NAA Student Housing

Learning the International Market

By Erica Rascón on Apr 2, 2014 in News

As a college student,  my family and I would always invite a few international students to our home during the holidays so that they wouldn’t be stranded on campus alone. It was one of the many times that I realized how tough it was to be a student abroad.

The 2014 National Apartment Association (NAA) Student Housing Conference and Exposition addressed the unique needs of the international student population during a rare and exciting breakout session. Student housing providers got to bounce ideas around that could improve client relations, marketing, and workflow.

Client Relations Many housing providers are hiring Millennials, especially when it comes to social media outreach. It’s also a good idea to keep a few international students or professionals on staff. They provide unparalleled insights into the needs of international students. They can also come in handy as translators.

While it is important to treat students fairly, it’s also worth noting that international students are more likely to refer friends, pay their rent on time, and to renew their lease than American students, reports Lauren Boston, staff writer for NAA. Being mindful of international students when planning community events, marketing strategies, and resident retention endeavors will pay off in the long run.

Marketing New developments attract students with everything from party-sized Jacuzzis to state-of-the-art media rooms. It can be tough for existing buildings to compete with the glitz but there are several features that international students value more: access to bus routes, proximity to an international farmers market, en-suite kitchens for preparing dishes from back home, housing during the holidays (some campuses oust students during breaks), and 12-month leases will earn more points with them than a fancy sundeck.  It’s also a good idea to mention any programs that help residents get acclimated with the town such as group outings and discounts to local businesses.

Internet marketing to international students can be tricky. A combination of search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) will help your property rise to the top of the pile. Fortifying the property’s presence on internet listing services (ILS) will make a world of difference since ILS sites are a popular resource for international students. Worth noting: creating listings and search terms in languages other than English, since many students look for housing when they are still in their home countries. (Ahem, the international students on your staff can help with this.)

You can also pull real residents into your marketing. Interview international students or distribute surveys with a few open-ended questions. Use their quotations and insights to customize your marketing.

Workflow As international student populations increase throughout the country, the lingering prejudice and discrimination in American tends to surface. Housing providers often find themselves playing mediator between disagreements that can be exacerbated by language barriers. The solution: time. Johnathan Weiss, Project Manager for Campus360 has found that, more often than not, students learn to overcome minor cultural differences on their own. They even become friends. The first month is crucial to their ability to work together (and decide to renew their lease together) so it’s integral to help students work through their issues with a positive attitude.

Collections were also a topic of interest.  If the university does not require international students to have an in-country guarantor, consider creating a policy that requests several months of rent in advance. Students with money are more likely to pay their rent. It may help to form a relationship with local businesses, especially those within easy access of the property. Have businesses notify you when there are hiring, and post job openings in the club house or other public spaces.