Two generation of college students stand out.  One is fully immersed in college life and the other soon to be.

Millennials and their ‘live, work, play’ mind-state and seemingly carefree (or no care at all) way of approaching many situations in life 

Next up are the Gen Z or iGen students... 

A different level of consumption and lifestyle behaviors are present with this generation. Compared to their predecessors, there are some similarities but there is heavy contrast as well.  Gen Zs, in particular, are digital natives, who are growing up in the Internet-dependent era and the smartphone world. Their accommodation needs are different and diverse as the likes and dislikes of these generations come into the light.

The lifestyle pattern of Millennials and Gen Zs have a strong desire to have ready access to fitness, recreational, socializing, and a variety of food options areas.  Foreign foods in particular.  Sushi and other east Asian delicacies are a hit with both Millennials and Gen Zs.  It is not uncommon to find them out and about at their favorite restaurant rather than home cooking.  A student housing facility located near a wide variety of restaurants is a hit with any group of millennials and GenZ'ers.

These generations are very purpose-driven, which means that their built space should contribute to the environment and society at large in a positive way (in their minds at least).  "Making an impact" is always on the mind of millennials.

The Gen Z accounting for more than 25 percent of the US population and the Millennials about 23 percent.

Now, universities are constantly micro-managing their budgets amid rising costs and lower government grants.  They generally lack in-depth expertise in managing student housing and more times than not, students turn to professional off-campus housing companies. Changing demographics add to universities’ challenges as many existing accommodations would become obsolete and may need an upgrade. Demographic trends and their impact on the student housing sector.

The millenial and GenZ generation cannot be taken lightly.  They are the present and future body of universities all across the United States.  As the demographics of services and institutions continue to change throughout the US it is important to note that all students are welcome as the RSSH.

When students vacate rental units and new tenants move-in it can be quite busy and stressful for students who already have a lot on their mind.  After all, some of them are just beginning their higher education and they really don't need any extra aggravation so here at Rochester Smart Student Housing we decided to put together this helpful guide to make the experience of moving into off-campus housing much less stressful.

Start The Researching Student Housing Early
When students are considering living off-campus one of the worst things they can do is put off the process of looking for a good student housing company until the critical time when they desperately need a place.  Every student should begin looking for student housing months in advance.  If anything, there are other students who can easily secure a spot and fully fill up a student housing facility in no time.  Procrastination can keep a student from the wonderful experience of off-campus housing so it's best to start researching student housing companies in the area as soon as a student decides they want live off-campus during their time at their University.

Make A Move-In Checklist
It is advised that students write down what they will be bringing into their new off-campus home.  In the flurry of the new year forgetfulness is quite common.  It's a terrible feeling when a student final gets settled into their new student housing rental only to find out that they forgot a favorite item of theirs back home.  Sometimes their home is out of state making it extra difficult.  A list can avoid this.  With a proper checklist of everything the student is planning on bringing each item can be checked off one by one to ensure nothing is forgotten.

Digital Research
Google Maps is a great tool.  A student can learn their surroundings from the comfort of their laptop, desktop, or even their phone by googling their destination student rental home.  This can save time for a student trying to get a "feel for the area" once they initially move in.  Living in the digital era is a great opportunity for students to use technology to truly get a head start on their off-campus environment.  Time-consuming tasks associated with the process can handled online, which saves time.
 
Make A Move-Out Checklist
Communication between the landlord and the tenants isn't always easy.  A move-out checklist can make things a lot easier. Security deposit disputes can totally be avoided by providing a move-out checklist with vacating expectations for the accommodation. It’s recommended to provide this move-out checklist at least a few weeks in advance, so the tenants have Proper notice about what they must complete before moving out.  Like the move-in checklist, this will help forgetful students a great deal.

​Junk/Furniture Removal
When student tenants don’t plan or make arrangements to remove junk items they start showing up outside of the rental property and in the street, cluttering up the area and causing a headache for the student housing landlord. Scheduling junk and furniture removal early is a surefire way to save a lot of time and trouble and it keeps the premises clean.
 
Following this short guide will ensure any student seeking out off-campus housing will have a stress-free experience from start to finish.

Is Canada's student housing market dragging it's feet behind it's US counterpart?  A recent examination of the two country's in comparison of student housing indicates a solid "Yes." Enrollment rates are increasing in Canada, but student housing isn’t advancing in conjunction with these rates.
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In 2011, only 16 percent of undergraduate students in Canada lived in on-campus housing. 7 years later that number is right around the same spot. One answer may simply be that American landlords are putting more work into their off-campus housing facilities and making them appealing to a wide range of students.  The average household expenditure on home renovations increased 57% in the last 12 months, according to HomeAdvisor. A large portion of that coming from the student housing communities in the form of renovations and expansions of various off-campus housing companies.

The CFAA Rental Housing Business Magazine stated that the United States has 10 times the number of student housing units on a per capita basis than Canada.

This report serves to inform the Canadian rental housing industry on the most current and pertinent information fueling this profitable and rewarding segment of the multi-unit rental housing industry.

Back in 2012, Henry Morton, president of Campus Suites, a Canadian off-campus housing company, called for more transparency and information flow within the student housing sector of Canada. Morton contended that in order for Canada to meet the United States in student housing numbers, there needs to be a greater deal of information made available to developers and investors.  Many feel this was a lukewarm response and that budget problems in Canada are the real culprit.

Another contributing factor as to why the Canadian student-housing sector isn’t on par with America’s is due to the number of students and schools. While there are more than 800,000 students attending colleges and universities across Canada, they are spread quite thinly across the country.

There are 98 recognized universities in Canada and over. 800,000 current students. In 2012-2013 alone, there were 819,644 new undergraduate students in the United States which exceeds the cumulative total of all post-secondary students in Canada. Without a doubt, enrollment rates and the number of students point to a much larger pool of student tenants within the US.

This all points to the fact that Canada is somewhat behind their America counterparts in terms of the third party funded student housing sector, and a great deal of potential for further development exists. Public student housing is quite lacking currently. Over the next decade it is incredibly unlikely that Canada will ever meet the American student housing market on the same level.