What JSM Living does

JSM Living is a privately held, family-owned residential property management company headquartered in Champaign, Illinois, specializing in off-campus student housing for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Founded in 1974, the company operates a portfolio serving more than 2,800 residents annually, with units ranging from efficiencies to four-bedroom configurations offered both furnished and unfurnished. The customer base is concentrated entirely in UIUC students, including a deliberate push to serve international students through dedicated onboarding resources.

The operating model is built around a self-serve leasing funnel: prospective residents search availability online, schedule virtual or in-person tours, submit free online applications, and complete virtual lease signing without sales-staff intervention. Post-lease, residents interact through a Resident Portal that handles rent payments, maintenance requests, document access, and Wi-Fi credentials. Wi-Fi service itself is delivered through a partnership with Pavlov Media. On-site amenities include a Student Center with private and shared study rooms equipped with TVs and whiteboards, a key-fob-accessed Fitness Center, and a VIP Program providing discounts of up to $200 at local retailers and restaurants. A subleasing marketplace allows current residents to advertise interim or summer sublets through JSM-controlled channels.

JSM Living generates revenue through monthly recurring rental income, with rent typically covering trash removal, monthly pest control, and 24-hour maintenance while water, sewer, internet, and electricity vary by property. Disclosed pricing examples include $985/month for a one-bedroom at 601 E. White (plus electricity) and $850/month ($600 for June–July summer sublets) at 701 S. Gregory. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, parent companies, or subsidiaries, and operates exclusively within the Midwest US.

Name

JSM Living

Legal name

JSM Living

Website

https://jsmliving.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

JSM Living is a family-owned, Champaign-based residential property manager founded in 1974 that operates off-campus apartment housing for University of Illinois students, serving more than 2,800 residents annually through self-serve online leasing, a resident portal, and on-site amenities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Housing / Residential Property Management

NAICS

Rental and Leasing Services (532), Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Housing Property Management (BPAJAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student/Academic Serviced Residences (THAGAEAF), Student & Academic Term Monthly Housing (THAMAFAH), Student Housing Resident Life, Conduct & Community Management (BPAJAJAH)

Keywords

• Student housing
• Apartment rentals
• Property management
• Residential leasing
• Off-campus housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Champaign

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Apartment Rental Income: Monthly rental payments from residential apartment units. Rent includes trash removal, monthly pest control, and 24-hour maintenance. Water, sewer, internet, and electricity costs vary by property.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JSM Living operates a portfolio of furnished and unfurnished residential apartment units near the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus in Champaign, IL, renting to college students in configurations ranging from efficiencies to four-bedroom units. The company provides full property management services including leasing, 24-hour maintenance, online rent payment, resident amenities (Student Center, Fitness Center), and a loyalty program offering local merchant discounts. They also facilitate resident-to-resident subleasing through an online marketplace.

Product overview

JSM Living operates a portfolio of residential apartment buildings near the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Illinois, primarily serving college students. The core offering is furnished and unfurnished apartment units available in various configurations (efficiencies through 4-bedroom units). The portfolio includes over 2,800 residents annually across multiple properties. Amenities include a Student Center with study rooms, a Fitness Center, and the VIP Program offering local merchant discounts. The company provides a Resident Portal for lease management, payments, and maintenance requests, and maintains a subleasing marketplace for existing residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Apartments Furnished and unfurnished apartment units for rent near the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, IL, serving primarily college students with various bedroom/bathroom configurations (efficiencies through 4-bedroom units).
• Subleasing Service Platform listing available sublet units for current JSM Living residents looking to sublease their apartments during summer or other periods, enabling residents to transfer lease obligations while traveling or studying elsewhere.
• Property Management Services Property management services for residential real estate owners, including leasing, maintenance, and resident management, as indicated by the standalone Property Management Services section of the website.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Pavlov MediacoreTechnology or IntegrationWi-Fi service provider for JSM properties. Handles internet connectivity support including Wi-Fi passwords and troubleshooting for residents. Contact for internet issues available through Pavlov Media support page.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Greystar Real Estate Partners: The largest operator of student housing in the US, managing tens of thousands of student beds globally. Comparable to JSM Living in operating model and customer segment but with national/international scale and institutional backing.
• American Campus Communities: One of the largest publicly-traded student housing REITs (now owned by Blackstone) operating hundreds of thousands of beds across major US university markets. Directly comparable to JSM Living in serving off-campus student residents but at vastly greater scale and with institutional capital.

Direct peers

• Landmark Properties: Developer and operator of purpose-built student housing near major US universities. Comparable to JSM Living in serving off-campus student residents but specializing in new development of high-end amenitized product.
• The Scion Group: Privately-held student housing owner/operator focused on off-campus apartments near major universities. Closely comparable to JSM Living in business model (owned + managed student apartments, amenity-rich positioning) but operating across multiple cities.
• Asset Campus Housing: National student housing management company overseeing off-campus student communities for institutional owners. Comparable to JSM Living in managing student apartments with amenity programs, though predominantly on a third-party basis.
• The Annex Group: Affordable and student housing developer/owner focused on university markets. Comparable to JSM Living in targeting student tenants near campus with mid-market product positioning.
• Cardinal Group Management: Student and multifamily housing management and investment firm serving university markets. Directly comparable as a third-party manager and owner of student housing communities with amenity-rich positioning.
• Campus Apartments: Family-founded student housing operator (acquired by Pritzker Private Capital) that develops, owns, and manages off-campus student apartments. Highly comparable to JSM Living's ownership-and-management model with multi-market presence.
• University Student Living: Specialized student housing operator providing leasing, marketing, and resident services for student communities. Comparable to JSM Living in service offerings and customer base.

Emerging players

• Core Spaces: Student housing developer focused on amenitized apartments near large state universities. Comparable to JSM Living's amenity-driven student value proposition but targeting newer development of premium product.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JSMLiving
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@JSMChampaign
• Facebookfacebook.com/jsmliving
• Instagraminstagram.com/jsmliving/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jsmliving

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JSM Living