281: Securing Your New Life Abroad Using Expat Money with Mikkel Thorup
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
Release Date: 09/29/2025
318: The Rise of Mid-Term Rentals As Housing's Fastest-Growing Segment with Jeff Hurst
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Jeff Hurst, CEO of Furnish Finder, to explore the fast-growing world of midterm rentals and why they’re becoming an increasingly attractive option for both renters and real estate investors. Jeff explains how monthly furnished rentals serve professionals, relocating families, and healthcare workers—distinctly different from traditional short-term vacation rentals. The conversation breaks down why midterm rentals often deliver better cash flow than long-term rentals with far less operational...
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317: How Commercial Real Estate Can Enrich The Lives of People at Work with Jonathan Iger
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene is joined by Jonathan Iger, CEO of Sage Realty Corporation, to explore how a 100-year-old, family-owned real estate company is redefining the modern office experience. Drawing on Sage’s deep roots in New York City office development, Jonathan explains how brand, hospitality, and operational excellence can drive higher tenant retention and long-term value creation. The conversation dives into why office real estate was already changing before COVID, how renewal rates are often misunderstood, and why “experience”...
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316: How To Break Through Your Income Ceiling With Real Estate with Stuart Gethner
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene is joined by Stuart Gethner, a longtime real estate investor, educator, and connector who has spent decades helping investors move from analysis into action. Stuart shares insights from his experience coaching investors and building his own portfolio across multiple market cycles. The conversation centers on why real estate is ultimately a people business. Stuart explains how networking, local market knowledge, and face-to-face relationships help investors avoid costly mistakes—especially when investing out of state...
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315: Thinking Outside the Short-Term Rental Box with Nick Korwin
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Nick Corwin, founder of Oak and Ember, to explore what it really looks like to move from long-term rentals into short-term hospitality and eventually into ground-up development. Nick shares how an engineering mindset, strong mentorship, and disciplined downside analysis shaped his early investing decisions. The conversation traces Nick’s evolution from owning Midwest long-term rentals to building unique short-term experiences in the Wisconsin Dells. He explains why chasing the middle of the market can...
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314: Why Higher Short-Term Rental Rates Start With Better Design with Bri West
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Bri West, co-founder of Somerled Designs, to explore how strategic design has become a competitive advantage in today’s short-term rental market. Drawing on her background in marketing and real estate investing, Bri explains why design should be treated as a revenue-driving investment rather than a cosmetic expense. The conversation dives into how niching down on a clear guest avatar, using data to guide design decisions, and prioritizing high-impact spaces can dramatically increase ADR—even if...
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313: Learning To Invest Beyond Multifamily In Growth Markets with Ash Patel
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Ash Patel, a commercial real estate investor with more than 15 years of experience investing beyond multifamily. Ash shares how an early mixed-use deal opened his eyes to the advantages of commercial assets and ultimately reshaped his entire investing approach. The conversation explores why many commercial assets are misunderstood or overlooked, including office, retail, medical, and mixed-use properties. Ash explains how changing work patterns, suburban growth, and market cycles are creating rare...
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312: A Playbook For Buying and Holding Rental Properties with Jennifer Ruelens
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Jennifer Ruelens, a longtime property manager and unapologetic truth-teller in the real estate industry. With more than two decades of hands-on experience, Jennifer shares what buy-and-hold investors often misunderstand about property management, tenant relationships, and the real work required to make rentals perform over time. The conversation explores why real estate investing is rarely passive, how deferred maintenance and avoidance cost investors far more than management fees, and why many...
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311: Building a Wealth Creation Value-Add System with August Biniaz
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
Jonathan Greene is joined by August Biniaz, co-founder and CIO of CPI Capital, to explore how early exposure to real estate shaped August’s investing philosophy and led him from single-family investing into large-scale multifamily and build-to-rent strategies. August shares how his family’s experience with real estate as a hedge against inflation influenced his long-term view on housing and capital preservation. The conversation dives into the realities of syndication, from learning the GP/LP structure through trial and error to building investor trust, infrastructure, and discipline over...
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310: Learning How To Invest Like a Billionaire with Bob Fraser
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Bob Fraser, bestselling author of Invest Like a Billionaire and CFO and Chief Macro Strategist at Aspen Funds. Bob shares how billionaire investors moved away from traditional 60/40 portfolios toward alternative investments—and why everyday investors can adopt the same mindset without billionaire-level wealth. Throughout the conversation, Bob explains why professionally managed real estate is often the most approachable entry point into alternatives, especially for investors who want...
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309: Redefining the Standards of Commercial Real Estate Services with Greg Trotter
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Greg Trotter, CEO and founder of Commercial Building Consultants, to unpack what real estate investors often miss during commercial due diligence. With over 40 years of experience in construction, inspections, and forensic building analysis, Greg explains how his role is to act as a “bodyguard” for investors—protecting their equity by identifying real risks before they close. Greg walks through how property condition assessments should align with an investor’s hold period and exit strategy,...
info_outlineIn this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Mikkel Thorup, founder and CEO of Expat Money, a consultancy helping clients navigate second residencies, international investments, and asset diversification. Known as one of the world’s most sought-after expat consultants, Mikkel has lived in nine countries over 25 years and built a portfolio of properties across ten nations. His work focuses on mitigating tax liabilities, creating Plan B options through residency and citizenship, and guiding investors toward secure and profitable opportunities abroad.
Jonathan and Mikkel explore how global real estate investing intersects with lifestyle choices, risk mitigation, and long-term legacy planning. Mikkel shares how his early exposure to real estate through his family shaped his investment philosophy, why he avoids debt-heavy strategies, and how he structures group deals to reduce developer risk. He also breaks down the benefits of international diversification, not just in geography, but also in currencies, timelines, and property types.
The conversation extends beyond investment mechanics to the lifestyle and generational advantages of expat living, including multi-citizenship for children, cultural exposure, and community building. Mikkel emphasizes the importance of boots-on-the-ground research, building trust with developers and governments, and striking a balance between adventure and security.
This episode provides a roadmap for investors who want to align real estate with global mobility, family resilience, and financial independence.
In this episode, you will hear:
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Mikkel’s journey from leaving school at 12 to becoming a leading global expat consultant
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The role of early family exposure to real estate in shaping his investment path
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Why he focuses on pre-construction and cash buying instead of debt-driven strategies
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How group purchasing reduces risk in international development projects
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The benefits of second residencies and citizenship as a long-term family legacy
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Currency diversification and geopolitical monitoring as part of global investing
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Structuring investments for both cash flow and capital appreciation abroad
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The importance of investor tours, trust, and seeing projects firsthand
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Top markets currently friendly to foreign investors: Costa Rica, Panama, and Paraguay
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Expat Money Summit - expatmoneysummit.com
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Episode Credits
If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.