Novice investor in college town

Novice investor in college town

New to Real Estate · State College, PA · Member since 2025 · 1 post · 0 votes

Hello All, 

I am a current teacher with a lifelong interest in real estate. I am interested in starting my real estate journey with a local purchase. I currently live in central PA with Penn State University in my backyard, so any advice for investing with a major college campus in the area would be a huge help. I am mainly interested in single family with long term rental potential for visiting professors or other university employees. But a student rental might be a better choice. If you have experience with these I would appreciate any insight. Thanks!

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  • Alan AsriantsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9mo

    @Brenna Estel

    Hey Brenna, I think that State College can be a great market for a long term rental/student rental opportunity. Speaking as a Penn State graduate myself, I would likely try to target: Graduate Students and professors lol. Students to not tend to be the cleanest… first hand experience!

    I knew someone who tried to do Short Term Rental and there are apparently a lot of restrictions and regulations that don’t make it worth it - at least this was an experience of a friend of mine who tried it out.

    All in all I think a multi family for grad students or a single family for a professor/grad student with a family could be a great idea at that campus. It’s a great area and beautiful all year round

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  • Lender · Charleston, SC · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9mo

    Niche down into a particular strategy, and then let the strategy dictate the property and location. For instance, renting by the room to undergrads is very different than renting to professors, which is different still from visiting professors. If you are an alum of PSU, then I would use this to your advantage. 

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