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Welcome to College Real Estate Coach, the podcast where real estate meets opportunity in America’s favorite college towns. Whether you’re a parent exploring housing options for your student, an investor looking for high-return markets, or a student wondering if buying beats renting—we’ve got you covered. Each episode is packed with real-world tips, expert insights, and local know-how to help you make smart money moves and build lasting memories. From game day rentals to student housing strategies, we’ll show you how college towns offer more than just degrees—they offer potential. Episodes drop on Thursdays. Subscribe to learn how to turn college living into long-term wealth.
Episodes
Thursday Mar 05, 2026
Thursday Mar 05, 2026
Are you using the wrong loan for your rental property?
The financing strategy you choose can dramatically impact your cash flow, return on investment, and long-term wealth — especially in high-demand college towns like Tuscaloosa, Auburn, and other university markets.
In this episode of The College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner sits down with Jeff Welgan, Vice President of Investor Lending at Blueprint Home Loans, to break down how real estate investors and parents are financing college-town rental properties today.
If you're wondering:
• What is a DSCR loan and how does it work?
• Should parents buy a college house as a primary residence or investment property?
• What loan options maximize cash flow?
• How do interest rates affect rental property strategy?
• What mistakes do investors make when choosing financing?
This episode answers those questions clearly and strategically.
Jeff shares insights from 22 years in the lending industry, including how investors qualify for rental property loans without tax returns, when to use conventional financing vs DSCR loans, and why pre-approval and conservative deal analysis matter more than ever.
Whether you're a parent considering buying a home for your college student or an investor building a rental portfolio, understanding your financing options is critical to protecting your downside and maximizing opportunity.
College-town real estate can be a powerful wealth-building strategy — but only if the structure is right.
Client focused . Performance driven
Jeff Welgan
IG: @jeff.themortgageexpert | Facebook
Visit his website!
📞 Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner, Realtor®, College Real Estate Expert and Investor
205.422.9713 | vikkigrodner@kw.com
Follow us on Social:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hospitalitynetworkgrouprealtykellerwilliams
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup
Wednesday Mar 04, 2026
Wednesday Mar 04, 2026
Ann Arbor is one of the most stable and insulated college-town real estate markets in the country — but it doesn’t operate like most university towns.
In this episode of College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner sits down with Kevin Daum of Daum Group Real Estate in Ann Arbor, Michigan to break down what makes the University of Michigan housing market unique.
With over 50,000 undergraduates, a massive medical center, and the largest football stadium in the country, Ann Arbor’s real estate market is driven by long-term demand, education, healthcare, and athletics.
In this episode, we discuss:
• Whether parents should buy for their college students
• Why cash flow is difficult in Ann Arbor
• Why long-term equity investing works
• Short-term rental restrictions
• Game-day property opportunities
• The economic impact of Michigan Stadium
• How medical residents and fellows approach homeownership
If you’re exploring college-town investing, parent purchases, or comparing markets like Tuscaloosa and Ann Arbor, this conversation provides clarity and strategy.
Client focused . Performance driven
Hospitality Network Group at Keller Williams
Kevin Daum, Realtor®
Daum Group Real Estate
734-604-5055 | kevin@daumgroup.com
IG: @DaumGroupRealEstate ; @red_beard_realtor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DaumGroup www.daumgroup.com
📞 Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner, Realtor®, College Real Estate Expert and Investor
205.422.9713 | vikkigrodner@kw.com
Follow us on Social:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hospitalitynetworkgrouprealtykellerwilliams
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup
Thursday Feb 26, 2026
Thursday Feb 26, 2026
Most families assume renting is the only option for college housing.
This family chose differently.
In this episode of College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner sits down with Barbara and Virginia to share why their family purchased a walkable townhome near the University of Alabama instead of signing a lease.
If you are considering Tuscaloosa real estate, buying for your student, or exploring college-town investing strategies, this real-life case study walks through the decision-making process step by step.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why walkability to campus and the stadium matters
• The truth behind the “October housing myth”
• How multi-generational families structure purchases
• Why buying near campus can outperform renting
• How adding a 19-year-old to the deed can be strategic in Alabama
• Why stadium proximity supports long-term appreciation
Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or investor evaluating University of Alabama housing, this episode provides clarity on when buying makes financial and strategic sense.
Hospitality Network Group at Keller Williams
Client-focused. Performance driven
📞 Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner, Realtor®, College Real Estate Expert and Investor
205.422.9713 | vikkigrodner@kw.com
Follow us on Social:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hospitalitynetworkgrouprealtykellerwilliams
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup
Thursday Feb 19, 2026
Thursday Feb 19, 2026
Think you have to wait until 40 to buy your first home? Think again.
In this episode of College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner is joined by Royce Dickerson — who purchased his first home in his 20s while in grad school — and Ken Grodner, co-owner of Hospitality Network Group at Keller Williams.
They unpack:
• Why the “you can’t afford it yet” narrative isn’t always true
• How young professionals are buying sooner than expected
• The structure behind a vetted nationwide agent referral network
• Why referrals don’t cost buyers more — but do protect them
• How relocation buyers, renters, and parents of students benefit from expert guidance
Whether you’re exploring Tuscaloosa real estate, Birmingham real estate, college-town investing, relocation for UAB or the University of Alabama, or simply wondering if now is the right time to buy — this conversation provides clarity.
Real estate isn’t just a transaction. It’s a relationship. And having the right team in your corner changes everything.
Hospitality Network Group at Keller Williams
Client focused . Performance driven
Ken Grodner, Realtor®
Hospitality Network Group
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw ; @kengrodner
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DaumGroup www.facebook.com/hospitalitynetworkgrouprealtykellerwilliams
Royce Dickerson
IG: @roycedickerson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/royceldickerson
📞 Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner, Realtor®, College Real Estate Expert and Investor
205.422.9713 | vikkigrodner@kw.com
Follow us on Social:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hospitalitynetworkgrouprealtykellerwilliams
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup
Thursday Feb 12, 2026
Thursday Feb 12, 2026
Can you use your IRA to buy real estate in a college town like Tuscaloosa?
In this episode of College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner sits down with Christina Babineaux of IRA Innovations to explain how parents and investors are using self-directed IRAs to purchase student housing and investment properties near the University of Alabama and other high-demand college markets.
If you’re considering buying a property for your college student, investing in game-day rentals, or diversifying your retirement portfolio beyond stocks and bonds, this conversation walks through what you need to know.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• What a self-directed IRA is
• How to purchase real estate inside your retirement account
• IRS rules around self-dealing and family restrictions
• How rental income and expenses are handled
• How non-recourse loans work inside an IRA
• Why there are no capital gains taxes within an IRA
• The importance of planning and funding your account properly
This episode is ideal for:
• Parents buying property for college students
• Long-term buy-and-hold investors
• Self-employed professionals with SEPs or Solo 401(k)s
• Out-of-state investors exploring Tuscaloosa real estate
If you're exploring college-town investing strategies in Alabama — especially near the University of Alabama, UAB, or Auburn — this episode provides clarity and practical guidance.
Can you really use your IRA to buy real estate in Tuscaloosa or other high-demand college towns? In this episode of College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner sits down with Christina Babineaux of IRA Innovations to explain how parents and investors are using self-directed IRAs to purchase college-town properties — including student housing and game-day rentals. If you're exploring Tuscaloosa real estate, college-town investing, parent purchases, or long-term wealth strategies near the University of Alabama, this episode walks through the rules, structure, and strategy. What you'll learn: • What a self-directed IRA is and how it works • How to purchase real estate inside your retirement account • Rules around self-dealing and family restrictions • How expenses, rent, and property taxes are handled • Whether you can use financing (non-recourse loans explained) • Why there are no capital gains inside an IRA • Planning mistakes to avoid If you’re a parent thinking about buying a property for your college student — or an investor looking for tax-advantaged strategies in Alabama college towns — this conversation could change how you view retirement investing.
Christina Babineaux
Vice President, IRA Innovations, LLC
205.985.0860
Office 205.985.8674 Fax
irainnovations.com
Follow Christina on social:
📞Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner - 205.422.9713
Follow us on Social:
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup
Thursday Feb 05, 2026
Thursday Feb 05, 2026
Should parents buy college rental property in an LLC—or their personal name?
In this episode, The College Real Estate Coach Vicki Grodner sits down with real estate attorney Rachel Evans to explain how LLCs work, why they’re commonly used in college-town investing, and the costly mistakes parents make when they wait too long to decide.
A must-listen for parents buying property for students, especially in Alabama college towns.
Follow Rachel on social:
IG: @rachellaurenlane
📞Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner - 205.422.9713
Follow us on Social:
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Thinking about buying real estate for your college student — or investing in a college-town market?
In this episode of The College Real Estate Coach, host Vikki Grodner sits down with Jeff Wu, a Keller Williams agent serving the Washington DC–Virginia–Maryland corridor, to explore how college real estate investing works in major metropolitan markets.
They discuss how parents are choosing to buy instead of rent for their college students, how alumni and investors approach university-adjacent real estate, and why long-term factors like job centers, hospitals, and infrastructure often matter just as much as the university itself.
This conversation breaks down the realities of buying condos versus single-family homes near universities, the balance between long-term appreciation and short-term cash flow in higher-priced markets, and what parents and investors should know about landlord regulations and rental strategies in different municipalities.
If you’re a parent, investor, or out-of-state buyer considering college-town real estate, this episode offers practical insight into how the right strategy — and the right local expertise — can turn college housing into a long-term opportunity rather than just an expense.
Contact Jeff at jeff@agentknowshomes.com.
Follow Jeff on social:
IG: @jeffwukaizen
📞Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner - 205.422.9713
Follow us on Social:
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
What if you could build a home for your student — or add valuable rental units in a college town — in half the time of traditional construction?
In this episode of College Real Estate Coach, host Vikki Grodner, top real estate agent in Tuscaloosa and Certified Interior Designer, sits down with Stratton Tingle of Wind River Built to explore how modular homes, ADUs, tiny homes, and off-site construction are transforming the way parents and investors approach college-town real estate.
Whether you're investing near the University of Alabama, UAB, Auburn, or any high-demand university market, this episode reveals why modern, factory-built construction is becoming one of the fastest, smartest, and most cost-effective ways to create student housing, game-day rentals, and long-term wealth.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
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How off-site construction can cut build times by 50%
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The difference between tiny homes, ADUs, modular homes, and HUD-coded units
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What zoning really means for parents and investors
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How one university added 104 new beds in just nine months
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Why small-footprint homes are ideal for student rentals & game-day stays
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How to evaluate land, timelines, and budget when planning a modular build
If you’re a parent buying for your student, an out-of-state investor, a short-term rental host, or someone exploring housing solutions in a fast-growing college town, this episode gives you the clarity and strategy you need to make smart decisions.
Learn more about Wind River Built: https://www.windriverbuilt.com
Contact Wind River Built at info@windriverbuilt.com
Follow on social:
IG: @windriverbuilt
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📞Contact The College Real Estate Coach team:
Vikki Grodner - 205.422.9713
Follow us on Social:
IG: @hospitalitynetworkgroupkw
TikTok: @hospitalitynetworkgroup