If you've got children heading off to college soon, there's no doubt you have concerns about them as they leave the home to live on their own for the first time.  Dorms are cheap, but how safe are they?  How about privacy?  Hundreds of unsupervised teenagers living in close proximity of each other sounds more like FOX's next reality series than an environment for learning.

If you are already thinking about renting a property for you child and a couple of close friends, why not consider buying?  After all, your child is going to be there for four years (God willing).  Rental prices are on the rise and mortgage rates are falling.  Couple that with some rental income from select roommates and then a potential after a four year investment, there's a strong chance you could make money off this property.  Or, you could hang on to it as a student rental property for years to come.  After all, there are literally thousands of potential tenants coming to town every fall.

Stability for both you and your child is another consideration involved in owning a home near campus.  Your student and roommates can leave their belongings in the property over the summer, so there's no need to move or pay a storage facility fee. Also, you are in control of their living environment.  You know your child is safe.

Whether your son or daughter is off to Boulder, Ft. Collins, Greeley, Colorado Springs or even D.U., I know I can locate and negotiate the right property for your college bound student.  Take advantage of the current market conditions and set yourself and your son or daughter up for a great collegiate experience.

The real estate market continues to struggle, but one positive note is that people are looking to buy. The problem real estate agents are facing is there isn’t enough inventory to satisfy the buyers.

“It’s been difficult finding a home that fits our needs,” said Dave Robertson, a father of two and a motivated home buyer.

Robertson and his children have been living in a two bedroom apartment now for 3 years and the kids will tell you they’re ready for their own rooms.

“I’ve probably put a bid on 3 or 4 different homes and as quickly as the homes hit the market, they’re gone … in about 5 days, it seems, or less.” Robertson explained.

“Under the $250,000 price range, it’s a really hot market. We’re seeing multiple offers, paying over asking price,” said Andrew Nagel, broker and co-owner of Re/Max Cherry Creek.

The latest real estate numbers show for homes priced under $500,000, inventory is down 36-percent compared to what it was this time last year. The condominium market is even more competitive, inventory is down 50 percent compared with last year.

“January, February, and the beginning of March are typically very slow real estate months, however with the interest rates so low, we have great demand,” Nagel told CBS4.

Also factor in the latest Census Bureau reports that indicate Colorado had a net gain of more than 31,000 people moving in from elsewhere in the United States last year.

“There is so little competition right now in the market place that if you’re a seller and you’d like to sell … it’s an incredible time to sell,” Nagel added.

Nagel’s advice for people who want to sell their homes: get in front of the inventory that’s coming this spring, by getting listed on the market right now.

Select a Real Estate Agent

Once you are serious about buying a home, go ahead and find a real estate agent.  Driving around to open housed may sound like an enjoyable way to spend a weekend, it is not really the most efficient method of finding the right home.  A real estate agent has access to nearly all the homes for sale and can sort through all the data to find what you are looking for.  Best of all, agent services are free to the buyer!  We are paid by the listing agent for helping sell their home.

How to Find the Right Real Estate Agent for You

In the Denver Metro Area, there are thousands of real estate agents, so the choice is truly yours.  Referrals from friends are a great way to find an agent.  Other ways like open houses, email or even a phone call are great ways to make initial contact with potential agents.  It is important to have a good rapport with your agent, After all, you’ll be spending a great deal of time talking to and riding in a car with this person over the next few months.  The agent should be excited to work with you as well.  

Knowledge of the neighborhoods you are interested in living is just as key as a good chemistry.  Make sure they know the neighborhoods!  The agent should know things like average home value, demographics and history and be able to answer your questions

If you are a Denver commercial real estate professional looking to market your business more in the new year using online marketing campaigns then you should know what the end goal is with your marketing. All campaigns should lead to your website, the goal is lead generation. That being said, the first order of business is to create your website and blog. So whether you are looking for more commercial real estate leads, or more Denver real estate developers looking for a contractor or attorney you must have a plan in place.