Yardi Matrix Launches Student Housing Reporting

Yardi Matrix has launched a student housing platform to provide analysis for this housing sector. Reports, which are scheduled to be released quarterly, will be available starting this summer.

The research comes at an opportune time as universities across the country are making final decisions on what campus life will look like in the fall. The market coverage from Matrix will include over 2,000 universities and colleges nationwide. Reports will also include shadow markets, aka housing close to campus that may not be traditional student housing but is often rented by students, the company said.

Amidst the pandemic, housing providers have been anxious about their revenue streams and investment health, Matrix said. According to the New York Times, most universities plan to open in the fall. But many reports have varying outlooks on what student housing occupancy will look like. GlobeSt.com previously reported that Fred Pierce of Pierce Education Properties believes that at the very least, enrollment will be flat at some universities this year. And that with added social distancing requirements, 20-50% of bed capacity could be vacant on campus, which he believes will feed into the student housing section.

Rent prices lowering is another hot topic in the student housing sector. According to previous GlobeSt.com reporting, rent is expected to decline by 4.6% in properties by unit and 6.1% dive expected for properties by bed.

Matrix is hoping its new reports will offer some insight into all the uncertainty happening in the student housing market currently.

“We’re looking forward to offering the same comprehensive and future thinking reporting that we do for the rest of the real estate industry to the student housing sector,” said Jeff Adler, vice president of Yardi Matrix. “We’ve done a deep dive into student housing fundamentals and look forward to sharing our insight with all who are interested.”