Relocating to Denver area and ready to invest!

Relocating to Denver area and ready to invest!

Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote

Thanks to Bigger Pockets, I have gained a great deal of enthusiasm for REI and hope to relocate from the east coast to Denver in the next several months. We are close(ish) to retirement -- maybe 5 years -- so our first inclination is a buy and hold strategy with the aim of building cash flow to supplement eventual retirement income as well as equity that would likely be useful 15-20 years down the road. We will have a decent amount to invest initially (this must also provide me housing... could be live and flip, house hacking) but ultimately once our current residence sells on the east coast we could add a fair amount to this for future investments.

I see in the Denver area there aren't a lot of great deals at the moment. We are not restricted to a particular area and will invest wherever the potential for us is greatest.

I am very curious about Commerce City. What is interesting to me is that there are some pretty rough properties sitting on quite a bit of land. Not having reviewed zoning codes, I don't know if additional structures could be added onto some of these properties. In some cases these are in areas where the schools don't have terrific ratings, but depending on a future renter (or small dwelling buyer) this might not be too much of a negative??

I am also curious as to whether others are offering short-term rentals in Denver, particularly near hospitals where traveling nurses might frequent.

I have a lot to learn! I will join the Meet-Up once we arrive - hopefully in a few months. Meanwhile, research, research, research.

Thanks for any ideas.

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New to Real Estate · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2015 · 125 posts · 86 votes
10y

I might recommend taking a look to see if investing in Colorado Springs (60-90 min from Denver) fits your lifestyle and investment goals. The market is much more affordable here and a lot of the appreciation and market rent increases that Denver has been notorious for can be felt here as well. Inventory is pretty low here at present, but if you keep your eyes on the market and ear to the grapevine it's not impossible to identify a value-add opportunities in the realm of 10+ cap.

To your question above, school zones will certainly incentivize a certain kind of renter. But if you're looking for cash flow, the type of renter and quality of neighborhood that typically facilitates strong cash flow will likely be in those less-than-stellar school districts. Especially in the small multi-family market, I would be surprised if school districts were a major deciding factor for renters. Personally, I would place more emphasis on looking for safe neighborhoods (which will correlate to some degree with school ratings) for both you and your tenants' sake.

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  • New to Real Estate · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2015 · 125 posts · 86 votes
    10y

    I might recommend taking a look to see if investing in Colorado Springs (60-90 min from Denver) fits your lifestyle and investment goals. The market is much more affordable here and a lot of the appreciation and market rent increases that Denver has been notorious for can be felt here as well. Inventory is pretty low here at present, but if you keep your eyes on the market and ear to the grapevine it's not impossible to identify a value-add opportunities in the realm of 10+ cap.

    To your question above, school zones will certainly incentivize a certain kind of renter. But if you're looking for cash flow, the type of renter and quality of neighborhood that typically facilitates strong cash flow will likely be in those less-than-stellar school districts. Especially in the small multi-family market, I would be surprised if school districts were a major deciding factor for renters. Personally, I would place more emphasis on looking for safe neighborhoods (which will correlate to some degree with school ratings) for both you and your tenants' sake.

  • Dan MackinBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Erie, CO · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 512 votes
    10y

    @Petie Ehm, Commerce city covers a large area now. If you're in the older area down near 270 then it's a bit run down and not super desirable. As you get further north/east it becomes more desirable, but also costlier on multiple points (prices, taxes, HOAs). Basically most of Commerce City is refineries and industrial areas. Is it mostly just price that is making it appealing to you?

  • Realtor · Denver, CO · Member since 2016 · 499 posts · 129 votes
    10y

    Hi Pete, Welcome to BP. I lived in Boston for some time. There are several different areas that could be good for rentals. The newer parts of Commerce city are nice and close to the airports. There are a lot of pilots and flight attendants that live in some of those areas.  There are some really questionable parts of Commerce city. Denver has some really good opportunities and some nice zoning for multiple rent options. I haven't looked at the zoning for Commerce City but it is a good place to start.  Further north there are also opportunities for some of the older properties that are near the new builds and attract a higher level of renter with the better schools. 

    Can't wait to meet you at one of the meet ups. 

  • Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    Thanks, all. @Dan Mackin I think what interests me about the properties with excess land (i.e. >10,000 sf) is that additional buildings could bring additional income. I even have this idea of developing live-work spaces like artist studios or something of that nature. (As an artist myself, I have an irrepressible urge to think up out-of-the-box ideas.) I also wouldn't mind funding my own studio/workshop space (400+ sq ft?) with rental properties on site - a sort of house hacking, except (depending on the safety of the area) I might live elsewhere and only work in the space. Currently, I am finishing up some details in our current home - one which we built 3+ years ago on a piece of property that everyone said couldn't be used to build a house. Our house is amazing, if I may say so myself and the odd shaped land includes a 224 sq ft workshop (detached) on top of large piece of ledge with big windows and south and west exposure.

    Thanks for asking!

  • Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    @Brendan M. Yes, I see that Colorado Springs might have more affordable properties to begin with. I also saw that Pueblo does as well. However, the crime rate in Pueblo is a bit scary. Also, I have a family member who has newly acquired a RE license in CO located in the mountains and Denver area. So we will probably start there with our first property and see where it leads.

  • Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    Thanks, @Kevin Grinstead, your tips are something to expand my investigation. I am traveling to Denver at the end of this month to take a first look (I do have a new realtor - family member - who will be helping me get started). Once our current house sells (on the market mid-May) I will be on my way!

  • Real Estate Consultant · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2013 · 325 posts · 117 votes
    10y

    Where not all renters will nix a place due to poor school ratings, many will. In fact, I advise clients to add crime, sex offender and other criteria to that list, regardless of the neighborhood demographics. Not only has it been my experience the great majority of families looking for a home are as concerned, so are many investors.

    Considering you aren't restricted to a particular area, you might want to consider turnkey rentals in markets such as Detroit, Memphis and others where there are professional organizations offering great value and ROI, some with income and property warranty guarantees!

    All the best!

  • Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    Thanks @Norberto Villanueva. I know it makes good sense to seek the best markets when flexibility is there. But I have some reservations about beginning with long distance investing. I might need to begin closer to home and then see from there. If so, I am also interested in the Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale markets.

  • Investor · Tempe, AZ · Member since 2015 · 65 posts · 31 votes
    10y

    Hi Pete Ehm, I currently live and invest in the Phoenix market, and am available to answer any questions that you might have.

    You mention that you're close to retiring, and I'm curious what amount of passive cash flow are you looking for to support your life style? And how many hours a week do you want to work now, vs when you retire.

    Good luck!

  • Littleton, CO · Member since 2016 · 39 posts · 7 votes
    10y

    Hi Pete,

    Welcome!  One of the strategies to consider if you can swing it is to put in cash offers for buy and hold investment properties.  You can still finance these on the back end, but cash is king in today's market and you can get properties for a better price with cash offers.  Something to consider.  Good luck with your move to beautiful Colorado!!

  • Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    Thank you @Michael Orf. It has occurred to us that this might be the way to go since we have some cash to invest upfront. We will run some numbers on a few scenarios to make comparisons. I have also read that if you can find new construction for buy and hold, you can expect a lower CapEx expenditure for an extended time period. Not a ton of that (new construction) going on in the Denver area (that I see) where rental might be assured (or in our price range). The risk here, I imagine, is that if you do have a vacancy it could be a big ouch once a HELOC is used to extract cash for the next investment.

    Your strategy will be something we strongly consider.

  • Investor · Claremont, CA · Member since 2014 · 150 posts · 36 votes
    10y

    Hey Pete. You came to the right place. Some good information has been posted above. I bought 12 houses last year in colorado springs and pueblo. I'm moving into denver with 2 purchased this year and a few more under contract now. Id be more than happy to discuss some of my strategies for finding these denver properties.  Give me a call today or sometime this week! I can show you some of my current properties when you're in town. 

    Look forward to talking to you. 

    Joe Graeve 

    I'll pm you my contact info 

  • Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    Hello @Joseph Graeve  Just so you know, I have a daughter in CO who has just received her RE license. She will be working with a group in Denver, but she is brand new! Sounds like you are really on a roll - just like the podcast folks in the BP podcasts! It is all very amazing. We are still working out which strategies will best fit our personalities (as several of the guests on those shows have emphasized one do) so we avoid taking on projects that don't best suit our own strengths. It is great to hear real live advice on this.

  • Mike HurneyPro Member
    Real Estate Investor · Boston, MA · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 542 votes
    10y

    @Petie Ehm Welcome.

    "Not having reviewed zoning codes, I don't know if additional structures could be added onto some of these properties."

    Let us know what you find out...

  • Bill S.Pro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    10y

    @Petie Ehm - I'm a bit late to the party here but there are better areas for your live work strategy than Commerce City. Right now Denver proper has the most friendly development opportunities. They have low impact fees as most everything is infill and they have a cook book for the process. Cook books are great because you can know what will be approved for the most part before you start. No risk of being shot down by the NIBYs. It's my opinion that the greatest opportunity in Denver lies in the Southwest quadrant of the City. Friendly zoning, relatively cheap properties and small and sometimes ratty houses on large lots. Do your own research of course.

    As for working with your recently licensed relative. Know this, it will cost you. IMO an experienced agent will more than save you their fees by the knowledge and experience they bring to the deal. Especially so when buying. That said, I prefer off-market deals. You might get into doing your own marketing. It will pay for itself 5x over.

  • Branford, CT · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    Thanks @Bill S. I appreciate the tip about the Southwest quadrant of Denver. In fact, I have seen some things come up in my initial research in that area but I didn't know that it was a zoning friendly area. Truth be told, I have only been at this for a few weeks. If you had told me a month ago that I would be investing in real estate I would have told you that you were nuts. I have a whole lot to learn.

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