In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan interviews Grant Shipman, founder of Livingsmith, to explore intentional co-living as an alternative to traditional homeownership amid the growing affordable housing crisis. With over 25 years of experience in co-living environments like communes, co-ops, and intentional communities, Grant founded Livingsmith in 2017, driven by the belief that true wealth comes from helping others.
Jonathan and Grant Shipman dive into intentional living and how it differs from traditional co-living. Grant shares his experience managing sober living houses and how living in a community can foster healthy conflict resolution. He discusses using co-living to syndicate single-family properties and emphasizes establishing house rules in intentional communities. Grant also talks about his transition into co-living investments after running a successful yoga studio, highlighting the economies of scale that make it a compelling investment. The conversation covers creating “healthy households,” the ideal candidates for co-living, and the evolving legislation around affordable housing.
Jonathan and Grant explore more deeply:
- Co-living and intentional living aren’t the same thing but share some characteristics.
- A property manager manages co-living spaces to offer a long-term, egalitarian living experience.
- Investors can benefit from co-living properties with higher cash flow, lower risk, and easier property management.
- Creating a “healthy household” makes all the difference in how this type of investment property functions.
With changing legislation and an affordable housing crisis, intentional co-living can offer an alternative housing option with affordability and community.
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