The Edge: Premier student housing property near University of West Florida changes hands

CHICAGO, Apr. 3, 2025 – JLL Capital Markets announced today that it has secured the sale of The Edge, an 84-unit, 344-bed student housing property located adjacent to the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.

JLL worked on behalf of the seller, Campus Realty Advisors.

The Edge, built in 2017, is a best-in-class student housing community featuring 84 units across five stories. The complex boasts high-end finishes and a full suite of amenities, including a 24-hour fitness center, resort-style pool and complimentary coffee bistro. Its prime location directly adjacent to campus has contributed to its strong 97% occupancy rate for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The University of West Florida has experienced six consecutive years of enrollment growth, with a record-breaking class of 14,712 students in Fall 2024. This growth has driven strong demand for quality student housing, reflected in over 7% market rent growth for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Pensacola continues to be an attractive market, with the metro area population growing 3.6% since 2020 and projected to grow another 2.8% by 2028. The city's diverse economy, anchored by employers such as Navy Federal Credit Union and Baptist Health Care, supports a robust job market and steady housing demand.

JLL’s Capital Markets Investment Sales and Advisory and Student Housing Advisory team was led by Managing Directors Joe Ayers and Cliff Taylor.

"The sale of The Edge demonstrates the continued investor appetite for high-quality student housing assets in growing markets," said Taylor. "The property's modern construction, prime location, and the University of West Florida's consistent enrollment growth make it an attractive investment in today's market."

JLL Capital Markets is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers. The firm's in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients — whether investment sales and advisory, debt advisory, equity advisory or a recapitalization. The firm has more than 3,000 Capital Markets specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries.

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Campus Realty Advisors, LLC is a real estate company based in Atlanta, GA and is ranked as one of the top developers, investors, and managers of student housing in the US.