Heading into the highly anticipated NCAA men’s basketball semifinals this weekend, we decided to analyze student housing statistics from the Final Four universities to determine which school is most prepared for Berkadia’s version of “The “Big Dance.” We gathered student enrollment data and off-campus living figures from each university’s website, and student housing sales data from the past five years was pulled from CoStar.
Although the University of Connecticut (UConn) entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed, they fall short by our criteria with only two student housing sales in the past five years. Meanwhile, their competitor, The University of Alabama, boasts a strong percentage of students living off-campus and 20 housing transactions over the same period, averaging $24.3 million. In Berkadia’s bracket, we have Alabama moving on.
Similarly, Purdue University, another No.1 seed in the March Madness tournament, proves to be a strong contender. In the last five years, 25 student housing properties were sold in West Lafayette and Lafayette, Indiana. Additionally, approximately 36,300 students live off-campus, which is nearly the same number of students attending their competitor North Carolina State University (NC State).
But, if this year’s NCAA tournament has taught viewers anything, it is to not count out the Wolfpack. This mentality can also be applied to NC State’s student housing performance. Among the Final Four, NC State has the highest number of sales and highest average price over the past five years. In Berkadia’s bracket, they are no Cinderella at all and would leave with a victory against Purdue.
Reach out to one of our trusted advisors on Berkadia Student Housing to learn more.