TAMPA, FL—Colliers is getting into the student housing game. The brokerage just launched its National Student Housing Practice Group and hired two of the nation’s top student housing real estate professionals, Dorothy Joffe Jackman and Travis Prince.

Student housing has been one of the bright spots in the commercial real estate market—total annual sales in this niche have been estimated to be much as $2.5 billion as demand continues for newer facilities that better fit the needs of today’s students. Based in Clearwater, Fla., Jackman and Prince have been named managing directors of Colliers’ Student Housing Practice Group, and will serve clients nationwide.

“The entire housing sector—apartments, seniors housing and student housing—has been a bright spot in our industry this past year,” Dwight Hotchkiss, executive managing director of Client Services for Colliers International, tells GlobeSt.com. “We see this trend continuing and made it a priority to bring on an industry-leading team.”