We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jonathan Stevens. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jonathan below.

Jonathan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

I believe that our educational system does not do enough to provide financial literacy to our students. In my personal experience once I graduated from high school I knew nothing about credit cards, taxes, debt, interest rates, compounding interest or a retirement plan. I quickly racked up credit card debt on top of student loans like most people in our country. This quickly made life stressful and I always worried if I would be able to afford expenses day to day.

Preparing students early on in financial education can help them get a jump start when they face the world as an “adult”. This would provide relief to students who are focused on their careers and lead to a more fulfilling life without the worry of debt weighing them down.

Jonathan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Jonathan and I am a vacation rental host and real estate investor. But before that, I am a husband and father of three. I got my start in real estate investing in 2021 when I purchased my first rental in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I always loved the Smokies ever since my wife and I took a vacation there in 2013 after getting married. My goal was to purchase a cabin in the woods that could be a retreat for couples and small families for an awesome getaway. Once I found my ideal property, it was time to make an offer. After I closed on the property, my wife Stephanie and I took a trip down to asses the property and see what we could do to improve the look and feel so that our guests could relax and enjoy nothing but the sounds of our private creek. We had to come up with a name so ‘Hidden Creek Retreat’ seemed to be perfect. We soon realized that we wanted to scrap the existing look of the cabin which seemed very dark and scary. We partnered up with a great contractor and interior decorator to help us bring our ideas to life. Soon there was new flooring, paint, countertops and furniture throughout. The outside we replaced the entire deck, added a firepit, outdoor furniture, a live edge bar top and created an illuminated path down to our creek. What was left was a beautiful secluded cabin where guests could unwind after a fun filled day enjoying everything that the Smokies has to offer. I believe what separates our cabin from all others is that we are only 8 minutes from major attractions like Dollywood but we do not have neighbors overlooking our property. The moment you get out of your car all you can hear is the creek. Being a vacation rental host, one of my favorite things is providing great customer service to guests and learning about all of the different places that they come from.

My goal is to create affordable housing in a country that desperately needs it while also educating others who are interested in creating financial freedom through real estate. I plan to use the revenue generated from the vacation rentals to fund future deals in real estate so that I can help make the communities that I am apart of better.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

In order to acquire my first rental property I leveraged debt against my primary residence so that I may have enough funds for a down payment, rehab and operating costs. I applied for a vacation home loan at 10% down payment on a 30 year fixed loan. By doing so, I was able to acquire my first property and get it up and running..

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

As of right now we are listed on Airbnb and VRBO to provide us with a majority of exposure to new clients. My goal is to provide a great service so that I may have repeat guests.

Contact Info:

• Website: hiddencreekretreat.staydirectly.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiddencreektn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HiddenCreekRetreat
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-stevens-318371135
• Other: Airbnb https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/52836613?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=d2ba9b7d-6190-4acf-a718-62dda38bcf7c VRBO https://www.vrbo.com/2665452?unitId=3236136&childrenCount=0&noDates=true&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=earned:vrbo:sharecopylink:USA&utm_content=2665452&oc=L_VYOePt8cMIrxW9xB68f

Image Credits
Photographer Hollie Reid with HER Photography
Main photo is taken by Jenna Doughtry Photography