Development and Investment
SFG is the leading specialist advisor to universities and the commercial sector on UK student accommodation giving SFIM market-leading and specialist knowledge to advise investors seeking access to the PBSA sector
Our Approach
Deep sector knowledge
180+ collective years PBSA experience, across £3bn+ assets and 70,000+ beds.
Underpinned by SFG advisory team
Relationships and insight into sector through advisory business.
Data and research driven investment strategy
Granular real-time market intelligence and analysis tools.
Bespoke strategies
To suit client requirements.
Unique and diverse experience
Property, legal and commercial backgrounds fromevery side of the table.
Strong track record
Experienced at managing capital and acquiring, developing and managing assets.
Access to off-market opportunities
Across range of risk and return strategies (value-add, core, London) targeting between 10 – 15%+ net IRRs.
SFIM is a specialist team unique for deep knowledge of university strategies and PBSA
our services:
- Investment and strategic asset management solutions to investors
- Research and investment strategy
- Property and market underwriting and forecasting
- Assessment of target universities growth plans and projected housing demand
- Analysis of current supply and development pipeline of PBSA and HMO provision
- Identification of suitable investments
- Negotiation and execution of acquisitions
- Negotiation and execution of debt facilities
- Establishment of corporate vehicles and director SPV services
- Asset management, including asset reviews and project managing any capex initiatives
- Property management, co-ordinating specialist operators
- Financial reporting to investors and lenders
- Transaction services on exit
SFIM’s Operating capability
SFG is not an operator, but the team has direct and relevant experience across managing PBSA under both direct let and university partnership models as well as for universities directly
CLV UK owned and self-operated
c. 13,000 beds in the UK and c. 45,000 beds globally.
SFG has asset managed
c. 2,000 beds in the UK with responsibility for operator oversight
UPP owned and operated
c. 17,000 beds
LaSalle IM owned
c. 7,000 beds in the UK and oversaw several different operators
SFIM has experience across all operating models
- Run by third party operators under direct let model under a standard operating agreement
- Run by a third-party operator under an SLA, either as a third-party branded service or a ‘white label’ service under the university’s guidelines and branding
- Run by universities alongside an option to outsource the contracted ‘hard’ facilities management maintenance services, allowing universities to still retain control of core estate where desired
