On this week's episode, Avery is joined by Aubrey Carlson, owner of Salt and Sky Lodging Company and a former military helicopter pilot, to talk about building a short-term rental portfolio in both San Diego and Birmingham, Alabama. Aubrey shares how she used a VA loan and a house-hack-style fixer strategy to break into an expensive coastal market, then expanded into Birmingham with BRRRR-friendly properties that could also perform as short-term and midterm rentals. She also breaks down how she partnered with investors early on—using detailed deal presentations at first, then evolving the structure to properly value rehab labor, design, and ongoing management. Finally, Aubrey emphasizes long-term thinking, choosing strong markets, and leveraging education and community to accelerate portfolio growth.

How to connect with Aubrey:

www.saltandskylodgingco.com
https://www.instagram.com/saltandskylodgingco/

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

Production done by Outlier Audio