01/02/2026
As we close out another successful year, CREI proudly marks its 14th year of operations. We saw meaningful revenue growth, driven by tight supply-and-demand dynamics in our markets and the performance of our experienced onsite teams.
Despite a challenging acquisition environment, CREI completed two unique student housing acquisitions and condominium conversions.
In January, CREI acquired The Hub Auburn (now Harper Flatts Condominiums) in Auburn, AL. In June, renovations began converting 4-bed units into high-end 2- and 3-bed floor plans. Renovations are expected to be completed in Q3 2026, with a full sell-out. Our second project began in April with the acquisition of The Hangout Starkville in Starkville, MS. The repositioned Five Points Condominiums delivered newly renovated 3-bed, 3.5-bath units. We expect a full sell-out in Spring 2026. These projects reflect CREI’s ability to identify and execute “out-of-the-box” opportunities that meet unique market needs and create value.
In October 2025, CREI completed the sale of two properties: The Cardinal at West Center in Fayetteville, AR, and Raiders Walk Apartments in Lubbock, TX. A third sale is scheduled to close in mid-January 2026.
Our teams delivered another strong leasing season, finishing the 2024–25 academic year at 98.5% leased and are off to a strong start with pre-leasing for the 2026–27 academic year. The portfolio also achieved meaningful gains in resident satisfaction and online reputation, with average maintenance satisfaction score of 4.6 and an overall Google rating of 4.11. At our Annual Manager Summit in November, we proudly recognized Greg Golden of University Oaks in Kent, OH, as Community Manager of the Year, and Troy Dickinson of Legacy Student Living in Tallahassee, FL, as Maintenance Supervisor of the Year.
In 2025, we celebrated 17 internal promotions and welcomed back 14 returning associates.
As our mission states, CREI’s goal is not to be the largest operator, but to be the best—consistently creating value while balancing risk and reward. We are proud of what our team accomplished in 2025 and look forward to building on this momentum in 2026.
Happy New Year from all of us at CREI.
