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From Burned-Out VP to $390K/Year: How Two Unique Cabins Built a Sustainable STR Empire
He Quit Corporate Life. Now He Makes $390K/Year From Two Cabins
Caleb was a VP at Deloitte. Good salary, respectable title.
But those golden handcuffs were slowly wrecking him.
Health issues started catching up with him.
Meanwhile, his wife—a realtor—was doubling his income while he was burned out.
So he made a decision most people wouldn't have the guts to make:
He quit and turned to real estate.
Three years later, he's running two premium STRs pulling in $390k/year, with less stress, better health, and the freedom to build wealth on his terms.
Here's how he did it.
The Property That Schooled Him: "Lipstick on a Pig"
Caleb's first "turnkey" property was supposed to be a clean, easy entry.
No stress. No surprises.
It was a CapEx nightmare.
Sewer lines. Electrical. HVAC. Deferred maintenance everywhere.
But conservative underwriting saved the deal—and the chaos gave him the reps he needed.
He came out a sharper operator. Ready to build something on his own terms.
Scaling Up to 2: The Campfire Hideaway
With the lessons banked and a proven location locked in, Caleb went all in on his second property—a true destination stay.
Inside the same Massanutten Resort, he created The Campfire Hideaway:
A 6-bedroom entertainment fortress with a hidden speakeasy, retro arcade cave, private movie theater, gym, XL hot tub, mini-golf, and a puppy washing parlor.
Even after his designer ran $100K over budget, it crushed it.
STR Results & Performance
Campfire Lodge (4-bedroom hexagon cabin)
▪️ Revenue: ~$110k
▪️ ADR: $548
▪️ Occupancy: 55%
Campfire Hideaway (6-bedroom)
▪️ Revenue: ~$230k
▪️ ADR: $1,050
▪️ Occupancy: 60%
Combined: ~$340k revenue (on track for $390k).
Caleb measures success differently than most.
His real goal: $200K in annual net profit and a property manager handling day-to-day operations so he can retire his wife and be present with his kids.
He's almost there.
The Playbook: What Caleb Did Differently
✔️ He built for his life, not for bragging rights.
Sustainable scaling over fast scaling.
"I'm not looking to scale massively and fast. I'm looking to scale sustainably. Our focus is on being present for our family and our health." - Caleb.
✔️ He designed stays that feel different, not just nice.
"Guests appreciate a unique stay vs. a really cool STR that looks like all the other really cool STRs."
✔️ He hunted for what his market was missing.
Unique layouts, larger group properties, low-supply niches.
The rule: If you blend in, you compete on price. If you stand out, you compete on value.
✔️ He stacked amenities that actually move the needle on rates and rankings.
When your amenity list reads like a resort brochure, your stay becomes the obvious choice.
✔️ He underwrote for the worst case—and it saved him (twice)
✔️ He planted himself next to year-round demand.
Skiing, water parks, golf, hiking. Proven demand, low seasonality. Guests have a reason to visit every single month.
Want to read the Full Campfire Lodges story?
Read the full playbook to see:
✔️ The full story behind his disastrous "turnkey" purchase
(and how it made him a better investor)
✔️ His genius ChatGPT pricing hack (low effort, high ROI)
✔️ How he uses STRs as a tax weapon to offset his wife's income
✔️ The exact thinking behind every amenity decision
✔️ More strategies and insights you can steal for your own portfolio
Real estate isn't just for empire builders, {{contact.first_name}}.
It's for parents who want more time.
People managing their health. Families building long-term security.
Investors who want a better life—not just a portfolio.
Real estate is for you.
Cheers,
The Host Camp Team
P.S. Check out Campfire Lodge | Campfire Hideaway—and give them a ♥️. And if you want to follow along with their journey, find them at @campfirelodges on Instagram.
