College Real Estate Coach

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...

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 mass...

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 coll...

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...

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...

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, especi...

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 in...

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 construc...

Thinking about buying for your student—or investing in one of the fastest-growing college-town markets in the U.S.? Atlanta may be your smartest move yet. In this episode of College Real Estate Coach, host Vikki Grodner sits down with Atlanta real estate expert Michael Hickman (Keller Williams) to break down the real estate dynamics surrounding Georgia Tech, Emory University, Georgia State, Spelma...

🏡 Auburn Real Estate Secrets: How Parents & Investors Are Scoring Big Near Campus Thinking about buying property in Auburn—or any college town? This episode is packed with insider knowledge you won’t hear anywhere else. Host Vikki Grodner sits down with Auburn Realtor Daniel Blessing to uncover why Auburn, Alabama is one of the most unique—and profitable—college towns for buyers, parents, and...

Thinking about buying a property near campus? Whether it’s for your student to live in, a gameday getaway, or a smart long-term investment—how you finance it matters more than you think. In this episode of The College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner is joined by Tuscaloosa lending expert Lindsay Nance to break down the real financial strategies behind buying real estate in a college town. 🎓 Lear...

Is renting in college just throwing money away? Can buying real estate while in college actually build wealth? In this episode of The College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner teams up with her husband and finance expert Ken Grodner to break down one of the most important decisions college families face: Should you rent or buy in a college town? They cover: ✅ How monthly rent compares to mortgage...

Can a TikTok hustle turn into a thriving interior design empire? Yes—and CJ Zucker, owner of Ambyanse Interiors, proves it. In this episode of The College Real Estate Coach, Vikki Grodner sits down with the creative force behind some of Tuscaloosa’s most beautifully designed homes and Airbnbs. 🎙️ From California to Idaho to Alabama, CJ shares how a bold DM to a TikTok influencer catapulted her car...

Are you a medical student, resident physician, or parent trying to decide whether to rent or buy a home during med school or residency? You’re not alone—and this episode of The College Real Estate Coach is your ultimate guide to making the smartest financial move in your medical journey. Join real estate experts Vikki and Ken Grodner as they uncover why buying real estate during medical school or...

In this episode of the College Real Estate Coach, real estate expert Vikki Grodner sits down with savvy investor Ryan Winzenburg to uncover why college towns—especially those with powerhouse football programs—are some of the most profitable places to buy property in America. Ryan breaks down how he went from Denver to Tuscaloosa, shares his exact strategy for analyzing college markets, and reveals...

🎓💰 Can you really buy a house while still in college? In this episode, we sit down with Royce Dickerson, who made one of the boldest moves you’ll hear from any student: he bought his first property as a senior in college — and never looked back. Royce shares exactly how he did it, how he built credit early (thanks Grandma 👵), and how buying young set him on a path to financial freedom before mo...

College towns = big opportunities. 🏡 Whether you're a parent, student, or real estate investor, this episode uncovers why college towns are some of the hottest places in the country to invest. From skyrocketing rental demand to game day income potential, we break down how to turn campus life into long-term cash flow. 🎓 In this kickoff episode of The College Real Estate Coach, we cover: Why stude...