Csu Real Estate and Construction Management Team Places in Top 5 at International Conference

The Colorado State University real estate and construction management team placed fifth in an undergraduate residential development competition at the International Builder Show held in Orlando last month.

Thirty schools from across the country competed in the competition. This is the second year that a CSU team has placed in the top five.

The competition is designed to give students the hands-on experience of creating a residential development. Students developed cash flow projections, sales and marketing strategies, building estimates and a market feasibility analysis.

"During the competition, students gain valuable experience through all their hard work," said Craig Lessard, a senior finance and real estate major and president of the CSU Real Estate Club. "That experience will immediately help them with their upcoming careers."

The CSU team took a creative approach to their project, suggesting construction should start in 2010 instead of 2008 during a down market – an innovative tactic that earned the team valuable points.

The team included Craig Lessard, Robert Bratley and Lauren Bleck from the real estate program in the College of Business and Zach Baxter, Alex Beckman and Robbie Wood from the construction management program in the College of Applied Human Sciences. Faculty sponsors are Steve Laposa in the College of Business and Brad Johnson in the College of Applied Human Sciences.

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