The results show that in 62% of the markets surveyed, real estate investors can pay less than $250,000 for homes of this size. Clearly, college towns offer fantastic affordability for rental homes. Plus, the culture and ambiance of a college town makes these markets even extra appealing to renters.

Some fascinating proof that the study highlighted:
• The PAC-10 is the most expensive real estate conference, with an average of $747,180 for 4BR/2.5B/2200 SQ FT homes.

• Most reasonably priced is the Mid America conference, where the average comparable home expenditure just $182,222.

• The ten most expensive college markets have average home prices ranging from $568,317 in Seattle, WA (University of Washington) to $1,489,726 in Palo Alto, CA (Stanford University).

• If those prices are too rich for your investing pocketbook, look to the middle part of the US, where the ten least expensive college towns in this survey lie: Akron OH, Muncie, IN, Ann Arbor, MI, Ypsilanti, MI, Fastness Worth, TX, Tulsa OK, Denton, TX, Houston, TX, Bloomington, IN, and Kent OH. Average prices for the four-bedroom comparison home in these markets are in the $122,000 — $166,000 range.

The president of Coldwell Banker called college markets a “best-kept secret” of the real estate industry. And, real estate pros have been investing in them for years. If you’re looking for your next investment opportunity, a rental home in a football-friendly college town just might be it!