Dorm life was a blast…at first. But by sophomore year, University of Portland student Shoji Mori was ready for his own place. At first, he and three friends paid $5,000 per month for an apartment. But after their landlord barely budged on broken appliances, Shoji’s mom crunched the numbers: Why squander money on a run-down rental when they could buy a home instead?

This is how Shoji landed in a $970,000 four-bedroom condo, and his crash course in being a landlord began.

“It was win-win,” says Klew Yeh Mori, a real estate agent in Salt Lake City. She knew the property would always find renters, given its proximity to campus. She also knew it would be a valuable learning experience for her son, so she put him in charge of home maintenance, paying utilities and taxes, and collecting rent from his friends.

“It was daunting,” Shoji admits. Sometimes, rent rolled in late. Then one of his roommates admitted his family was struggling to pay. With his mother’s blessing, Shoji trimmed $100 from his monthly bill, reasoning, “It’s more important to have good people than get paid full price.” He was also transparent about the discount with the other roommates, who were fine with it. “When you’re friends, it’s a different level of empathy.”

Shoji graduated and moved back to Salt Lake City this year. Even though he has a full-time job in engineering, he still runs this rental because it’s not only a cash cow but also “a good adulting experience.”

Why college homes are a smart investment

College towns have always been smart real estate bets. And now, rising tuition and housing expenses have pushed more families to stop paying rent and start collecting it instead.

“I try to explain to parents: You’re not investing in real estate; you’re investing in your child’s future,” says Bruce Ailion, an investor and agent who bought homes for all five of his kids when they went to college. “A common statement I hear from parents is, ‘I am paying less than the dorm for more space.’ You’re not just buying real estate; you’re buying peace of mind. You have to ask, ‘How much is that worth?’”

While some parents manage the property themselves, putting their kids in charge of certain tasks can be a learning opportunity. “It taught me how to handle large sums of money,” Shoji says—as well as the importance of having a rainy day fund for when the water heater breaks.

Still, Shoji’s mom wasn’t totally hands-off. She monitored the property’s bank balance to make sure the rent income wasn’t becoming a bar tab.

“I gave him a chance to prove himself,” she says. “And he did.”

“Walkable” is one of real estate’s favorite words. But agents are afraid to say it.

A “late spring rush” has bloomed in housing—here’s proof.

Affordable homes in California are now for sale. The catch? You need to be kind.

💲 How much can landlords raise rent? Here’s a snapshot of rent laws across the country, what could change, plus the two types of homes where rent regulations don’t apply.

Nearly half of home sellers are offering price cuts or concessions. And that desperation spectrum runs from 3% to 75%. Find out what buyers can get away with.

The 30-year mortgage is the most common option. Here’s why that could be a huge mistake.

Investors seeking hands-off cash flow are pouring money into these two real estate strategies.

America’s infamous “Basket Building” has hit the market for $8.5m, and the listing photos scream “We aren’t in Kansas anymore.”

Pink may be the color of a Barbie Dreamhouse, but this vibrant property in Oakland, CA, could be someone’s real-life dream home. With a bakery downstairs called Angel Cakes and a two-bedroom rental upstairs that pulls in $4,000 per month, this property is listed for $565,000. Here’s more about this eye-catching investment from co-owner and manager Jason Wallace.

Q: First off, why pink? “Back in the 1970s, a woman named TJ Robinson opened a bakery and expanded into a restaurant. She intended to create a magical place. She decorated the building to the nines, very Candyland, lots of gingerbread characters. After she passed, it went out of business and sat vacant for years. A previous owner stripped the pink paint down to bare wood. So from the beginning, we were planning to repaint.”

Q: How did you end up with this property? “We bought the building to serve as a bakery for Jen Angel. She’d been renting off-hours at commercial kitchens, but as her business grew, that became unsustainable. There’s also an apartment upstairs that went to friends of friends.”

Q: How did people react to the new pink paint job? “People loved it. Eight people stopped in that first week just because of the color. A bakery is a bit of an impulse purchase, and the pink literally stopped people in their tracks. Jen Angel died in 2023, so the bakery is now an all-women baker co-op. We had hoped they’d buy it, but they’re too busy baking.”

Q: What should a buyer know about this property? “Two things: One, the building is turn-of-the-last-century Victorian construction—good bones, but it’s an older building, more like buying an old house than buying a commercial property. Two, it’s next to the freeway, so it has more car-based customers than pedestrians. Oakland has had economic ups and downs, and there’s a lot of development upside here that hasn’t fully materialized yet. An investor here should think long-term.”

Q: Does the new owner need to keep it pink? “We’d like that. It’s not in the contract, but pink is the right color.”

Click here to see more photos of this pretty pink property.

JJ Hornig spent her family vacations near Sarasota, FL. So naturally, she chose to buy a rental here, through Roxy Rentals. Here’s more about the market.

Average home price: $413,040 (down 5.9% YoY)
Homes that sell over list price: 6.8%
Homes that sell under list price: 81.8%
Average rent: $2,500/month

How she got started: “Back in New York City during the early days of Airbnb, I listed my apartment and realized there was a real business opportunity in renting,” Hornig recalls. “I mentally put a pin in the idea as something to revisit later as a second career.” She eventually bought a beachfront property on Manasota Key called The Lost Loon. “It’s been a family tradition to vacation here, so there was something special about continuing that with an investment.”

The market’s pros: Unlike the more famous Florida Keys, Sarasota’s barrier islands are more laid-back. “What stood out was how private and relaxed the area felt compared to some of the busier Florida beach markets,” Hornig says. Another perk is that the area attracts vacationers, snowbirds, and remote workers year-round, not just during peak season.

The cons: “Hurricanes and tropical storms are part of coastal living, and going through Hurricane Milton in 2024 was an eye-opening reminder of how important it is to be prepared,” she warns. “Insurance costs have climbed, and these properties require ongoing maintenance and strong reserves. It’s not the kind of investment you can set and forget.”

Her advice: Check flood zones and insurance fees before buying. “Two properties can be just a few minutes apart but have completely different insurance costs,” Hornig says. And since this rental market has gotten competitive, make sure your place stands out. She poured $100,000 into The Lost Loon’s layout and design, including adding a bathroom to the primary bedroom. “Travelers are willing to pay premium rates in Sarasota, but with that comes higher expectations,” she explains. “Guests can tell the difference between a property that was carefully curated and one that was simply furnished to get by.”

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