For Caleb, real estate was never about building a flashy empire. It was about creating a new lifestyle—one that worked with (instead of against) his health, his family, and still secured wealth for their future.

Now he has two profitable six-figure short-term rentals, with a plan to keep growing and build wealth on his own terms.

Let's dive into his journey from quitting corporate life to creating Campfire Lodges and earning $390k in revenue in his third year as a host.

From 9-5 To Real Estate Investing: Walking Away From the Golden Handcuffs

Caleb had to quit his job as a VP due to health issues from his time in the Marine Corps. But first, he needed a new way to provide for his family and invest in their future that didn't take a toll on his health.

At the same time, he noticed his wife, who was a realtor, was doubling his salary while he overworked himself in his “golden handcuffs”.

After he quit, Caleb spent seven years dabbling in long-term rentals. When he decided to get serious about investing, he explored flips. He looked at BRRRRs. But rising interest rates and inflated property values made most deals hard to justify.

He wanted something scalable and highly profitable. But most importantly, something that wouldn’t recreate the stress he had just left behind.

Short-term rentals checked all three boxes.

And so 2 and a half years ago, he joined Host Camp and went all in on STRs.

The Leap: Buying His First “Turnkey” Property 

Caleb intentionally started with a "turnkey" STR for fewer headaches.

No heavy renovation. No ground-up build. Just a clean entry into a home already set up as a successful rental.

At least…that was the idea.

This turnkey turned out to be "lipstick on a pig".

Their profits and savings quickly disappeared into fixing the sewer line, electrical, and HVAC. Deferred maintenance was everywhere you looked.

Because of conservative underwriting, he still made a decent profit.

And this experience gave him real-world reps handling guests, managing emergencies, and understanding what actually drives revenue.

Now he was ready to create something of his own. And so he invested in his second STR, The Campfire Hideaway. 

Scaling Up: The Campfire Hideaway

In May 2024, Caleb purchased his second property inside Massanutten Resort, near Shenandoah National Park.

He built an entertainment-first luxury lodge designed to dominate its category. Scroll-stopping design and experience-driven amenities were non-negotiable.

He layered financing creatively: DSCR loan, HELOC on his primary residence, 0% interest credit cards, and loans against whole life policies.

It wasn't reckless leverage. It was strategic leverage backed by strong underwriting.

Even after his designer went $100,000 over budget, the deal was still a top performer.

Property Overview: Welcome to Campfire Lodges

The Campfire Hideaway

The Hideaway is a 6-bedroom cabin mansion and a full-on experience.

With a long list of exciting amenities, it's an entertainment destination that stands on its own.

Standout Features:

• Hidden speakeasy lounge (with terrace + bar setup)
• Retro arcade game cave (Ms. Pac-Man, Street Fighter, arcade basketball)
• Private movie theater with Nintendo + Atari classics
• Dedicated fitness studio (Concept2 rower, dumbbells, bench, box jumps)
• Exclusive Fitness gym
• 7-person premium spa with XL hot tub
• Mini-golf putting green
• Yard games and a private fire pit
• Backyard games (Connect4, Cornhole, Ladder Golf)
• Expansive decks with grill + dining area
• Puppy washing parlor (forget pet-friendly Airbnbs, having amenities specifically for pets is a true differentiator)

What We Love About It

The Campfire Hideaway has basically every amenity on a guest's wish list—plus some they didn't know they wanted. It's built to be a premium entertainment destination all on its own. Every inch of the cabin looks bold, different and comfortable.

 This is an Airbnb that’s created to blow the competition out of the water from the second it launched. 

The Campfire Lodge (Hexagon Cabin)

Located in the heart of Massanutten, this 4-bedroom treetop hexagon cabin blends traditional woodland charm with bold design.

Standout Features:

• Signature indoor firepit in a hexagonal entertainment room
• Private hot tub
• Wraparound deck + screened dining porch
• 360-degree TV feature because regular TVs are so 2023
• Minutes from Massanutten Resort skiing, ziplining, snowboarding, water parks & golf
• 20 minutes from Shenandoah National Park
• Close to wineries, breweries & Luray Cavern

What we love about it

Campfire Lodge proves the power of market selection. With skiing, water parks, golf, and hiking nearby, guests have reasons to visit year-round — maximizing occupancy. The hexagon layout and immersive design make it feel completely different and fresh compared to every other cabin in the area.

Plus, that 360-degree TV adds to the cool factor.

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STR Performance & Results

Campfire Hideaway:

• 2025 Revenue: ~$230k
• ADR: $1,050
• Occupancy: 60%

Campfire Lodge:

• Revenue: ~$110k
• ADR: $548
• Occupancy: 55%

Combined 2025 trajectory:  ~$340k in revenue across two properties

But Caleb measures success differently. His goal? $200k annual net profit, with property management handling the day-to-day so real estate becomes truly passive, and he can spend more time hanging out with his wife and kids.

The Playbook: What Campfire Lodges Did Differently 

1. He Let His Personal Goals Shape His Strategy

Caleb wasn't building the biggest portfolio. He was building one that worked for his life. He wanted less stress, more time and freedom, and the finances to afford the lifestyle he wanted.

That clear goal changed how he grew his Airbnbs.

"I think my story is less glorious because I'm not looking to scale massively and fast. I'm looking to scale sustainably. While I want to alleviate my wife as quickly as possible, our focus is on being present for our family and our health."

2. He Built Stays That Feel Different—Not Just “Nice”

Caleb's design is stunning, but it's also different. Dark, rich colors. Layered textures. Mood for days. Just check out these interiors.

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"Guests appreciate a unique stay vs. a really cool STR that looks like all the other really cool STRs."

He also knows there's "too nice"—where you overspend without getting your investment back in revenue. Every design decision is made based on how guests will react and the potential impact on ROI. 

3. He looked  for property types in limited supply

Instead of buying any 3–4 bedroom cabin that pencils out, Caleb looks for properties with:

• Limited supply
• High demand niches
• Larger group properties (if that works for the market)
• Unique layouts

This strategy lets you launch with built-in demand and an edge.

The rule: If you blend in, you compete on price. If you differentiate, you compete on value

4. He Nailed Location with Year-Round Appeal

Caleb didn't just buy anywhere. He planted himself right next to Massanutten Resort—a proven tourism magnet with skiing, water parks, golf, and hiking. That means guests have reasons to visit every single month. No seasonality guesswork. No praying for a strong summer. Just consistent, year-round demand from day one.

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5. He Went All-In on Experience-Driven Amenities

Caleb invested heavily in features that would move the needle on daily rates and rankings. That's how he turned The Hideaway into a mini family entertainment resort:

• Speakeasy
• Arcade
• Gym
• Mini-golf
• Hot tub
• Premium spa

When amenities are this strong, your stay becomes the obvious choice.

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6. He Planned for Budgets to Break (Because They Almost Always Do)

First property: Capex nightmare.

Second property: $100k over budget on design.

But thanks to some conservative underwriting, both deals still worked.

"The place is on pace to gross almost $250k in 2026 with around $100k profit—even with all the debt service."

Underwrite the version where everything costs more and takes longer. Because that's usually what happens.

Bonus Pro tip: Fix things right the first time. Long-term reliability protects reviews—and revenue.

7. He Uses Airbnbs as a Tax Reduction Strategy 

STRs come with massive tax advantages. Caleb grows his portfolio to build wealth and offset his wife's income.

"Our goal is at least one STR per year—if for nothing else to keep the tax benefits rolling."

One Airbnb can slash your tax bill to almost zero. That's more money to reinvest into your portfolio or your future.

👉 Use our FREE STR Cost Seg Calculator to see how much your Airbnb could save you in 

taxes.

⚡One Genius Move You Should Steal

One of Caleb’s smartest (and simplest) hosting hacks?

Instead of wasting time trying to understand all the data points, he screenshots his PriceLabs dashboards and feeds them into ChatGPT. 

This lets him identify pricing trends, spot underperforming dates, and pressure-test assumptions about seasonality and demand.

It’s a genius way to use AI for your Airbnb and a low-effort way to turn raw data into actionable insight.

What does hosting or real estate investing mean to you?

"It has meant the ability to care for my health with the flexibility to work more when I can or take a step back when life is crazy.

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It has meant the flexibility to spend time with my kids during their summer break."

Today, Caleb and his wife are intentionally paying down debt to unlock their next move.

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"We know we'll be in a place where my wife doesn't have to grind unless she chooses to."

Real Estate… for the Rest of Us

Caleb built a true destination brand with Campfire Lodges in under 3 years.

But more important than the life-changing revenue? His story is a reminder that real estate isn't just for empire builders.

It's for:

• Parents who want more time
• People managing their health
• Families building long-term security
• Investors who want fulfillment—not just wealth

When used well, STRs are a powerful tool to reclaim freedom, protect income, and build a life your 9–5 never could.

👉 Book a strategy call with our team for expert hands-on guidance to build or scale your own life-changing STR portfolio. 

👉 Book the ultimate Massanutten vacation at Campfire Lodges here

👉 Check out Caleb's Airbnbs and give them a ♥️:

Campfire Lodge | Campfire Hideaway

👉 Follow @campfirelodges on Instagram to keep up with their journey.

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