Student housing deals to reach record £2bn by the end of 2014
THE STUDENT housing market is set for a record year after research out yesterday predicted that over £2bn of assets will go under offer in the final quarter of the year.
Property experts JLL said £220m of student properties were under offer at the end of the third quarter, with a further £360m being marketed and £1.5bn of deals completed year to date.
“We are predicting a flurry of deals to near completion before the year draws to a close, with strong university enrolments and robust occupancy levels across the sector proving to be a key driver,” JLL’s head of student housing investment, Philip Hillman, said.
Some 65 per cent of transaction values were for assets outside of London, including Unite buying a portfolio of student property from Cordea Savills for £137m.
The FTSE 250-listed group has been one of the most active and plans to spend £250m buying new development sites over the year.