Welcome to GRID Smokies
meetup.com/grid-smokies-tn
meetup.com/grid-smokies-tn
Who we are
Founded May 2026
Welcome! GRID Smokies is a real estate investment community based in Knoxville, TN—built by investors for investors. We are a group of real people doing real deals in our local marketplace.
Our core mission is to connect to, learn from, and collaborate with like-minded people interested in growing their businesses and creating long-term wealth.
We welcome investors of all experience levels. We are life-long learners and believe everyone has value to share.
How it works
We meet once a month, 12 months a year, on the same day, week, and time of the month.
Each month we cover a different investing topic in the lifecycle of an investor—ranging from wholesaling to rehabbing to becoming a bank through private lending.
Our meetings are not sales pitches.
They are opportunities for us to dive deep into a real estate topic, connect with local experts in our marketplace, and build long-term relationships with other doers.
View and RSVP to our local events on Meetup →
Meet the GRID Community Leaders
About Nathan
Nathan Gort, also known as “The Coach” or “Batman,” brings a sharp, strategy-first approach to real estate and lending.
Raised on Hilton Head Island, he grew up around real estate and construction, shaping how he sees value, opportunity, and deal structure.
With a background as a competitive athlete, Nathan approaches every client situation like a game plan. He studies the details, breaks down the numbers, and builds winning strategies tailored to each investor. His experience spans short-term rentals, long-term rentals, house hacking, and private lending, giving him a full view of how to build and scale wealth.
Known for solving complex deals others cannot, Nathan works across traditional financing, non-QM products, DSCR loans, and family office capital. His focus is not just on rates, but on structure and long-term strategy, helping clients treat wealth like a business.
About Vernon
Vernon Corum, known as “The Short-Term Pro,” is the Founder of Staycating, a Realtor, a GRID Coach, and a driving force behind the Smoky Mountains STR space.
He helps investors and agents build profitable vacation rental businesses through clear strategy, strong systems, and a focus on hospitality excellence. His vision is simple. Build the premier STR investor ecosystem in the Smokies.
At home, Vernon is a devoted husband to Jeannette, a proud father to Bryce, Jake, and Seth, and dog dad to Zelda, Winnie, and Koda.
He believes success starts at home and extends into the community.
Through his work with the 865 Academy, he pours into the next generation, teaching entrepreneurship, homeownership, and investing so they can build lives rooted in purpose and long-term growth.
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Staycating LLC
Staycating is a vacation rental and property management platform focused on the Smoky Mountains and East Tennessee.
The company connects travelers with curated short-term rental properties while supporting owners with marketing, guest communication, and day-to-day operations.
The Lender
theLender is a direct mortgage lender that provides financing solutions for homebuyers, real estate investors, and self-employed borrowers.
The company offers a range of loan programs, including conventional and non-traditional options, designed to accommodate different financial profiles and property types.
Watch our event playbacks on YouTube
What people are saying
Very impressed. Probably the best content packed REI club meeting I’ve been to. If you are investing in real estate you have to join this group. Great assortment of industry professionals in the group as well.
— Whitney Sewell
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Phenomenal. These guys are the REAL DEAL and exactly who you want to associate yourself with to be successful in real estate investing. Honest, upfront, and experts at what they do I cannot recommend them more highly. From the moment I stepped into my first meetup (6 months ago) they have been nothing short of a class act. Very informative and lots of serious investors, wholesalers, lenders, contractors. As they say, the power is in the network and they have a great one.
— David Townsend
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
GRID is exactly the kind of group I had been looking for as a new investor with a lot of questions and not sure who to trust for answers.
— Elise Browning
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
