Since beginning his career as a real estate agent at the age of 18, Austin Allison has developed a passion for the overall real estate industry. “I sold real estate all through undergrad before going on to law school, which is when I started my first real estate tech company called dotloop,” says Austin. “We built that company over seven or eight years and were fortunate enough to sell it to Zillow Group in 2015, where I stayed on as an executive for about four years before leaving to start Pacaso with Zillow Co-Founder and former CEO Spencer Rascoff.”

The idea for Pacaso first came to Austin nearly a decade ago when he and his wife became second homeowners in Lake Tahoe. “We realized how fortunate we were to have a place for our family and friends to gather and create lasting memories,” Austin adds. “This moment sparked the vision for Pacaso – I wanted to make the joy of vacation home ownership accessible to more families, allowing them to optimize their lives for meaningful experiences with loved ones.”

That idea has grown into a platform that takes the concept of co-ownership to a new level. “The easiest way to understand the ownership structure with Pacaso is to imagine yourself and three or four friends or family members wanting to buy a home together,” Austin says. “Pacaso enables you to do that, except you don’t have to know the other people or worry about any household upkeep, management, or home design.”

As Co-founder and CEO of Pacaso, Austin wears many different hats, priding himself on fostering a positive and collaborative team culture. Since the Pacaso team is fully remote, so much of his day-to-day focus is on ensuring they all work closely together. “Our mantra is that we always ‘row together’,” he says. “Having a really strong company culture is the foundation of our business and also empowers us to move quickly and efficiently.”

When asked what he loves most about his job, Austin says it’s interacting with Pacaso owners. “At Pacaso, we’re in the business of enriching lives, and our customer-first approach shapes everything we do,” he adds. “As a result, I often get the chance to meet our owners and speak with them directly about their experience of owning a Pacaso. I love hearing people’s stories about how their vacation home has changed their lives for the better and has given them a place to make memories that will last a lifetime.”

Austin’s advice for anyone who is starting out in the vacation ownership business is to figure out what they are passionate about and pursue that. “Work is work; it can be extremely difficult, especially if you are considering going the entrepreneurial route,” Austin says. “But I really believe that it’s only by doing what you love that you can truly find success. “

Austin also recommends finding mentors to help guide newcomers along their path, crediting his own mentors for their roles in influencing him to start two successful companies.   

As a new ARDA VIP member, Austin is enjoying the opportunity to meet other members who share his passion for enriching people’s lives with travel and their dedication to excellent customer service.

When he’s not working, Austin enjoys traveling with his wife and son. “Every year, my family and I travel to Tuscany. We just love the area; the food, the scenery, the wine,” he says. “It might sound cheesy, but my wife and I were high school sweethearts, and I can still say that after all these years, she’s still my favorite person to go on adventures with.”