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Invesco, GSA, Amro & Bankinter are Committed to the Student Hall Sector

6 April 2019 – Expansión

Halls of residence for students have become one of the most sought after assets in the real estate sector in recent years. The demand for beds (which far outstrips supply), the growth forecasts for the market and the lack of suitable supply for the new requirements of the market has led operators and investors to get involved in the promotion and development of new halls of residence.

Four of the largest investors are planning to spend €1.5 billion in the sector over the next few years, as follows:

GSA, which arrived in Spain in 2017, with the purchase of 3 halls of residence from Oaktree, wants to invest €500 million in Spain and Portugal to grow a portfolio of 15,000 beds. It already has four centres in operation and plans to open two more in Barcelona soon.

Meanwhile, Invesco has teamed up with Syllabus, the subsidiary of Urbania, to invest €250 million in new halls of residence with the aim of adding 2,000 beds in Spain and Portugal; and that figure could rise to 3,500.

In addition, the British firm Amro Real Estate is looking to invest €300 million in 5,000 new beds across Spain and Portugal and has just closed its first investment in Granada, where it will build a hall of residence with 360 beds.

Finally, Bankinter has launched a private equity fund to invest between €300 million and €400 million in the construction of student halls across Iberia; its first project will also be in Granada.

The future is bright for the growth of this segment.

Original story: Expansión (by Rebeca Arroyo)

Translation/Summary: Carmel Drake