Colorado Springs Real Estate Investing Podcast

As prices continue to rise across the Front Range, many real estate investors are getting priced out of big areas like Denver and Colorado Springs.  Luckily, Pueblo, located just south of Colorado Springs, is a great option for investors who want solid returns on cheaper properties.  We’ve covered Pueblo a lot over the years and on paper, it’s a solid bet.  But what is it really like to invest there?

To find out, we sat down with 3 Denver-based investors who own properties in Pueblo: Lauren, Bryan, and Kyle.  We wanted to know what their experience has been like, and if they would invest there again.  Our conversation covered why they bought in Pueblo, their experience with property management companies, and what their returns look like.  Check out the podcast to hear their answers, and why all of them are happy with their decision to invest in this growing area.

As interest rates climb, many Colorado real estate investors worry whether it’s still possible to cash flow.  As we’ve seen previously, Pueblo presents a fantastic opportunity for investors to buy solid properties that provide great returns.  Today, we’re looking at a large duplex that has positive cash flow in the desirable Belmont neighborhood of Pueblo. We were surprised to learn that it actually performs better as two long term rentals than it did with a rent by the room model!  Check out the podcast to hear the numbers and find out why we’re excited about this investment.

How Is This Investor Cash Flowing $7K Annually with a 7% Interest Rate?

Rental Property Spreadsheet

We’re wrapping up our 2023 Southern Colorado Investing Guide by exploring different investing strategies that work in today’s market.  Markets are reflections of many different factors, so the same strategy won’t work well all of the time.  But that doesn’t mean you need to be boxed into a strategy that doesn’t fit your lifestyle and long-term plans.  As you learn about the strategies we’re looking at today, think about how they match your goals to refine your own approach to investing. 

Check out the podcast to hear the details on a duplex in Pueblo used as a long-term rental, a rent by room single family home in Colorado Springs, and a house hack in Woodland Park that has a lot of possibilities.  Even though these strategies are very different from each other, the investors are each getting great returns. 

What’s going on in Colorado real estate?  We’ve got the April 2023 market updates and trends, and our roundtable of experts is back to discuss what they mean. Envision Advisors agents Jenny Bayless, Preston Newberry, and Newt Wyler joined me to talk about all the trends we’re seeing along the front range, from Pueblo to Northern Colorado.  

In all markets, median sales prices are down year over year, and we’re keeping our eyes on this stat to see how the current busy season impacts it over the next few months.  Now is a good time to be a seller—a well-priced property has a good shot at going over list price.  However, buyers also have room to ask for concessions since there are plenty of properties that have been sitting on the market for a while. 

Note: The above Executive Summary is from Lon Welsh of Your Castle Real Estate.

Welcome back to Part 2 of our 3-part 2023 Southern Colorado Investing Guide.  Today, we’re talking with local lender Jessica Khani of Aslan Home Lending about the types of financing options available for investors, plus different strategies they can use in a high-rate environment.

Jessica isn’t just a lender, she’s also an investor herself. She started as a house hacker, has done the nomad approach, and now owns both long- and short-term rentals.  Currently, she has 5 rental properties and just sold her first house hack after renovating the home.  She’s the perfect person to help us navigate this complex and ever-changing topic.

Check out the podcast to learn about financing options for owner-occupant investors, pure investment property owners, and how to lower your interest rate. 

To find out which loan options are best for you, reach out to Jessica at [email protected] or call her directly at 314-265-0642.

Want to know what’s working in the southern Colorado real estate market?  Today, we’re rolling out the 2023 Southern Colorado Real Estate Investing Guide!  This guide is designed to help you figure out how to invest in this market, what strategies are working now, and changes in the lending environment that will affect your deals.  We’ve divided the guide into three bite-size parts: real estate investing concepts refresher; different financing methods and recent changes; and strategies our clients are successfully executing, including recently closed purchases.

In part one, we’re focusing on real estate investing basics for Southern Colorado.  While the market may change every year, there are some concepts that continue to stay relevant.  We’re going back to these basics to remind you of how to approach analyzing your investment, less obvious costs associated with rentals, and different ways to evaluate your returns.  Understanding these concepts will give you the knowledge you need to find an investment property that fits your long-term goals. 

Check back next week when we cover financing methods, what lending rules have changed, and talk to a local lender about your options.  If you’re considering buying a property this year, you’ll want to hear what she has to say. 

The spring selling season is here, and we’re back with your March 2023 market updates for the Front Range: Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver, and northern Colorado.  The markets in Colorado Springs and Denver are heating up, with prices rising month over month, though we’re still a long way from a balanced market.  Northern Colorado, our most geographically diverse market, is seeing increased sales everywhere, though prices are down a bit in Longmont and Greeley.  Overall, we’re excited about where things are going, and think next month’s stats will show increased activity, despite a somewhat slow start to the year. 

Note: The above Executive Summary is from Lon Welsh of Your Castle Real Estate.

If you’re interested in buying an investment property and want to know what’s on the market now, sign up for our weekly deals list email.

We say it all the time when it comes to real estate investing: cash flow isn’t everything.  Sometimes, a negative cash flow investment property becomes a great long-term asset.  For Envision Advisors agent Leah Keeling, her Colorado Springs townhouse is projected to cash flow a negative $6500 the first year she rents it out. So, why are we excited about this deal?

Leah has known for a while that she wanted to start investing in real estate, and she took her time deciding on the best strategy for her situation in life.  When she came across a new build townhouse in the city for only $305K, she knew she had to act on it. Her plan is to use the Nomad approach to investing. This means she’ll live in the property for at least a year before converting it to a long term rental. 

Thanks to favorable FHA loan terms for primary residences, Leah was able to put down just 3.5%. This put her out of pocket costs at just $18K.  In fact, these low numbers are the reason she’s looking at a negative cash flow for this investment property. If this were a pure investment property, then she’d be putting down 25% and paying around $85K out of pocket.  Instead, she has an extra $67K she can save or use to invest in other properties.  Because Leah is a great saver, she’s comfortable taking on the risk of negative cash flow. You’ll need to understand your spending habits to determine if this strategy works for you.

Real estate investing is all about perspective: what do you want out of the investment, what are your long-term plans, and how can this property help you achieve them?  In Leah’s case, she gets to live in a brand-new home until she’s ready to rent it out and move onto her next property.  Plus, she owns an appreciating asset in Colorado Springs and is starting off strong on her investment journey.

Rental Property Spreadsheet

Envision Advisors

We want to know what you want to hear! What struggles are you having in your real estate investing journey? Anything have you stumped? What will help you level up your investing game? 

We want to know!

Please send an email to [email protected] to submit your answers!

Worried that high interest rates mean that real estate isn’t a good investment right now?  Check out this Pueblo duplex that’s bringing in some of the strongest returns we’ve ever seen on a long term rental–even with a 7% interest rate!

Investor friendly agent Leah Keeling is about to help her client close on this duplex. It’s located just outside the Mesa Junction neighborhood, a great area full of large Victorian homes.  The 1990s duplex gives the client the best of both worlds: the beauty of a historic area without the problems that come with a historic home.  They came in strong with a $255K offer, $5K over list price, and got the property.  

The client is getting three sources of income by renting out the two units plus the detached garage.  Despite hiring a property manager and having a 7.125% interest rate, he’s still cash flowing $7K annually and has an 8.2% cap rate!

This is one of the best performing long term rentals we’ve come across in a long time.  Usually to see numbers like these, clients are using more time consuming medium term rental or rent by room strategies. Don’t let today’s interest rates deter you: this property shows that with the right deal, you can still get strong returns.

We want to know what you want to hear! What struggles are you having in your real estate investing journey? Anything have you stumped? What will help you level up your investing game? 

We want to know!

Please send an email to [email protected] to submit your answers!

If you’re looking to achieve financial freedom, investing in real estate is a great way to do it, and we believe Colorado Springs is a great market to invest in. However, building a successful real estate portfolio can be challenging. There are various strategies to consider, such as rent-by-the-room or short term rentals such as Airbnb. But to succeed, it’s crucial to understand the deal breakers and key factors that contribute to your success in real estate. Fortunately, we have real-world data from experienced investors to guide you through the process.

Garrett, is a real estate investor who went from renting out his single family home to becoming an experienced investor with a portfolio of single and multi-family rentals. Garrett shares his experience between owning single family and multi-family rental properties and explains exactly how to analyze deals so you are comfortable with your decision. And most importantly, WHAT part of those deals you should be attentive to starting from the outside, like whether you should create an outdoor space, or why maintaining the exterior is so important.
Garrett also shares his insights on cash flow, longevity, and utilities. If you combine the benefits of each property -such as amenities-, and proper management, your tenants will enjoy living at the property, and hopefully will remain residents for many years!

If you hang out until the last part of the episode, you’ll listen to Garrett’s amazing advice to build up your portfolio like a pro. Share this one with colleagues and friends that can benefit from it!

We want to know what you want to hear! What struggles are you having in your real estate investing journey? What has you stumped? What will help you level up your investing game?

We want to know!

Please send an email to [email protected] to submit your answers!