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Conference CoverageFeaturesNorth CarolinaSoutheastSoutheast Feature ArchiveStudent Housing

InterFace Panel: Slow and Steady Wins the Race for Student Housing Preleasing, Rent Growth in 2025

by John Nelson

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, the 2025-2026 academic year moved further into focus. What can the industry expect to see this year from a preleasing perspective? Are rents expected to keep growing? And by how much? All of these questions and more were discussed during a kick-off panel at the 2024 LeaseCon/TurnCon conference by InterFace Conference Group, which took place this past December in Charlotte. As of Dec. 3, student housing properties across the country were 36.6 percent preleased on average — a 1.3 percent decline from rates seen at the same time in 2023, according to moderator Charlie Matthews, founder and CEO of data provider College House.  Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. Of markets across the United States, the Southeast led the way with the highest preleasing percentage at 43.5 percent. Asking rents have congruently grown by 4.9 percent across the country as of early December, according to Matthews, with average rents at $990. Leading the way in rent growth for the 2025-2026 academic year …

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FeaturesMultifamily

Multifamily Investors Hedge 2025 Bets to Guard Against Possible Industry Turbulence

by Taylor Williams

By Nellie Day The multifamily investment market has provided some mixed signals over the past year. There have been the ebbs and flows in the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond yield and interest rates, a moderating level of inflation (the Consumer Price Index rose 2.7 percent in November on an annual basis), and a hard-fought presidential election with Donald Trump emerging as the victor.  Despite the volatility in the debt markets, the overall sentiment among investors remains positive.  CoStar Group notes that multifamily transaction volume nationally rose 18 percent year over year in the third quarter of 2024, reaching $74 billion. CoStar adds, however, that momentum noticeably slowed toward the end of the quarter, when fixed-rate borrowing costs climbed in step with the rising yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note.  “This trend is underscored by a 4 percent decline in quarter-over-quarter transaction volume — a contrast to the typical seasonal uptick in the third quarter — following stronger activity in the first two months of [the fall season],” says Chad Littell, national director of U.S. capital markets analytics at CoStar.  Pickup in Transactions  Littell observed that the U.S. multifamily investment market “somewhat mirrored” the movement of the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield, …

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FeaturesMultifamilySeniors Housing

Why Are So Many Seniors Housing Lenders Still on the Sidelines? Capital Markets Panel Weighs in

by Taylor Williams

By Matt Valley PHILADELPHIA — Despite industry-wide improvement in operating performance, many senior living providers are still finding it difficult to secure bank financing. Kathleen Shields, founder and president of Health Financing Consultants, said there are three root causes of the problem, starting with insufficient cash flow. “Operators have done a good job of pushing through [rental] rate increases in order to keep up with inflation and higher interest rates. So, the margins are normalizing and getting a little bit better. But banks are looking for historical cash flow of at least six months, if not 12, at coverage levels that they’re comfortable with. And I’m not hearing 1.25 anymore [for the debt-service coverage ratio]. I’m hearing more like 1.4,” explained Shields, a panelist at the InterFace Seniors Housing Northeast conference, which took place Dec. 4-5 in Philadelphia. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. “It depends on the lender, but you do need to have a track record of historical cash flow that supports your request, and that’s not easy,” emphasized Shields.  The other two main …

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Features

How Commercial Developers Can Adapt to Lasting Effects of COVID-19, High Interest Rates

by Taylor Williams

By Leah LaFramboise, partner at Frost Brown Todd LLP When COVID-19 became a global pandemic, commercial real estate developers saw unprecedented disruptions. Materials became both more expensive and harder to come by. Even those developers that could source supplies had to reckon with labor shortages as workers sheltered at home. Construction projects had to be put on hold indefinitely to comply with new public health restrictions, ballooning budgets and timelines. What’s more, elevated interest rates — stemming from the turbulent economic landscape during the pandemic — made obtaining financing more expensive and difficult. While lockdowns may be long over, the lasting effects of the pandemic and a more difficult financing environment are still posing challenges for developers. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways they can adapt. A One-Two Punch While the most dire construction material shortages during the pandemic have largely abated, many materials are still in short supply — and are much pricier. According to the National Association of Home Builders, for example, steel mill product prices are still 65 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels, while drywall is 42 percent more expensive than in 2020. Commercial contractors, meanwhile, continue to face a significant worker shortage. Demand in key segments …

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FeaturesMultifamilyMultifamily & Affordable Housing Feature Archive

How Tech Upgrades are Expanding Access Control Solutions at Multifamily Communities

by Channing Hamilton

Security is a top priority in the multifamily industry. Monitoring and controlling access to a property protects owners and their residents from the impacts of violent crime, theft, vandalism and trespassing. The benefits of an effective security, monitoring and access system run deep. “Access control is not just about security,” says Roger Solomon, a senior associate at Trio Advisory Group. The company offers consulting services on access control, video surveillance and other technologies for commercial real estate properties. “Access control is also about ensuring convenience for residents and staff, enhancing the overall quality of life at a community and future-proofing assets against technological advancements,” says Solomon. “The right access control system will add real value to both the property and for its residents.” The type of access control system an owner-operator installs can increase operational efficiency and net operating income, free up staff, reduce costs and lower resident turnover rates. Locks and Keys Still Popular Option The benefits of an old-fashioned lock-and-key system are clear. Mechanical locks are weatherproof and do not require electrical power or Wi-Fi connectivity. Key-controlled locks also are relatively affordable to install.  According to a report from the National Apartment Association (NAA), 53 percent of property management …

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Conference CoverageFeaturesGeorgiaMultifamilyMultifamily & Affordable Housing Feature ArchiveSoutheastSoutheast Feature Archive

Stickiness of Renter Sets Build-to-Rent Sector Apart from Traditional Multifamily, Says InterFace Panel

by Kristin Harlow

ATLANTA — When considering a single-family, build-to-rent (BTR) development or acquisition, the main priority of the developer or investor is to focus on finding a place where people want to live, said Zach Persky, vice president of acquisitions for Quinn Residences. Access to jobs, retail corridors and good school districts are all important factors for potential residents. Persky was one of the speakers on the BTR panel at the 15th annual InterFace Multifamily Southeast conference, which took place Wednesday, Dec. 4 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. Kyle Palmer, managing partner of Palmer Real Estate Investment Services, moderated the discussion. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. While the BTR segment may still be in its infancy, its fundamentals are solid, according to the panel. Demand comes from would-be homebuyers who are priced out of the single-family market. These purpose-built rentals have many of the same perks of for-sale homes, such as yards and private garages, without the handicaps of down payment and mortgage commitment. BTR construction completions nationally totaled more than 50,000 units …

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Conference CoverageFeaturesHealthcareSoutheastSoutheast Feature ArchiveTennessee

Creative Capital, Partnerships Loom Large in Healthcare Real Estate, Says InterFace Panel

by John Nelson

NASHVILLE, TENN. — Healthcare real estate investment is at a pivotal point of this current cycle. On one hand, the investment sales market is expected to rebound heartily following a few subdued quarters. According to data from Maryland-based research firm Revista, investment sales volume for medical office buildings (MOBs) was $2.1 billion in third-quarter 2024, in line with the first two quarters of the year but down from more robust quarters in 2021 and 2022. On the other hand, funding this expected uptick in acquisitions will be more layered than ever before, even with the recent cuts to the federal funds rate by the Federal Reserve. Ben Appel, executive managing director of Newmark’s healthcare capital markets team, said that the competition level is increasing as deals come to market, but what’s more notable is the capital stack behind those bids. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. “Today those bids have two to three different sleeves of capital behind them,” said Appel, who is based out of Newmark’s Philadelphia office. “We are seeing some of …

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Content PartnerFeaturesIndustrialMidwestMultifamilyNortheastOfficeSoutheastTexasWalker & DunlopWestern

Multifamily, Industrial, Office Transaction Activity Trends Upward Amid Shifting Valuation Landscape

by Sarah Daniels

The spike in interest rates nearly three years ago brought investment sales to a virtual standstill, as deep disagreements over valuation between buyers and sellers dominated the market. While recent Federal Reserve cuts to the federal funds rate raised hope for a resurgence in transactions, ongoing volatility in the bond market, concerns about reemerging inflation and uncertainty over fiscal and monetary policy continued to weigh on a full-blown rebound in investment activity. The uncertain environment makes it difficult for investors to easily evaluate commercial property values, underscoring the importance of access to comprehensive, real-time data on transactions, market fundamentals and emerging trends, says Alex Hoenig, MAI, Midwest regional managing director at Apprise, Walker & Dunlop’s independent valuation firm. “Our understanding of current values for commercial real estate relies on transactions actually taking place, and sales velocity has started to inch back up,” reports Hoenig. “But there’s no question that there has been a lot of volatility in the market, which requires a local expert with access to a strong network and a constant pulse on market comparables.” Walker & Dunlop launched Apprise in 2020 to accelerate technology-driven solutions in the commercial real estate sector. Apprise serves owners and investors nationwide, …

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Conference CoverageFeaturesMultifamily

InterFace Panel: Multifamily Markets Can Work With New Interest Rate Ranges

by Taylor Williams

By Taylor Williams ATLANTA — There is nothing wrong with the new interest rate environment that currently governs capital markets activity in commercial real estate, and borrowers just need to adjust their expectations, put them into historical context and get back to making deals. This is the view of at least a couple veteran lenders who spoke at the InterFace Multifamily Southeast conference on Dec. 4 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. The event is now in its 15th year and continues to attract hundreds of multifamily developers, investors and lenders from across the region. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. Following two cuts totaling 75 basis points earlier this year, the target range for the federal funds rate, or the overnight interest rate at which banks lend to each other, currently sits at 4.5 to 4.75 percent. This year’s cuts marked the first monetary easing by the Federal Reserve in more than four years, and while at least a couple more slashes to the overnight rate are anticipated in the coming months, …

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FeaturesHeartland Feature ArchiveMultifamily

Engage Multifamily Residents Year-Round with Seasonal Amenities

by Kristin Harlow

By Becky McLaughlin, WithMe Inc. As the seasons change, so do your residents’ needs and desires. Providing amenities and planning events that align with these shifting demands can be a game-changer for property managers. In fact, resident events have been shown to boost satisfaction, improve online reviews and impact lease renewal decisions, making them an essential tool for long-term property success. According to WithMe Inc.’s 2025 amenity outlook survey, which gathered insights from senior multifamily professionals at the country’s top property management companies, including Bozzuto, Greystar and Willow Bridge, there is a rise in resident demand for multipurpose spaces where they can relax, connect with neighbors and work. Finding ways to transform these common spaces to align with the changing seasons not only enhances resident satisfaction but also fosters a vibrant community atmosphere where people feel empowered to live, work and play year-round. Warming up the cooler months As temperatures drop, residents tend to spend more time indoors, increasing foot traffic in the lobby and shared spaces. This presents the perfect opportunity to transform these areas into cozy spots where they can comfortably work, connect and unwind. Imagine plush seating, soft lighting and a hot coffee and cocoa amenity that …

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