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  • Student Housing Daily - November 13 - Morgan Stanley and GSA acquire 6,200-unit porfolio for $1B+

Student Housing Daily - November 13 - Morgan Stanley and GSA acquire 6,200-unit porfolio for $1B+

Vesper Holdings acquires 522-bed community. University at Albany to buy hall for $12M. Cardinal Group pays $10M for 1-acre site. Student housing investment up despite international enrollment declining 11%. Four new student housing deals.

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Aid Sopjani & Matt H
November 13, 2025

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NEWS ROUNDUP

ACQUISITION: Morgan Stanley and GSA acquire 6,200-unit portfolio for $1 billion. Morgan Stanley and Global Student Accommodation have acquired a 6,200-unit student housing portfolio in a deal exceeding $1 billion, one of the largest single transactions in the sector this year. The eight properties—sold by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Landmark Properties—serve major schools including the University of Florida, Texas A&M, Penn State and the University of Virginia, and are near full occupancy. “This student housing portfolio fully aligns with our strategy to acquire high-quality, resilient assets in prime locations,” said Will Milam, head of U.S. investments at Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing.

ACQUISITION: Vesper Holdings acquires 522-bed community near University of Missouri. Vesper Holdings has acquired The Den, a 522-bed student housing property near the University of Missouri, in an off-market transaction completed with an institutional partner. “This acquisition reflects our disciplined strategy of targeting top-tier university markets where supply–demand dynamics are exceptionally favorable,” said Isaac Sitt, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Vesper Holdings.

ACQUISITION: University at Albany to buy 225-bed hall for $12 million. The University at Albany plans to purchase the former College of Saint Rose’s Centennial Hall dormitory for $12 million from the Pine Hills Land Authority. Todd Foreman, UAlbany’s vice president for finance and administration, said the new residence hall will primarily serve juniors, seniors and graduate students seeking apartment-style living.

DEVELOPMENT: Cardinal Group pays $10 million for 1-acre site near NC State. Cardinal Group has purchased five parcels along Hillsborough Street near NC State University for $10 million, acquiring the 1.05-acre site from Raleigh-based CityPlat. Cardinal Group is developing the project in partnership with PGIM. Construction has already begun, with completion expected in summer 2027. Plans call for 147 units with 291 beds, 1,818 square feet of ground-floor retail, and two buildings.

STUDENT HOUSING FOR SALE

Click each image for more information:

The Social at Stadium Walk | 908 W. Lake St., Fort Collins, CO 80521

140 Beds | Prime Value-Add Opportunity | Significant Capex Completed | Available Individually or as a Portfolio With Social West

The Social West | 1117 City Park Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521

285 Beds | Prime Value-Add Opportunity | Significant Capex Completed | Available Individually or as a Portfolio With Social at Stadium Walk

U Club Townhomes at Oxford | 100 U Club Cove, Oxford, MS 38655

528 Beds | 99% Occupied For AY ‘25-’26 | 22% Rent Growth | 57% Preleased For AY ‘26-’27

Chapter Madison | 832 Regent St, Madison, WI 53715

534 Beds | Built in 2024 | 100% Occupied in Inaugural Year | 97.9% Occupied For The Current Year

ONE MORE THING

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