Former Superior mayor Clint Folsom has owned Boulder student rentals for over three decades and led Superior through the Marshall Fire rebuild. He brings a perspective most Colorado investors will never get.
Host Chris Lopez sits down with Clint to break down what’s actually moving in the CU Boulder student rental market. They walk through two live listings, a $915K five-bedroom south of campus and a $2.26M seven-bedroom duplex on University Hill, and run the gross rent multiplier math on each. Clint explains why GRM beats cap rate for student rentals and how the 2024 Colorado occupancy law change opened up bigger houses to more tenants legally.
The conversation then shifts to the Marshall Fire, which destroyed roughly 1,100 structures in December 2021, including about 400 in Superior. Clint shares what he discovered when he audited his own policies in the aftermath, and why most Colorado landlords have two specific coverage gaps that could ruin them after a major loss.
Whether you’re analyzing a Boulder rental, auditing your insurance policies, or thinking about how to get more involved locally, Clint’s experience offers a roadmap most Colorado investors never get.
In This Episode We Cover:
- Why Boulder student rentals get priced per bedroom, not per square foot
- How the 2024 occupancy law change reshaped Colorado student housing
- When GRM beats cap rate for analyzing rental deals
- The two insurance gaps the Marshall Fire exposed in most rental policies
- Why you need 24 months of lost rent coverage, not 12
- How Superior hit an 80% rebuild rate in 4 years
- Why real estate investors should engage in local government
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Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome and Clint Folsom intro
01:58- Boulder market overview and Pine Brook Hills
03:10 – CU Boulder student rental basics
05:27 – 2024 Colorado occupancy law change
07:21 – Boulder student housing price per bedroom
09:10 – University Hill rent ranges per bedroom
11:53 – GRM vs cap rate for student rentals
13:32 – GRM walkthrough on two Boulder listings
16:57 – Boulder rental licensing requirements
18:25 – Buying a CU Boulder rental for your kid
20:20- Marshall Fire recap, 1,100 structures lost
22:39 – Landlord underinsurance lessons
25:35- 24 months of lost rent coverage
27:19- Marshall Fire rebuild, 80% in 4 years
28:53 – FEMA coordinated debris removal
33:42 – Home inspector to mayor of Superior
38:49- Investors engaging in local government
40:42 – Where to find Clint Folsom
Links in Podcast
Reach out to Clint Folsom:
Folsom and Company Real Estate: https://www.folsomco.com
Clint Folsom on LinkedIn
Clint Folsom on Facebook
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