“Pacaso has given us peace”: How one family made every vacation a Pacaso vacation

For Nina and Kristian Giordano, owning a beach home in Years ago, during the pandemic, they were staying in a rental near the water. One afternoon, sitting quietly on a balcony, Kristian noticed the beautiful home next door. At that moment, something clicked. Kristian recalls thinking to himself, “Somehow, some way, we’re going to make this happen.” At the time, it felt unrealistic. The home was listed for millions, far outside what they imagined was possible. Still, the idea stayed with them. It became part of their story — a shared dream they carried forward. Years later, Nina stumbled upon the same house while browsing listings. This time, the price looked different. As they researched further, they discovered Pacaso and learned about co-ownership. Suddenly, what once felt impossible felt achievable. “This was our dream house,” Nina says. “And it’s been a dream of ours forever.” A home that fits real life Living just 15 minutes away in La Mesa, Nina and Kristian didn’t want a vacation home that pulled them away from their everyday responsibilities. With four kids, school schedules, sports practices, and family routines were always part of their lives. What they wanted was balance. And with their Pacaso home, they found it. They can spend the night by the beach, wake up to ocean air, and still make it back in time for school drop-offs and afternoon practices. There’s no pressure to “make the most” of every trip, no long drives, no complicated planning. “We love staycations, and I feel like that’s what our Pacaso home feels like. But it also feels like home.” It’s a place where vacation and real life blend together naturally. Every time Nina walks through the front door, she feels it. “The first thing I do is open those doors and just kind of a relief, a sigh.” The view, the light, and the quiet immediately shift her mindset. “You feel like you’re miles away. In reality, we’re 15 minutes from home.” Watch the video to hear what else Nina and Kristian love about their San Diego beach second home. Where family always finds its way back Family has always been the foundation of Nina and Kristian’s lives. “Family is the main reason I exist,” Kristian says. With four children and now a grandchild, their Pacaso home has naturally become the place everyone gravitates toward. It’s where birthdays are celebrated, holidays unfold, and spontaneous weekends turn into cherished memories. Cousins arrive together. Kids bring friends. Aunts and uncles drop by. The house fills with voices, laughter, and shared meals. Big dinners stretch late into the evening. Barbecues turn into all-day gatherings. Beach walks become group adventures. No one feels rushed. No one feels like a guest. “It really, truly feels like home,” Nina says. What they treasure most is the quality of time they spend together. “It’s different here. Quality time with your family is what’s most important. This is creating everlasting memories.” Everyday moments that become traditions Some of the Giordanos’ favorite memories are built around simple rituals. On warm afternoons, Kristian fires up the grill, and kids run in and out of the house while music plays in the background. As evening comes, everyone gathers around the fire pit to roast marshmallows and tell stories. During the summer, nights often end on the rooftop. From there, they can see fireworks from SeaWorld San Diego lighting up the sky across the bay. “We set timers and race upstairs,” Nina says. “Watching fireworks from your own house is pretty magical.” Inside, the home offers just as much comfort. After long days filled with activity, everyone finds their own way to relax. Some curl up with a book on the balcony, while others head to their rooms. Nina often retreats to the primary bathroom for a quiet bubble bath. “After a long, busy day, everybody has a place to relax and unwind.” The home is designed for both connection and privacy — large enough to gather, yet intimate enough to feel personal. A sense of calm you can feel Their primary home is where life happens: early mornings, packed lunches, work calls, homework, and responsibilities. Their Pacaso home is where life slows. “At home, you’re in your routine,” Nina explains. “Here, you walk in and feel like you’re on vacation.” The calm here feels intentional. It’s built into the layout, the light, the view, and the atmosphere. It invites them to pause. “The sense of calm is very different than walking into a house with kids running around.” Even arrival feels effortless. They don’t worry about restocking supplies, cleaning, or repairs. Everything is prepared when they arrive. “I literally bring clothes and that’s it,” Kristian says. “You show up and you’re home.” That simplicity allows them to focus entirely on being present. Opening the door to new experiences with Pacaso Global Swap What started as a beach retreat soon became something more. Through Pacaso’s Global Swap feature, Nina and Kristian began traveling in ways they never expected. In just one year, they stayed in Pacaso homes in Paris, Jackson Hole, Lake Arrowhead, and Newport Beach. Each destination brought new perspectives, and these experiences have reshaped how they think about the future. .“It’s like owning 10 homes instead of one,” Kristian says. “Paris really opened our eyes,” he adds. “It showed us what the next 10, 20, 30 years could look like.” As Kristian steps into semi-retirement and their children become more independent, the access they get with Pacaso Global Swap has become a meaningful way for them to reconnect as a couple. “Family time. Family memories. Forever.” For the Giordanos, Pacaso isn’t just about owning a beautiful property. It’s about how that property fits seamlessly into and enriches their lives. It’s about arriving without stress, gathering everyone in one place, slowing down together, and making space for what matters. When asked to describe their experience, their answer comes easily. “Family time. Family memories. Forever.” From a dream sparked on a balcony to a home filled with generations of laughter, Nina and Kristian’s Pacaso story is about building a legacy of connection — one weekend, one trip, and one memory at a time.

When you’re traveling, where you Enter another option: a Pacaso second home. Here’s why co-owning a second home is a better option for your vacations than a The unexpected value of a Pacaso People have compared Pacaso to a hotel, Airbnb or a While Pacaso offers a unique form of co-ownership through an LLC, traditional co-ownership models like But it's not just about these practical advantages. A Pacaso offers valuable benefits that can only be experienced as an owner. Here’s what our owners have to say.   1. You can just show up and enjoy your home While hotels and short-term rentals can vary widely in quality, you can expect your Pacaso to be fully appointed and pristine — every time you return. Your home is taken care of by a 2. It’s easy to host your favorite people Making memories with friends and family is one of the most life-enriching parts of a vacation. And with your Pacaso, it’s easy to do just that. From outdoor kitchens and al fresco gathering spaces to open grand rooms and game rooms, Pacaso has the space, features and details to help the ones you love feel comfortable and enjoy quality time together.  — 3. You have the whole place to yourself (and your guests!) At your Pacaso, you always have the whole space to yourself. Your home belongs to you. Our homes feature large gathering spaces, and many also have spacious outdoor areas, patios, balconies and decks. Whether you want to relax, work from home or throw a celebration, you’ll have plenty of space for your whole crew. And it’s not just about space — unlike hotels and Airbnbs, all your guests are welcome at your Pacaso (even your dog!).  — 4. You get to live like a local When you own a Pacaso, you become part of a community. You’re not bouncing through different hotels, homes and places — you return to a neighborhood where every aspect is familiar, from your favorite place for breakfast to local museums. Being able to call a place you know and love home makes for a seamless (and special) vacation every time.  5. You won’t have to stress about your vacation Staying at your own Pacaso offers a different experience from the typical vacation. Rather than having to plan things to do and places to eat at, you have all the — 6. You have all the conveniences of home When you come to your Pacaso, there’s no need to pack the small things. Bathrooms are stocked with towels, hair dryers, a scale, magnifying mirror and basic toiletries. Your home has high-speed WiFi and 7. Every detail is luxurious One of the standout things about owning a Pacaso is having luxurious touches throughout your home, allowing you to vacation in style. In addition to our standard amenities and features, you’ll find high quality linens, Turkish towels, premium kitchen products (including Cuisinart, Le Creuset, Ninja and more), porcelain tableware and a Peloton in select homes. These are the small details that make your vacation special.  — Vacations (and memories) made better When you co-own a Pacaso, you enjoy hassle-free time at a place that feels like your home (because it is). You have the amenities and convenient experiences of a hotel, the wow factor of a luxury Airbnb, and the space and privacy of a vacation home — plus, all the benefits of home ownership. This is what sets Pacaso apart.  Ready to shift into vacation mode and start making lifelong memories? Check out our

Second home buyer: George, Bay Area entrepreneur George is a long-time Bay Area resident and tech company CEO, and with three kids between the ages of 7 and 12, he felt the time was right for a second home where his family could take a break from their busy lives. He wanted a location that felt like an escape but was still easily accessible by car, and served as a welcome gathering space for his immediate family as well as extended family and friends.  The situation George’s second home vision started as a building project. He had been researching the When George and Anne learned about Pacaso, however, they were intrigued. As a tech entrepreneur with an eye for innovation, George embraces forward-thinking business ideas.  “We are big believers in the shared economy,” said George. “What was compelling about Pacaso was it was ready and available now, and it was clear the team had really thought about what the shared economy looks like for vacation homes, and what would it look like for me and my wife who want to take advantage of a second home but are busy and active in our work lives. We're not retired or close to it, so I'm not going to be occupying a second home more than 15% tops. It's a perfect product for someone like me, and that helped us move forward quickly and become owners of a Pacaso home.” Although Pacaso was relatively new, George was familiar with the co-ownership concept and felt confident in his purchasing decision. In fact, he sees Pacaso as the model for second home ownership: “This is the way the future is going, and the way a vacation home should be leveraged by a person like myself.”  Still, there were a few important details George wanted to discuss before committing to a purchase. “One of the biggest hurdles for any buyer is understanding Another concern was how co-owners might treat the home. “What I liked about the contract was that it made it very clear that every owner is expected to be a true owner,” said George. “It presents a deliberate point of view about how you should think of and value your home, which sets the right tone.” Since purchasing their Pacaso, George and his family have loved staying at their home, and any misgivings about others’ care of the property have been erased. In fact, they’ve referred friends who ended up buying a share. A key factor in their enjoyment? Not having to deal with maintenance or other hassles of ownership.  "We don't have to worry about things like a leaking sink, and when we noticed that the Wi-Fi wasn’t great outside, we talked to Pacaso and they took care of it,” said George. “We get the advantages of using the home in the way we want without all the downsides of owning a second home, and that’s because of the Pacaso team.”  George has also been impressed with the ease of scheduling time at their home. “One of the most positive aspects is how well Pacaso thought about the app — when owners can get access, how much time they can schedule, who can book. We look at the calendar and know what we can plan, and it's been pretty awesome.” Conclusion For George and his family, their Pacaso ticks all the boxes: It’s an escape from the city, a comfortable place to gather with loved ones, and a practical alternative to whole home ownership. “It's your home, but it's also a home that's well taken care of when you're not there. When we come back, everything is ready to go — we don't have to fix or clean anything — and when we’re there, we don't have to worry about all the typical homeowner issues, which allows us to maximize our time there. It’s an incredible thing.” And while the home itself is well matched to their needs, it represents so much more to George. It’s a place where he and his wife can watch their children grow into young adults.  “My kids are at a critical point in their lives, and their memories and the ways they think about family are being created as we speak,” said George. “To have a place that we can call our home and where we can separate ourselves from living and breathing the frenetic pace of Silicon Valley — having that time and memories that are so distinct from the Bay Area, that's huge. These are the formative years for our kids, and having this place for our family is really meaningful.” Find your Napa Valley getaway With gorgeous (and hassle-free) homes available throughout the

A second home is a place to relax, unwind and enjoy a break from your everyday routine. Comfortable furnishings and beautiful surroundings are a key part of that experience and core to the Pacaso design philosophy.  Before the first Pacaso owner steps inside their new second home, the Pacaso design team observes every space and every angle, inside and out, to plan and create a curated environment of Pacaso’s design team sums up their approach: “Our goal with Pacaso interior design is to think of the home holistically and put everything together in a way that has a really nice energy, so when you walk into the home, it just immediately feels comfortable and tied together.” Designing a Pacaso second home offers a unique and exciting challenge. The spaces will be used and enjoyed by multiple families, and the homes need to serve everyone’s needs while meeting a high standard of refinement. “When you’re buying into a home of this stature, you expect a certain level of appointment, and so we really strive to make sure that we are at that level. We want buyers to feel so confident about the design of our homes that they don't even need to think about those details when they’re shopping,” said the Pacaso design team. “As soon as they walk through the door, we want them to take a big deep breath and feel a sense of Location sets the stage The first step in the Pacaso design process is imagining how owners will use their home, and that depends a lot on the home’s location. The design team focuses on being regionally specific first. People go to the areas they’re really interested in, or they pick the areas that have the weather they enjoy the most — so then it's the design team's job to incorporate the outside in because somebody picked that location for a very good reason. The design team also considers how the climate and natural environment will influence the way owners use the home. They think about the surroundings and what activities are happening nearby — if there are mountains and snow, they’ll take a very different approach compared to a beachfront home. The exterior environment affects how people will interact with their homes, which influences how the team designs the spaces. Experiences drive design Once the team has decided on a general design approach based on location and climate, they consider the home’s layout and attributes, and how those features will influence the way people use the home. Unlike a primary home, second homes are for gatherings — they design with groups in mind. Everyone should feel comfortable and part of the space. A beautiful home instills pride, but an enjoyable home is designed with the owners’ experiences in mind. There's a lot of purpose behind the design — it's not just about what is going to look great in a photo. If it doesn't work well when people are living there, and they’re moving furniture around because it's just not in the right places or it's in the way, then that’s not a good design. Every detail matters Each item in a Pacaso, be it a vase, throw pillow or floor lamp, is intentionally matched to the home. Furnishings are trend-forward, contemporary and beautiful — but function and durability are critical when deciding which pieces will make the final cut. The design team looks at the quality first — is it functional and comfortable? Will it hold up? Then they choose the most beautiful pieces that meet that criteria. The Pacaso design team likes to select something unique for each of their design projects, a piece that feels like it was made for the home. “Typically we try to find a signature piece, sometimes even something like a fabric on a pillow that will inspire me on the design of the whole house, and then I build everything around that.” Equal attention is given to all the extras that make a house feel like home — centerpiece art, cozy throw blankets, and just the right amount of decorative elements “so the home doesn't feel empty or hotel-like, but not so many that it feels like you're sitting in someone else's home with their personal items lying around.”  And when it comes to the basics, the team doesn’t skimp on the things you and your family (including any four-legged members) need to enjoy your stay. Homes are stocked with more than The final product Once all the finishing touches are in place, we hope each owner will feel immediately at home in their Pacaso. “We want owners to have that ‘aha’ moment when they arrive. We are all living these stressful lives right now, and when an owner steps through the door they should have a feeling of ‘I'm home,’ but not in the sense of their regular routine. They should feel connected to the space because it’s familiar, relaxing and peaceful.”  Watch the video to learn more about the Pacaso design team's approach to interior design at Pacaso.

Communities across the U.S. are experiencing troubling housing inventory shortages, and this problem has only intensified over the past year — particularly in second home communities. Buyer This supply and demand imbalance is understandably frustrating for local residents in search of affordable, moderately priced homes. It also creates a challenge for aspiring second home buyers hoping to unlock the dream of second home ownership and secure a higher-end home in these desirable communities.  Enter Pacaso.  Pacaso launched in October 2020 with a mission to make second home ownership possible for more people. Our fully managed co-ownership model is helping a broader pool of aspiring second home buyers purchase real estate in a second home community for ⅛ the price and enjoy the home throughout the year.  Because a fully managed co-ownership model is new to many people, we often encounter questions and misconceptions from neighbors and local community members about the potential impacts to their community.  To shed light on these misperceptions, here are common myths about Pacaso — and the reality behind our model and owners. Myth: Pacaso is a timeshare While Pacaso’s fully managed co-ownership service is new, “DIY” co-ownership is not. It’s common for groups of friends or family members to buy a second home together. While feasible, self-organized co-ownership can be a hassle to set up and manage on an ongoing basis. Myth: Pacaso will drive up home prices and take away homes needed by the local workforce Pacaso helps preserve affordable and middle-tier inventory by enabling eight aspiring buyers to instead co-own a single second home. Now, instead of applying their original budget to a lower priced whole home, Pacaso buyers can co-own a home at a higher price point. This redirects buyers toward luxury, above-median homes and consolidates buyer demand. Said another way, each Pacaso home removes eight second home buyers from the market as active shoppers. This reduces overall competition in the market, creating opportunities for local buyers shopping in for moderately priced homes. Austin Allison, Pacaso co-founder and CEO, explains Pacaso's positive impact on local housing markets. Myth: Pacaso’s math doesn’t make sense — cumulative shares add up to more than the whole home price Myth: Pacaso owners will negatively impact my local community Pacaso also supports greater diversity in the community by lowering the barriers to second home ownership. We’re proud that 25% of Pacaso’s owners are nonwhite or identify as LGBTQ+, and many owners are families who are now able to enjoy second home ownership for the first time. Myth: A Pacaso in my neighborhood will be disruptive   Myth:  Pacaso homes are the same as short-term rentals Community perspectives Here’s what local community members are saying about Pacaso’s positive impacts:  — — — —

Owning a second home is a dream for many families, but it’s often complicated and a financial burden. Pacaso was founded to change that — making second home ownership more accessible, flexible, and enjoyable for modern buyers. What is Pacaso? By combining innovative technology, thoughtful design, and Pacaso is a technology-enabled real estate marketplace that reimagines second home ownership by making it more accessible, flexible, and manageable. Pacaso’s business model is based on How does Pacaso work? Buyers co-own This approach allows buyers to enjoy a turnkey, fully furnished vacation home at a fraction of the cost and hassle of full ownership, while still building potential equity in a desirable property. Whether it’s a mountain retreat, lakeside escape, or coastal getaway, Pacaso makes second home ownership more flexible, accessible, and stress-free. Who are the Pacaso founders? Pacaso was co-founded in 2020 by Austin Allison and Spencer Rascoff, two seasoned real estate tech executives on a mission to make luxury second home ownership more accessible. Together, they combined their expertise to create a co-ownership model that makes second homes more attainable, manageable, and enjoyable. In 2014, several years before Austin came up with the idea for Pacaso, he and his wife purchased a second home in Lake Tahoe. For Austin, co-founder and CEO of Pacaso, owning a second home had long been a dream—but making it a reality was financially challenging and logistically complex. “We were like most families who aspire to own a second home but could not easily afford it at the time,” he explained. “The only way we could make it work was to rent it out when we were not there. We felt privileged to own the home, but the stress and hassle of managing a rental to help pay the mortgage was burdensome.” This experience planted a seed in Austin’s mind: there had to be a simpler, more flexible way for families to enjoy second homes without the typical financial and management headaches. That idea would eventually grow into Pacaso, a company now redefining what it means to own a second home. How did Austin Allison build his real estate career? Austin grew up in Cincinnati in a working-class family. His father was a carpenter, and Austin was entrepreneurial from a young age — his very first venture involved building and selling birdhouses to families in his neighborhood. That early curiosity about creating and selling something tangible would foreshadow his future in business and real estate. Not long after, Austin’s interest in real estate began to take shape. He bought his first house at just 17 and earned his real estate license a year later, showing an early knack for understanding property and transactions. As his ambitions grew, Austin founded his first company, Dotloop, in Cincinnati. Dotloop, a platform that streamlined real estate transactions, quickly gained traction and attracted attention from industry leaders. Its success culminated in an acquisition by This combination of entrepreneurial spirit, early real estate expertise, and experience with innovative tech would later become the foundation for Pacaso, a company aiming to transform the way people access and enjoy second homes. What sparked the idea for Pacaso? It was before the acquisition of Dotloop that Austin purchased his second home. Even while running a successful business, Austin and his wife were thrilled to have a special place in a location they loved, a retreat where they could make memories and escape the everyday. Yet, the experience highlighted a gap in the market: second home ownership was complex, expensive, and often out of reach for many families. “I felt like I’d achieved a dream,” recalled Austin, “and I wanted to make that possible for more people.” That desire — to make owning a second home simpler, more affordable, and more accessible — became the seed for what would later grow into Pacaso, a company redefining the second home experience for families everywhere. How did Pacaso’s business model take shape? After leaving Zillow Group, this kernel of an idea started to develop. Austin and Spencer began brainstorming ideas for startups that would combine their shared passions for real estate, travel and tech innovation.  They gravitated toward the concept of making second home ownership more achievable for more people, of “right-sizing” ownership by allowing people to buy only the amount of a home that they’ll actually use, and enabling true ownership with far fewer hassles.  Austin believed that a When Austin discovered that most second homes are vacant 10-11 months each year, he also felt confident that co-owned homes, with a small owner group, would help keep second homes occupied year-round, bringing more consistent economic activity to local businesses.  Co-owners purchase the amount of home that meets their needs, and Pacaso handles all the management and maintenance — while communities benefit from invested owners who support local businesses. It was the better way of owning a second home that Austin had imagined was possible.   Why is the company called Pacaso? The story behind our name reflects the spirit of innovation at the heart of Pacaso. In case you’ve noticed the nod to a famous artist, it’s intentional. We are inspired by Pablo Picasso’s revolutionary thinking and the way he challenged artistic norms in the early 20th century. Picasso didn’t just create art — he reimagined how people could see and understand it, co-creating cubism, which brought together individual elements to form an entirely new and innovative whole. That approach resonated deeply with how we envisioned second home ownership. Just as Picasso combined pieces to create something bigger and more meaningful, Pacaso brings together multiple owners to create shared opportunities for owning a second home. By combining resources and rethinking traditional ownership models, we make it possible for more people to enjoy the benefits of a vacation home while reducing financial and logistical stress. “We chose the name Pacaso as a tribute to Picasso’s legacy of innovation, creativity, and challenging the status quo — values that continue to guide how we approach second home ownership today.” Watch the video to hear from Austin and learn more about the origin of Pacaso. How do I start my second home journey with Pacaso? Pacaso was created to make