SECOND HOME FIRST ACADEMY
A self-paced course for people who want more income, optionality, and freedom in their lives. (Oh, and free vacations!)
Does this sound familiar?
✓ You’re tired of feeling stuck in a job or lifestyle that doesn’t allow you to live life on your own terms.
✓ You dream of a life where money works for you, not the other way around.
✓ You want the flexibility to travel, spend time with loved ones, and create experiences that matter.
✓ You want to feel financially secure now, while building long-term wealth.
If you’re nodding along, the Second Home First Academy is for you. You’re ready to think differently, take smart risks, and create a path that gives you control, choice, and the lifestyle you’ve always imagined.
This self-paced course will give you the knowledge, tools, and confidence to buy a vacation home that pays for itself. By the end of the program, you won’t just have inspiration, you’ll have clarity, strategy, and a defined path forward.
Stop waiting for "someday."
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Inside the Academy, you’ll receive:
On-demand lessons to teach you the four-step Second Home First framework, completed on your own timeline
Worksheets, quizzes, calculators, and checklists to turn ideas into action
Proven frameworks to help you define your vision, confirm your budget, identify your target market, map your financing path, and select the right management model
Expert guidance on designing a home you’ll love (and that guests will love to book!)
Real-world insights from Katie’s three profitable vacation homes, including lessons learned and mistakes to avoid
Lifetime access so you can revisit key lessons and enjoy new modules as they’re added
A personalized roadmap that brings everything together into a clear, actionable plan
INSIDE THE ACADEMY
An overview
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Step one is all about envisioning your perfect vacation home and turning that into a clear, actionable plan. Through a combination of brainstorming exercises, worksheets, quizzes, and checklists, you’ll refine your vision, set priorities, and lay the foundation to turn your dream into reality.
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Step two establishes the financial foundation of your vacation home search. Worksheets, calculators, and checklists equip you to navigate budgeting and financing with ease. Empowered with this knowledge, you’ll be ready to confidently purchase your dream vacation home.
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Step three focuses on getting your vacation home ready for both your family and paying guests. With practical tools, worksheets, and checklists, you’ll define your ideal guest, design your dream space, and smoothly welcome your first visitor. Pro tips help your property run effortlessly, creating a home you’ll love to escape to and a stay your guests will never forget.
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Step four focuses on managing your vacation home with confidence. Quizzes, checklists, and expert guidance help you choose the right management approach and implement strategies to future-proof your investment so you can enjoy a sustainable, worry-free vacation home for years to come.
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Finally, you’ll bring everything together into a cohesive, personalized roadmap. Through guided exercises, strategic prompts, and practical checklists, you’ll define your budget, confirm your financing path, clarify your timeline, and identify potential blind spots. By the end of the course, you’ll have a clear, actionable plan tailored to your specific goals, giving you the confidence to move forward and turn your vision into reality.
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Loved what you learned in the Second Home First Academy but want some time with Katie, one-on-one, to discuss your specific circumstances? For a limited time, you’re able to purchase a 60 minute call with Katie to get personalized guidance based on your unique circumstances. Dive into your specific goals, ask questions, review potential properties, and leave with a clear action plan.
Hi, I’m Katie, a hospitality veteran and short-term rental expert passionate about helping people turn vacation homes into wealth-building opportunities.
When I moved back to New York City to help care for my mom, buying a primary home didn’t make sense financially. So my husband and I bought a vacation home upstate, hoping short-term rentals could offset the costs. Not only did it cover expenses, it turned a profit, and a year later, we did it again. Seeing the houses booked every weekend from May through November made me realize this was not a fluke but a strategy. Today, we own three vacation homes that pay for themselves, building long-term wealth while letting us create memories and enjoy life with our family today.
Professionally, I’m an award-winning publicist, hospitality veteran, and short-term rental expert. I host two podcasts, Second Home First and Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality, and previously led global communications for iconic hotel brands including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and W Hotels. I bring those five-star insights to my own portfolio of vacation homes and love showing others that with the right approach, their dream vacation home can do the same for them.
Join the SHF Academy
Founding Member Pricing
For a limited time, founding members can receive up to 40% off the Academy. Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock this exclusive discount code.
Learn at Your Own Pace
Start whenever you're ready. The Academy is completely self-guided, with new modules unlocking each week so you can implement what you learn without feeling overwhelmed.
Guided Roadmap
Avoid information overload. Each module unlocks one week after you begin the previous one and includes practical worksheets, checklists, and templates to help you confidently move from dreaming to buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
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SHF Academy is a self-paced course designed to guide you step-by-step through buying and launching your own second home first. It outlines the exact four-step framework Katie used to find, finance and furnish her three profitable vacation homes.
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Broadly, it’s for people who want more income, optionality, and freedom in their lives. More specifically, it’s for you if you like the idea of achieving these goals by owning a vacation home that pays for itself.
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Inside the Academy, you’ll receive:
On-demand lessons to teach you the four-step Second Home First framework, completed on your own timeline
Worksheets, quizzes, calculators, and checklists to turn ideas into action
Proven frameworks to help you define your vision, confirm your budget, identify your target market, map your financing path, and select the right management model
Expert guidance on designing a home you’ll love (and that guests will love to book!)
Real-world insights from Katie’s three profitable vacation homes, including lessons learned and mistakes to avoid
Lifetime access so you can revisit key lessons and enjoy new modules as they’re added
A personalized roadmap that brings everything together into a clear, actionable plan
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By the end of the course, you won’t just have inspiration — you’ll have clarity, strategy, and a defined path forward so you can buy a vacation home that pays for itself.
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You can enroll in the SHF Academy at any time. The course is self-paced and designed to be accessible on your schedule.
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If you have any questions before getting started, email us at Hello@BuyYourSecondHomeFirst.com.
QUESTIONS?