In this episode of the Launch REI Podcast, Craig Curelop shares how he went from working as a CPA at a Big 4 accounting firm to achieving financial freedom through house hacking and strategic real estate investing.

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Craig breaks down how buying a duplex changed his financial trajectory, how house hacking allowed him to eliminate living expenses, and how he scaled into multiple properties while maintaining a strong foundation in underwriting and risk management. He also shares lessons on mindset, leveraging low-down-payment loan products, and building long-term wealth through smart acquisition strategies.

In this episode, we break down

• How Craig transitioned from corporate accounting into real estate investing

• What house hacking is and why it accelerates wealth building

• Using FHA and low-down-payment loans to acquire properties

• Eliminating living expenses to increase savings and reinvest faster

• The importance of underwriting and conservative deal analysis

• Scaling from a single property to a growing portfolio

• Managing risk while investing in appreciating markets

• Building systems and processes early

• Mindset shifts required to leave a stable W2 career

• Long-term wealth building through disciplined acquisition strategies

Timestamps

04:35 – Discovering house hacking

11:20 – Buying the first duplex

18:45 – Using low-down-payment loan strategies

27:10 – Eliminating living expenses & reinvesting

35:30 – Underwriting fundamentals

44:15 – Scaling beyond the first property

52:40 – Risk management & market selection

01:00:10 – Systems, mindset & long-term vision

Guest Bio

Craig Curelop is a real estate investor, author, and entrepreneur best known for popularizing house hacking as a strategy for achieving financial freedom. After starting his career as a CPA at a Big 4 accounting firm, Craig transitioned into full-time real estate investing. He has acquired multiple properties using low-down-payment strategies and has helped thousands of aspiring investors understand how to use house hacking to accelerate wealth building.

Connect with Craig Curelop

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://homecrew.co/⁠⁠

Instagram:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_fi_team/⁠⁠

Connect with LAUNCH REI

Website: ⁠⁠https://launchrei.co⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://newsletter.launchrei.co⁠⁠

Podcast Guest Application: ⁠⁠https://launchrei.co/podcast/guest-apply/⁠⁠

Mastermind: ⁠⁠https://launchrei.co/mastermind⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/LaunchREI⁠⁠

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#househacking

#realestateinvesting

#financialfreedom

#passiveincome

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#craigcurelop

In this episode of the Launch REI Podcast, Jered Sturm shares his journey from maintenance technician to building a $200 million multifamily portfolio before turning 40.

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https://newsletter.launchrei.co

Jered breaks down how skill development, strategic pivots, and strong partnerships helped him transition from single-family rentals to flipping houses and ultimately scaling into large multifamily investments. He shares practical insights on syndication, evaluating deals, increasing net operating income (NOI), and positioning yourself for long-term success in today’s real estate market.

In This Episode We Cover:

• How Jered got started in real estate at a young age learning the trades
• Why transitioning from rentals to flipping accelerated his capital growth
• The importance of understanding market cycles and timing
• How syndication works and why it unlocks larger opportunities
• Building strong broker relationships to access better deals
• Strategies for driving NOI through renovations and operational efficiencies
• Why investing in the right markets protects long-term value
• The power of partnerships and defining roles clearly
• Living below your means to reinvest and scale faster
• Identifying and leveraging your unique value proposition

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & Jered’s background
05:12 – From maintenance technician to first investments
12:40 – Transitioning into house flipping
20:15 – Moving into multifamily and syndication
32:30 – Evaluating deals and underwriting fundamentals
41:10 – Driving NOI through renovations and management
48:25 – Market selection and risk management
55:40 – Partnership structure and scaling efficiently
01:02:15 – Long-term vision and future of multifamily

Guest Bio

Jered Sturm is a multifamily real estate investor and operator who has built a portfolio of approximately 2,000 units valued at over $200 million. Starting his career as a maintenance technician, Jered developed hands-on operational expertise that later fueled his transition into single-family rentals, house flipping, and eventually large-scale multifamily syndications. He specializes in value-add acquisitions, operational efficiencies, and strategic partnerships that drive long-term portfolio growth.

Connect with Jered

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jered-sturm-066198121/

Connect with Launch REI

Website: https://launchrei.co
Newsletter: https://newsletter.launchrei.co
Podcast Guest Application: https://launchrei.co/podcast/guest-apply/
Mastermind: https://launchrei.co/mastermind
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LaunchREI

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⁠https://www.instagram.com/vincecrane_/

#multifamilyinvesting
#realestateinvesting
#realestatepodcast
#syndication
#passiveincome
#valueaddrealestate
#apartmentinvesting
#launchrei
#jeredsturm

In this episode, Vince sits down with AJ Osborne, founder of Self Storage Income, who built a $400M self-storage portfolio by acquiring overlooked facilities.

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In this episode, we break down:
• How AJ scaled to $400M+ in self-storage without outside investors
• The simple 3-step system he used to increase NOI fast
• Why self-storage is a business, not just real estate
• The “money on the table” strategy for spotting undervalued deals
• Lessons from almost losing everything after a sudden paralysis and how storage income saved his family
• The 3 wealth cycles of self-storage (infancy → adolescence → maturity)
• Why 2025–2030 could be the next major buying window and opportunities below replacement cost
• How AI is transforming storage operations and giving small investors institutional-level tools

00:00 Intro & AJ’s $400M portfolio
03:30 From insurance sales to investing
10:45 Why he chose self-storage
14:30 The simple 3-step value-add strategy
19:40 Lessons from his first deal
23:10 What he’d tell his younger self
29:30 Nearly losing everything & paralysis story
39:30 Why self-storage saved his family
41:30 What actually drives storage demand
45:50 The 3 wealth cycles of self-storage
50:00 Why AJ is deploying $500M now

Connect with Jered
LinkedIn: / jered-sturm-066198121

Connect with Vince

https://www.instagram.com/vincecrane_

Connect with Launch REI
Website: https://launchrei.co
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