#621: Student Rentals, Fire Risk, and Local Politics | Former Superior Mayor Weighs In

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 Watch the Youtube Video https://youtu.be/kYYVomtIymQ Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome and Clint Folsom intro01:58- Boulder market overview and Pine Brook Hills03:10 – CU Boulder student rental basics05:27 – 2024 Colorado occupancy law change07:21 – Boulder student housing price per bedroom09:10 – University Hill rent ranges per bedroom11:53 – GRM vs cap rate for student rentals13:32 – GRM walkthrough on two Boulder listings16:57 – Boulder rental licensing requirements18:25 – Buying a CU Boulder rental for your kid20:20- Marshall Fire recap, 1,100 structures lost22:39 – Landlord underinsurance lessons25:35- 24 months of lost rent coverage27:19- Marshall Fire rebuild, 80% in 4 years28:53 – FEMA coordinated debris removal33:42 – Home inspector to mayor of Superior38:49- Investors engaging in local government40:42 – Where to find Clint Folsom Links in Podcast Reach out to Clint Folsom: Folsom and Company Real Estate: https://www.folsomco.comClint Folsom on LinkedIn Clint Folsom on Facebook