roomies acquires studenthousing-portfolio from 6B47 in Poland
transaction for 2 projects successfully completed
roomies, an investor in private student housing (PBSA), has announced the closing of a transaction with 6b47 real estate investors AG.
"We are pleased to announce that we have successfully closed a transaction for two PBSA projects in Poland. We are acquiring two projects with building permits in Warsaw and Wroclaw from 6B47. The locations are excellent. We are now revising the design according to our guidelines and will start construction in Warsaw later this year in order to be able to open in summer 2026”, says CEO of roomies studentliving Poland sp. z o.o. Nikolas Löbel. roomies recently announced its market launch with a comprehensive acquisition strategy. "Our initial focus is on the cities of Warsaw, Wrocław, Kraków, Poznań and Gdańsk. We buy, develop and operate our locations from a single source. We want to grow sustainable and quickly and we are constantly on research for good locations to invest in. These two properties fit very well into our portfolio," says Löbel.
Nikolas Löbel is the founder and CEO of roomies. roomies is an investment by Lagerbox Group, an investor and operater in self-storage in Germany and the Netherlands. "We are delighted with the successful sale as part of our portfolio optimization program at 6B47. Above all, we would like to thank our dedicated team in Poland”, says CFO of 6B47 Real Estate Investors AG Christian Mayer. The parties have agreed not to disclose the details of the transaction or the purchase price. This transaction was accompanied by DWF Poland Jamka sp.k. and Baker McKenzie Krzyzowski i Wspolnicy sp.k.
roomies as new investor for PBSA in Poland
A new player enters the field of private student housing investments in Poland. roomies is a startup with the aim to invest in PBSA in Poland and to develop more than 2,000 modern and attractive units within the next 5 years. The founder and CEO of roomies is Nikolas Löbel. He has more than 10 years of experience in development of residential and co-living projects in Germany and Poland. The investors of roomies are the owners of the Lagerbox group. With more than 40 locations under operation and some 15 additional projects in the pipeline, Lagerbox is one of the largest providers of self-storages in Germany and the Netherlands. The shareholder group of Lagerbox is also invested in numerous real estate sectors and start-ups. "I am delighted that we have been able to win Lagerbox and its founder Peter N. Blauw for our idea of raising new capital in the private student accommodation sector. With Lagerboxs experience, network and capital strength as well as our team of expp erienced and highly motivated experts here in Poland, we will start the market entry with a comprehensive acquisition strategy. Our initial focus is on the cities of Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, Poznan and Gdansk. We buy, develop and operate our locations from a single source. Our approach is to make an offer in the PBSA sector that does not yet exist. Roomies stands for attractive accommodation with an all-inclusive offer for the current student generation. In these days students want maximum flexibility and not only an attractive housing offer, but also an attitude to life. This is what roomies stands for," says CEO & founder Nikolas Löbel.
"Poland is currently probably the most economically attractive country in the European Union. The highest growth of GDP, rapidly rising student numbers and attractive development opportunities in the real estate sector compared to the rest of Europe have convinced us that we are financing a very attractive startup with roomies," says Peter N. Blauw, Chairman of the Board and majority owner of the Lagerbox group.
The PBSA sector in Poland is a growing asset class. With over 1.2 million students, more than 100,000 international students, Poland is an increasingly attractive study destination to gain internationally recognized qualifications at a fraction of the cost compared to their home countries. However, accommodation in existing public university buildings often fails to meet students' expectations, as they are often outdated and have limited facilities. This leads to a massive undersupply of modern private PBSAs. The bed supply for full-time students in private and modern PBSAs in Poland is only 1.6%. Currently, only about 15,000 beds are operated by 9 major providers across Poland, reflecting the massive shortage of student accommodation, which is exacerbated by the increasing internationalization of Polish universities. This creates the conditions for roomies to grow rapidly.