Industry Voices

Stark-Garza

With competition from a growing supply of purpose-built student housing (PBSH) and student renters’ ever-evolving preferences driving costs, property owners in the sector must guard against excessive tax assessments. Assessors often treat this special asset class as a traditional multifamily development, while PBSH is designed specifically for university students. As such, the properties have distinct lease structures, design layouts, amenities, and services that differ from traditional multifamily properties and on-campus dormitories. This misclassification often leads assessors to select valuation metrics through mass appraisal that ignore the unique characteristics of this …

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Sean Baird

Higher interest rates, softening cap rates, and an uncertain insurance environment are making it difficult for many student housing buyers and sellers to get deals done.  It’s important to understand that the overall student housing industry is performing very well, with occupancies and rental rates continuing to rise over the past couple of years. However, macro-economic factors like interest rate hikes are putting downward pressure on pricing and making this a more difficult deal environment. To illustrate the impact of these factors, consider these statistics: U.S. student housing sales closed …

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Ofer-Ohad

The National Multifamily Housing Council’s 2021 White Paper, titled ‘The Future of U.S. Student Housing Demand,’ predicted steady demand and the continued growth of the student housing market, with an 8 percent increase from 8.5 million beds in 2020 to 9.2 million by 2031. While this demand for student housing is promising, the path to developing affordable, quality student housing is far from straightforward, due to a combination of volatility in financial markets and a constrained construction industry. Nevertheless, these headwinds present unique opportunities for universities, colleges, developers, and investors …

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NMHC

Las Vegas — Industry leaders from all over the country came together at the most recent National Multifamily Housing Council Student Housing Conference. The conference was held from October 17-19 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada and was designed to provide a deep dive and exchange of information into the business of student housing. This year, the College Student Mental Wellness Advocacy Coalition added a deeper focus to the overall student experience when it comes to addressing mental health. Shifting gears from top of mind industry data …

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Subtext-Korte

Gen Z students are prioritizing their own well-being during their college years, and developers are responding. In recent years, student housing developments have undergone a transformation, shifting from traditional dorms to hospitality-inspired environments. Innovative designs and curated services that underscore wellness and accommodate a wide variety of emotional and social needs are the ticket.  Upscale Amenities and Their Role in Creating a Holistic Wellness Experience Student housing developments have historically offered basic amenities and minimal comforts. However, the expectations of today’s Gen Z students have evolved. No matter the climate, …

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Lori-Ann-Dinkins

When it comes to student housing properties, creating a strong brand identity and implementing captivating interior design go hand in hand. These two elements work together seamlessly to provide a consistent and memorable experience for residents. But is branding and interior design a relevant conversation in this economic climate? The convenient answer is — yes. Students need a place to live at all times during the economic cycle, no matter what their financial circumstances. For most students who are going to stay in their general area, the price of rent …

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Mark-Podgainy

Student housing market volatility stabilized somewhat in 2022, as more students returned to campuses for in-person classes and pre-leasing rates for the school year exceeded 96 percent across the top 200 academic institutions in the country, according to data from Yardi. The U.S. higher education market, however, is experiencing declining enrollment overall. This has been a consistent long-term trend and is likely to accelerate in part due to what has been described as the “enrollment cliff.” This dramatic drop in the college-age population is expected to begin in 2025 and …

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Mike-Wommack

After several years of decline due to the pandemic and publicity over student loan debt, it appears college enrollment is stabilizing, which is good news for student housing investors. Even with the recent drop off in enrollment, the top 175 American universities are still able to house just 21.5 percent of their undergraduates on campus. This dearth in on-campus accommodations makes off-campus student housing one of the most in-demand asset classes in commercial real estate, creating a growth opportunity for investors, even against the backdrop of an unstable economy. Meanwhile, …

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Ryan Barone, Co-Founder and CEO, RentRedi.

As students across the country head back to school, it is a busy time for landlords and property managers of college student housing. There are a lot of things in flux — from move-outs from short-term summer school attendees to lining up and moving in longer-term tenants who will rent for the entire academic year.  It’s all too much to keep track of manually, not to mention the fact that you’re dealing with a generation raised on technology. If property managers ask these young adults to gather paper documentation and …

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DZ-Tech-Lofts

Following a renaissance in the quality of university student housing, along came the COVID-19 pandemic to further redefine the “college experience.” Students were suddenly forced to attend classes remotely from homes, apartments, and dorm rooms. In time, many students began to appreciate the freedom and comfort of living in a variety of housing options while enrolled in college coursework. As classrooms have since reopened, student housing has become a rapidly changing landscape in university architecture and design. A unique new project at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta …

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