When Austin Allison first set out to solve what he identified as an “empty second homes problem” in idyllic California vacation destinations through co-ownership , his team took a page from the Silicon Valley playbook: When the mission is to disrupt the $1.3 trillion vacation home market, ask for forgiveness rather than permission.
Nearly five years later, he said his “property tech” startup Pacaso, which sells fractional shares in multimillion-dollar luxury homes to as many as eight co-homeowners, has sold more than $1 billion in shares. It boasts listings in 40 markets, including Europe and Mexico, with a goal of expanding operations to the Caribbean this year. According to Allison, the company, which achieved unicorn status a mere five months after launching, is rebounding from revenue losses and layoffs in recent years, with a valuation today at “just under $1 billion.”
“Co-ownership is a meaningful real estate category that’s growing quickly, and we are the global leader,” Allison told the Chronicle last month, adding that his team consists of just under 200 people…