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HomeAway
HomeAway is a single-family office in Austin managing capital from the $3.9B sale of the HomeAway vacation rental platform to Expedia in 2015.
HomeAway
HomeAway was established post-2015 following the sale of the vacation-rental marketplace to Expedia Group. The wealth originates from the sale of HomeAway, Inc., co-founded by Brian Sharples and Carl Shepherd. The office is based in Austin, Texas, where the original company was headquartered. The family office invests across real estate, hospitality, and adjacent sectors, with a focus on direct property acquisitions and development. Its strategy includes acquiring short-term rental properties, hotel assets, and vacation destinations. The firm also engages in private equity and venture capital deals, though specific portfolio companies are not publicly disclosed. Geographic focus remains primarily on the United States, with potential exposure to international hospitality markets. Team size and total deployment are not publicly available. The office maintains a lean structure typical of single-family offices, with no known additional offices or philanthropic foundations disclosed. No recent operational events have been reported in the last 24 months. HomeAway's structural differentiator is its direct lineage from a successful consumer-tech exit, giving it deep domain expertise in the vacation-rental and hospitality sectors. Its investment mandate is closely tied to the founding family's operational experience, setting it apart from generic real-estate-focused family offices.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Austin
Corporate office
Austin, TX, United States
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at HomeAway?
Investment decisions are made by the founding family, which includes former HomeAway co-founders Brian Sharples and Carl Shepherd. The office does not publicly list a dedicated CIO or investment team. Specific allocation authority is not disclosed in public sources.
How does HomeAway source proprietary deal flow?
The family office leverages the founders' network from the vacation-rental industry to source real estate and hospitality investment opportunities. Proprietary deal flow is generated through relationships with hotel operators, property developers, and other family offices. The firm does not actively market its sourcing capabilities.
Is HomeAway structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
HomeAway is structured as a single-family office, not as a multi-family office or venture firm. It manages the capital of the founding family only and does not accept outside investor capital. It does not appear to have a registered investment advisor (RIA) or fund structure.
Does HomeAway participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The family office primarily engages in direct real estate and hospitality investments rather than committing to external funds. It may occasionally participate in club deals or co-investments alongside other family offices, but its preference is for direct ownership and operational control of assets.
What investment stages does HomeAway typically target?
HomeAway targets established, cash-flow-generating real estate assets including hotel properties and vacation rental portfolios. It does not appear to focus on early-stage venture or growth equity. The firm is positioned as a buyer of income-producing hospitality assets.
Which sectors does HomeAway explicitly avoid?
The firm avoids sectors unrelated to real estate, hospitality, and vacation rentals, where the founding family has no operational expertise. That likely includes technology startups beyond travel-tech, healthcare, and financial services. Formal sector exclusions are not publicly documented.
How is HomeAway related to the vacation rental platform?
HomeAway the family office is the successor entity to the capital generated by the sale of HomeAway, Inc., the vacation rental marketplace. The company was co-founded by Brian Sharples and Carl Shepherd in 2005 and acquired by Expedia Group in 2015 for $3.9 billion. The family office shares the corporate name and Austin headquarters.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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