What Thirty Years of Building a Real Estate Business Actually Taught Me
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA Where It Started My first property was a one-bedroom, 590-square-foot apartment. I bought it in 1984, when I was still a student. I did not buy it because I had a grand plan for thousands of units. I bought it because it was what I could afford, and because I […]
What Happens to a Neighborhood When the Semester Ends
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA The Rhythm Nobody Talks About Every neighborhood near a college has a heartbeat that runs on the academic calendar. September brings a wave of new faces. December empties half the buildings out for a month. May brings moving trucks, mattresses left on curbs, and a strange quiet that lasts until […]
From One Property to Thousands of Units: The Real Lessons Behind Building a Long-Term Real Estate Business
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA The First Property Is Not a Portfolio When I bought my first property in 1984, a one-bedroom apartment just 590 square feet, I had no master plan. I had conviction that real estate was the right path and enough discipline to make the purchase, but I did not know what […]
Why Student Housing Is Part of Boston’s Economic Future
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA The Question Nobody Asks Until It’s Too Late Every semester, thousands of students arrive in Boston looking for a place to live near their university. The same week, local residents often ask why the city keeps growing, why neighborhoods keep changing, and why the housing market feels so tight. What […]
How Student Housing Supports Boston’s World-Class Universities and the Communities Around Them
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA Understanding the Connection Between Housing and Education When people think about what makes Boston one of the greatest education centers in the world, they usually think about the universities, professors, research, and students who come here from across the globe. Those things are certainly important, but there is another piece […]
Why Off-Campus Student Housing Is Essential to Boston’s Future
My name is Anwar Faisal, and I have spent many years working in real estate across Boston and Brookline. A large part of my work has focused on housing near universities, where demand is steady and closely tied to the academic calendar. Over time, I have seen one clear reality. Off-campus student housing is not […]
Why Many Landlords Hesitate to Rent to Students and How This Shapes the Boston Rental Market By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA
Understanding Landlord Hesitation Concerns about rental history and credit One of the most common reasons landlords hesitate to rent to students is the lack of rental history. Many students are renting for the first time, especially those coming from other parts of the United States or from abroad. Without a strong rental background, landlords may […]
Students as an Economic Driver in Boston: Housing Demand, Local Business Growth, and Neighborhood Vitality By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA
Over time, I have come to see students not just as residents, but as an important part of the city’s economic engine. Their presence affects housing demand, supports local businesses, and helps keep neighborhoods active and connected. In this article, I want to share my perspective on how students contribute to Boston’s economy and why […]