February 03, 2026
#171 How to Build a Real Estate Empire (Without Losing Your Family Time)
Lady, let’s have a heart-to-heart. There comes a point in every investor’s journey where you hit a wall. You’ve got a few properties, the income is growing, but you’re exhausted. You’re the CEO, the property manager, and the 24/7 maintenance coordinator. You want to build a legacy, but the thought of adding one more door makes you want to hide under the covers.
I recently sat down with my friend Avery Carl. She didn’t just grow a portfolio; she built a multi-billion dollar enterprise. While she is a titan in the short-term rental world, the backbone of her wealth is a massive portfolio of 240 long-term doors. She uses her 10 short-term rentals as “cash flow turbochargers” to fuel her broader empire. Her journey is the ultimate blueprint for anyone who wants to grow a real estate business without sacrificing their sanity.
The “Two Stay-at-Home Parents” Framework
The biggest fear I hear from women in our tribe is that growth equals less time with family. Avery flipped that script. She and her husband own 250 total doors, yet their kids feel like they have two stay-at-home parents.
How? By being ruthless about their “prioritization filter.” Avery knows that her “needle movers” are strategy and brand presence. Everything else—the tenant screenings, the guest messages, the maintenance schedules—gets a system or a team member. If you want to grow a real estate business, you have to be willing to let go of the “busy work” so you can hold onto the big vision.
Building Trust Over Transactions
One of the most powerful things Avery shared was her secret to a decade of trust: telling a client not to buy a property. In a world of fast commissions, being the person who says, “This deal doesn’t make sense for your long-term goals,” is how you build a legacy.
Whether you are looking at a long-term apartment building or a vacation cabin, you need to filter your deals through data, not emotion. Avery uses the “Enemy Method” to see exactly how a property will perform against its neighbors. You can check out the Short Term Shop’s approach to market analysis here to see how the pros vet their deals before they ever sign a contract.
Systems: The Engine of Your Empire
You cannot grow a real estate business on manual labor alone. It just doesn’t work. Avery describes her initial cash flow as a “turbocharger”—it gave her the fuel to buy more assets, but the systems provided the steering wheel.
Think of your systems as the “invisible employees” that work while you sleep. To scale effectively, you need:
- Automated Operations: Systems that handle the day-to-day guest and tenant communications.
- Boots on the Ground: A trusted team of vendors who know your standards so you aren’t the one fixing the toilets.
- Diversified Assets: Balancing high-cash-flow STRs with the stability of long-term rentals.
The CEO Mindset Shift
Avery’s story proves that “having it all” isn’t a myth—it’s a strategy. You are capable of building a 7-figure portfolio. You are capable of being the present, “fun” mom. But you cannot do it by playing small or doing everything yourself.
It’s time to grow a real estate business that serves your life, rather than one that consumes it. Step up, Lady! You have the vision; now build the engine to power it.
Join the STR Sisterhood
Building an empire is a lot more fun when you have a tribe behind you. If you’re ready to move from “busy operator” to “wealthy CEO,” come join us. We’re lifting each other up and building legacies that last.
Click here now to listen to the full podcast.
HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:
[01:05] A short introduction about our guest Avery Carl, a seasoned real estate investor and short-term rental expert
[03:23] Avery explains how consistency, lived experience, and transparency shaped her cohesive personal brand
[06:43] Avery shares her experience on encountering shiny object syndrome without abandoning her strategy
[08:17] Avery reflects on losing focus, learning fast, and recommitting to her core business
[09:46] How Avery Carl decides what deserves her attention inside a growing business and shares how delegation, focus, and integrity guide her leadership style
[18:19] Avery explains how fluid boundaries help her balance business demands and family life
[19:45] Avery shares how virtual assistants and AI reduce the constant demands of short-term rental hospitality
[23:57] How Avery develops content ideas, refines the message, and publishes with consistency
[26:23] Avery looks back on when she realized content creation mattered and why she started later than most
[28:06] Avery explains how she evaluates content performance beyond likes, views, followers and how her platform strategy evolved from a few core channels to everywhere
[30:47] What are the biggest lessons Avery learned about focus, credibility, and follow-through from writing multiple books
[33:38] Avery’s advice to anyone dreaming of writing a book and emphasizes blocking time daily and putting words on the page, rather than getting stuck in planning or self-doubt
[35:07] What are the habits of people who can build teams and scale different businesses versus the people who kind of stay stuck in day to day operations
[37:00] Avery highlights how fear of making the wrong decision prevents people from taking necessary action
[42:32] The lightning round
Golden Nuggets:
- •“The less income producing it is, the more delegated it is.” •“It’s important to always stick with what you believe in.” •“You have to be somebody who’s willing to take control of your own destiny.” •“If one of my kids says something like, Oh, I never get to or like that never works for me; I’m like, No, we don’t talk like that. You make things happen for yourself.”
Let’s Connect!
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/theaverycarl/ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@TheShortTermShop TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@theshorttermshop Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop/
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