-living developments. Harrison breaks down what changes when you scale co-living into multifamily—and what operators get wrong when they assume co-living leases like traditional rentals. We cover the real leasing funnel, scrappy marketing that still works (signage + employer outreach), the operational systems you must build early, and how to think about furnishing, unit design, and resident experience at scale. We also unpack: What Common Living was and why it went defunct (and what co-living operators can learn from it)Why Harrison avoids 2-bedroom co-living unitsThe bathroom-to-resident rule he won’t breakWhy leasing + marketing is the foundation that makes everything else easierOutsourcing earlier (and the accounting mistake most operators make)And an unforgettable operations story involving an emotional support duck and a missing snakeIf you’re trying to fill rooms faster, scale beyond one property, or understand what multifamily co-living really looks like—this episode is for you. Follow the hosts: Miller McSwain: https://www.instagram.com/millermcswainCraig Curelop: https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelop Guest: Harrison DeMaira Email: hpd@harrisondemaira.com If you enjoyed the episode, please follow the show and leave a rating/review, it helps more operators find the podcast.

    1h 9m
  2. EP 3 - How Tanner Bought a $1.3M Property With Just $5K Down

    FEB 25

    EP 3 - How Tanner Bought a $1.3M Property With Just $5K Down

    In this tactical episode of The Co-Living Show, hosts Miller McSwain and Craig Curelop sit down with Colorado investor and agent Tanner Pile to unpack one of the most creative deals you’ll hear this year: 👉 A $1.3 million property 👉 Structured with owner financing 👉 Acquired with just $5,000 out of pocket But this episode goes far beyond the headline. Tanner breaks down exactly how he negotiated the seller financing, how he structured the down payment, and what made the deal work in a rising interest rate environment. You’ll hear the real numbers — mortgage, utilities, renovation costs, and how the property performs as a short-term rental. Then the conversation shifts into deeper operator-level strategy: • When short-term rentals outperform co-living (and when they don’t)  • Why parking can make or break a co-living deal  • How garages can create hidden cash flow (storage, ADUs, or conversion plays)  • The screening mistake that cost Tanner and why “don’t be a charity” matters  • “Speed to lead” and how to fill rooms faster  • Why mixing strategies too early can slow your scaling  • How to find a true investor-friendly (and co-living-aware) agent in your market This episode is for serious operators, not dreamers. If you’re analyzing deals, house hacking, or scaling into co-living, this one is packed with execution-level insights. Connect With Us: 📸 Miller McSwain https://www.instagram.com/millermcswain 📸 Craig Curelop https://www.instagram.com/craigcurelop 📸 Tanner Pile https://www.instagram.com/tanner.pile

    55 min
  3. EP 2 - CoLiving Cait: The Systems, The Stories, The Reality

    FEB 18

    EP 2 - CoLiving Cait: The Systems, The Stories, The Reality

    In this episode of The Co-Living Show, Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain sit down with Caitlyn Verdugo — aka Co-Living Cait — an Atlanta-based co-living agent, investor, operator, capital raiser, and coach who’s been in the space since the early PadSplit days. Atlanta is one of the most mature co-living ecosystems in the U.S., and Caitlyn has seen the model evolve from “rent-by-the-room” experiments into a real operating business. She shares what she’s learned from acquiring and running co-living homes, how she approaches conversions (including garage builds), and why she intentionally designs each house to feel like a home — not a template. This conversation is packed with operator-level nuance: screening beyond platform checks, searching local eviction records, managing resident conflict without becoming a mediator, and how to build systems that protect your time while improving resident experience. In This Episode, We Cover: Caitlyn’s origin story: real estate agent → house hacker → co-living operatorHow she used her real estate commission creatively to reduce money needed to buyWhy Atlanta’s market maturity makes PadSplit a major factor in marketing + leasingLessons from her first co-living conversion (capital gaps, holding costs, and what she’d do differently)What she looks for in co-living properties: layouts, vintage builds, no HOA, conversion potentialGarage conversions: HVAC strategies, insulation, code risks, and payback vs. “ROI” framingHer signature approach: naming houses + themed rooms to enhance resident experienceThe screening stack: forms, interviews, and why she checks eviction records manuallyHow she prevents resident conflict with boundaries, addendums, and expectationsHandling tenant-landlord conflict fast (and why respect is non-negotiable)Women in co-living: safety realities, contractor dynamics, and solving problems differentlyBuilding She Leads Co-Living / Wealth By The Room to support women operatorsHow to find operators in your market (Facebook groups, meetups, and “search within groups” strategy)The Big 3: a tenant horror story, her first house rule, and her most valuable operating systemFollow the Hosts Miller McSwain: www.instagram.com/millermcswain Craig Curelop: www.instagram.com/craigcurelop Join our FREE Community: www.millermcswain.com/community Guest: Caitlyn “CoLiving Cait” Verdugo Find her as CoLiving Cait across social platforms and check out her community: She Leads Co-Living (women-focused events + network)Wealth By The Room (education + coaching series)Instagram: www.instagram.com/colivingcait

    1h 3m
  4. FEB 5

    TRAILER | The Co-Living Show with Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain

    🎙️ Trailer: Welcome to The Co-Living Show In this official trailer, hosts Miller McSwain and Craig Curelop introduce The Co-Living Show—the first podcast built specifically for operators and investors who want real, scalable cash flow without pretending shared housing is simple. This show goes beyond surface-level advice and passive-income hype. It’s about what actually works in high-density residential real estate—and what breaks if you’re not prepared. 🔍 What This Show Is About On The Co-Living Show, we dive deep into: - Zoning and compliance that can make or kill deals - Insurance strategies that actually work with density - Designing properties that survive real tenants - Pricing rooms for true revenue (not theory) - Building systems to manage room rentals at scale - Finding, analyzing, and renovating co-living deals - Real operator stories, mistakes, and case studies No fluff. No fairy tales. No guru talk. Just real business, inside residential real estate. 🤝 Why This Duo Works Miller and Craig bring two complementary skill sets: Miller focuses on operations, systems, and scalable management Craig focuses on acquisitions, analysis, renovations, and growth Together, they cover the full lifecycle of a co-living business: Find it. Fund it. Build it. Run it. Scale it. 🏘️ A Win-Win Mission With housing affordability becoming a nationwide challenge, co-living offers a real solution—for both renters and investors. This show explores how to: - Create affordable housing responsibly - Build profitable, sustainable portfolios - Help residents progress toward financial independence - Align impact with income If you want high cash flow and long-term value, this show is for you. 📲 Connect With the Hosts Follow along for behind-the-scenes content, insights, and updates: Miller: https://instagram.com/millermcswain Craig: https://instagram.com/thefiguy ▶️ Who This Show Is For This podcast is for you if you’re: ✔️ Running or scaling a co-living portfolio ✔️ Exploring rent-by-room strategies ✔️ Tired of surface-level real estate advice ✔️ Serious about building a real business ✔️ Focused on operations, not just acquisitions If that’s you—welcome. This is your room. #financialindependence ​ #millionaire​ #househack​ #househacking​ #realestate​ #realestateinvesting​ #passiveincome​ #invest​ #investwisely​ #buildwealth​ #FIREmovement​ #retireearly​ #bedifferent​ #business​ #safetynet​ #invest​ #winning​ #realestateinvestor​ #wealthbuilding​ #entrepreneur​ #biggerpockets

    5 min
5
out of 5
126 Ratings

About

Co-living is one of the most misunderstood, and highest-potential, ​ strategies in residential real estate investing. Most investors hear the buzzwords, see the cash-flow claims, and immediately assume it’s either too risky, too operationally intense, or too complicated to scale. The truth is simpler: coliving work exceptionally well when built on systems, governed by operational clarity, and executed like a real business, not a side hustle. The Co-Living Show exists to make that clarity accessible for serious professionals who want smarter returns without gambling on guesswork.​​Hosted by BiggerPockets authors Craig Curelop and Miller McSwain, The Co-Living Show goes far beyond surface-level real estate content. This is the only real estate investing podcast dedicated exclusively to the economics, operations, regulations, and strategic frameworks that drive high-density co-living and shared housing at scale. Whether you’re new to the model or a high-earning, time-poor professional seeking exposure to a sophisticated cash-flow real estate strategy without becoming an operator, this show delivers the confidence, understanding, and insight needed to invest intelligently.​​Each episode takes you inside the real-world systems behind co-living performance. You’ll hear from operators running multi-market portfolios, attorneys specializing in zoning and compliance, designers who understand space optimization and profitability, lenders financing room-by-room rental strategies, and property managers and city officials shaping the future of affordable housing innovation. You’ll also hear from the Co-Living Cash Flow Community, everyday investors solving operational challenges and executing the exact frameworks discussed on the show.​ 👉 Join the community: www.millermcswain.com/community​​There is no fluff here. No hype. No motivational noise. Every conversation is grounded in data, regulatory insight, operational logic, and investor-level clarity. Co-living is not “passive income.” It’s not a shortcut. It’s a system. And systems — when executed correctly — produce scalable, predictable returns that outperform traditional rental models. This is not speculative theory. It’s cash-flow real estate strategy in action.​​Craig brings acquisitions, underwriting, and market strategy. Miller brings operations, pricing systems, and standardization frameworks that make coliving scalable. Together, they deliver an operator’s perspective of an asset class most investors only see from the outside. As BiggerPockets authors, educators, and practitioners, they simplify complexity without diluting truth: coliving works, but only when done correctly.​​You’ll hear underwriting breakdowns, operator case studies, deal teardowns, regulatory realities, tenant strategy, market analysis, and the economic logic behind high-density residential investing. You’ll learn how to invest passively, partner with experienced operators, or simply understand the business model in depth, even if you never plan to manage a property yourself.​​The Co-Living Show does not claim co-living works. It proves when, why, and under what conditions it works.​​If you want confidence instead of conjecture, systems instead of speculation, and clarity instead of chaos, this is your source of truth for professional-grade residential real estate investing.​​Subscribe and join thousands of investors building deeper understanding, stronger portfolios, and smarter strategies, without wasting time on noise.​​This is the future of residential real estate investing. And now you’ll finally understand how it works.​​

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