Laura Kruger: Turning Family Real Estate Roots into a Full-Time Career

Laura Kruger didn’t originally plan to work in real estate. She was on track for law school, studying political science at Pepperdine and working in Washington, DC at institutions like Georgetown Law. But a short break after college—and a little family property chaos—changed everything.

In this episode, Laura shares how she returned home to help organize her family’s Bay Area real estate portfolio and unexpectedly found her career in property management. What began as a temporary project turned into a long-term professional path that eventually led her to launch her own company, Asset Locale.

Laura and Bruce discuss what it takes to manage residential properties successfully in today’s complex regulatory environment, the realities of property management margins, and why good operations are the foundation of profitable real estate investing.

Laura also shares her experience managing both long-term rentals and short-term or mid-term stays. From early experiments with Airbnb in the early 2010s to welcoming thousands of guests over the years, she explains how the San Jose market has developed a unique niche in extended-stay rentals for business travelers.

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