Meet Sean and Carissa Reid, the husband and wife team behind Vacay In WA. What started as helping owners manage a few vacation homes in 2020 has grown into a collection of more than 20 homes across Eastern Washington. Drawing on their backgrounds in human resources and consumer electronics, they’ve built a strong, hands-on business focused on creating memorable guest stays while helping owners reach their investment goals.
Can you tell us a little bit about your history?
My husband Sean and I are the team behind The RPM Group, where our vacation rental management division operates under the brand Vacay In WA. What started as helping manage a few vacation homes quickly grew into something much bigger. Today we manage vacation rentals across Eastern Washington in destinations like Lake Chelan, Leavenworth, and Walla Walla, with a focus on exceptional guest experiences and white-glove service for homeowners.
What is your background?
Before entering the vacation rental industry, my background was in Human Resources with a focus on employee development, while Sean spent many years in consumer electronics and car and home audio. Our previous careers taught us a lot about systems, operations, and customer experience; skills that translate really well into hospitality and property management.
Were you always in vacation rentals or property management? If not, what did you do before?
Vacation rentals are actually a second career for us, and one that kind of chose us. When the world shifted during COVID in 2020, other homeowners began approaching us to help manage their vacation homes. As our portfolio doubled year after year, we realized it was time to say goodbye to corporate life and fully commit to building our own company.
Around that same time, Sean also became a licensed real estate agent and now specializes in buying and selling vacation rentals throughout Washington State. He helps clients explore the possibilities of owning a vacation rental by running numbers, creating Pro Formas, evaluating comps, and connecting buyers with trusted investors and lenders who understand vacation rental financing.
Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located, or did you move there later?
We live in Washington State and operate throughout Eastern Washington. Our homes and where we live are spread across the region, but we intentionally focus on areas where we can still stay hands-on with the homes we manage. Because of that, we also rely heavily on an incredible team that helps support our operations locally in each destination so we can continue providing a high level of service to both guests and homeowners.
Sean is also actively involved in helping support the vacation rental industry at the local and state levels. He serves on the board of the Chelan County Short-Term Rental Alliance (STACC) and the Washington Hosts Collaborative Alliance (WHCA), organizations that work to keep hosts informed and advocate for fair regulations for vacation rentals across Washington State. WHCA was also instrumental in partnering with Airbnb to successfully oppose the proposed vacation rental tax in Washington.
If later, is there something that drew you to that area?
Eastern Washington is truly special. Once you cross the Cascade Mountains from Seattle, the weather changes dramatically. This side of the state enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine each year, which makes destinations like Lake Chelan, Leavenworth, and Walla Walla a perfect retreat for visitors escaping the gray and rain on the west side. These towns are full of charm, crystal-clear lakes, evergreen forests, wine country, and beautiful mountain scenery. We feel incredibly lucky that our work allows us to spend time in places that so many people travel to experience.
What do you love most about the vacation rental business?
What we love most is helping create memorable experiences for guests while helping homeowners succeed with their investment properties. Whether it’s a family gathering, a ski trip, or a wine weekend with friends, these homes become the setting for some really special moments.
What do you dislike the most about it?
The vacation rental industry is still evolving quickly. Technology, regulations, and guest expectations are always changing, which means we spend a lot of time evaluating new systems and tools to make sure we’re choosing the right long-term solutions for our business. It can be challenging at times to keep up.
How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?
OwnerRez plays a central role in how we run our operations. We use it to manage reservations, automate guest communication, organize property details, and keep our business running smoothly across multiple destinations.
What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?
The automation tools, CRM, and property management modules are incredibly valuable for us. Automated messaging helps ensure guests receive the right information at the right time, while the CRM helps us maintain strong relationships with returning guests. Another powerful feature is how OwnerRez connects with our MarketMySTR account. That integration allows us to leverage guest contact data to increase direct bookings, welcome back returning five-star guests, and focus our marketing on our ideal guest audience.
Sean and Carissa have built a strong vacation rental management business in Eastern Washington through thoughtful systems and a hands-on approach. We look forward to continuing to support their work and seeing Vacay In WA continue to grow.
