Building the Vault

The real story behind Vault Ventures — real estate, investing, and what it actually takes to build a short-term rental portfolio in Michigan’s Western Upper Peninsula. The deals, the numbers, the lessons, and the day-to-day adventures of growing a business one property at a time.

  • A Night at the Lodge, Progress Updates & A Surprise on the Horizon

    Sometimes the best reset is simply getting away for a night — even when “away” is one of our own vacation rentals. We spent the night at Sandy Lake Lodge this weekend, and wow… what a reminder of why we love this place. The lake was frozen over in a way we rarely see in…

  • 🏡 Mobile Contractor Monday – Smarter Systems, Smoother Stays

    Sometimes the best days on the road come with a side of productivity—and a bit of bird hunting! Today’s mobile office adventure took us from property to property as we upgraded five of our rentals to WiFi-powered Schlage Encode locks. These locks are game changers! Controlled right from the phone app, they integrate directly with…

  • Mobile Monday, AI Insights & Fall Progress

    Today’s adventure brings another Mobile Monday Office update from Jake’s Bed & Bar. We’ve already been to a handful of properties—on a roof checking an exhaust vent, scheduling updates, ordering materials, and planning the week ahead. It’s that busy fall rhythm where renovations, rentals, and real estate all overlap. We’ve said it before, but it’s…

  • Mobile Office Monday! ☀️

    Today’s adventure took us back to Jake’s, where we finally got back on track with the floor install and dropped off our new QR code placards! Exciting news on the real estate front—two closings this week! One was a tough road to the finish line, while the other sailed through smoothly. Every transaction brings new…