By J. Andrew Hogshead
The student housing industry continues to experience rapid evolution with two mega transactions this year. Greystar Real Estate Partner’s purchase of industry titan EdR and Colliers International Group’s acquisition of a majority stake in Harrison Street Real Estate Capital will reshape the industry for years to come. Are these transactions the continuation of a larger trend with the continued influx of institutional capital or a one-time event?
The best insight into answering this question, as well as any other issue facing student housing investors, owners and operators, will be found at the 16th annual NMHC Student Housing Conference. Hosted by the National Multifamily Housing Council, this year’s conference is taking place October 3-5 in sunny Huntington Beach, Calif., where we will overlook the Pacific Ocean at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa.
Our conference perennially offers informative sessions on key topics and plenty of quality networking opportunities, but this year we’re giving attendees even more. So, whether you’re a conference veteran or a newbie, here are a few things to look forward to this year:
1. More Can’t-Miss Content. Given the demand for more data and insight, we are expanding our program to cover more topics. For investors, owners and financiers, there are now more breakout panels to go deeper inside the key decisions on where and how to place their money. On the operational side of the business, we also have added sessions to examine key topics, including recruiting and retaining qualified employees, marketing and rebranding, leveraging data to drive business intelligence, and managing risks to protect residents and properties.
2. Executive Insight. In addition to the EdR and Harrison Street transactions, the student housing market continues to be a top performer in the real estate sector while attracting capital from myriad sources. Is today’s robust market sustainable, or are there warning signs ahead? What does the deal pipeline tell us about the future? Don’t miss this crowd favorite as we bring together a panel of leading industry executives to explore these and other hot topics.
3. Inspiring Keynoters. This year, we have two keynote speakers: Amy Trask has had many titles during her career: chief executive, analyst and author. The former CEO of the Oakland Raiders, and current football analyst for CBS Sports Network, now serves as chairman of the board of Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league. Seth Mattison is an internationally renowned expert on workforce trends and generational dynamics. As founder and chief movement officer of FutureSight Labs, Seth advises many of the world’s leading brands and organizations on the key shifts happening around talent management, change and innovation, leadership, and the future of work. Both Amy and Seth will share their respective insights on the current trends and challenges executive leaders face in fulfilling organizational goals and strategic planning.
4. NMHC Research – Comparative Analysis of the Cost of Housing Options for Students. Student housing properties have become known for their luxurious amenities and state-of-the-art finishes. As this reputation has emerged and the cost of earning a college degree has continued to rise, affordability of these amenity-rich housing options has been brought into question. In an event you won’t want to miss, NMHC will release its in-depth research examining the cost differences between on-campus and off-campus housing options and present an assessment of affordability and how amenities, proximity to campus, bedroom offerings and other factors influence rental rates.
This has been just a small sample of what the conference will cover. As the NMHC Student Housing Conference chair, I am excited about the expansion of our offerings and opportunities. I’d love for you to join us and see why the industry has deemed it the student housing conference of the year.
More information and registration details are available at https://www.nmhc.org/shc
See you in Huntington Beach!