Center for Real Estate Studies

What Center for Real Estate Studies does

CRES (Center for Real Estate Studies) is a privately held, specialized higher education institute headquartered in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, operating as a Steinbeis Transfer Institute under the academic accreditation of Steinbeis-Hochschule. The institute was constituted in 2015, evolving from its founding sister institute Deutsche Immobilien-Akademie (DIA, founded 1995), and offers accredited Bachelor of Arts programs in Immobilienwirtschaft (Real Estate Management) and Immobilienbewertung (Real Estate Valuation), a Master of Arts in General Management Real Estate, and doctoral pathways, all carrying ECTS credits under the Bologna framework.

The institute serves two distinct student segments: Berufseinsteiger (career-entry dual-study students with Abitur who complete eight two-week lecture blocks at the Haus der Akademien in Freiburg while employed at a partner company over 36 months, paying €525/month) and Berufstätige (working professionals pursuing continuing education alongside employment, paying €16,330–€21,600 for a Bachelor and €15,000–€21,000 for a Master). Delivery is hybrid, combining in-person instruction in Freiburg with simultaneous live streaming via WebEx, capped at 30 students per lecture to preserve close support. The curriculum follows a Project-Kompetenz-Studium model in which transfer assignments and semester-spanning projects are tied to tasks at the student's employer, and graduates receive Open-Badge-standard digital credentials.

CRES generates revenue primarily through tuition, which is frequently co-funded or fully sponsored by employers; the institute also produces proprietary industry research (Hamburger Mietenstudie 2025, Büromarktprognose in its 30th iteration, Verwalterentgeltstudie 2026, Marktreport Zwangsversteigerungen) in collaboration with partners including gif e.V., Hadi Teherani Consultants, BFW, VNW, SAGA, IVD, and IMV Marktdaten. Its go-to-market motion combines direct recruitment of students via online information sessions with employer outreach for dual-study placements, research sponsorships, and continuing-education contracts, with a network of 12+ employer partners (including Dawonia, Erzbistum München und Freising, and Deutsche Bank Immobilien) operating as both tuition sponsors and research counterparties.

Name

Center for Real Estate Studies

Legal name

Center for Real Estate Studies (CRES)

Website

https://steinbeis-cres.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CRES is a Freiburg-based private higher education institute operating under Steinbeis-Hochschule accreditation, offering accredited Bachelor, Master, and doctoral programs in real estate economics and management, serving career-entry dual-study students and working professionals through hybrid in-person and online delivery in Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education in Real Estate Management

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate, Appraisal & Mortgage (Agent/Broker CE, Appraiser CE) (EDAAALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Short-Term Certificate & Micro-Credential Programs (International) (EDAIAIAI)

Keywords

• Real estate education
• Higher education degrees
• Dual study programs
• Professional continuing education
• Real estate research

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg Im Breisgau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: CRES charges tuition fees for its accredited Bachelor and Master programs. For Berufseinsteiger students, the partner company typically covers tuition. For Berufstätige students, tuition is either self-funded or employer-sponsored. Additional one-time fees include matriculation fees and examination fees. Payment plans (monthly installments) are available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Center for Real Estate Studies (CRES) delivers accredited Bachelor and Master degree programs in real estate management and valuation, conferred by Steinbeis-Hochschule. Programs are offered in two tracks: a Berufseinsteiger (career-entry) dual-study track with eight two-week lecture blocks over 36 months, and a Berufstätige (working-professional) track for employed learners seeking to earn a degree while continuing to work. All lectures combine in-person attendance in Freiburg with simultaneous live online streaming, and students apply learned content directly to real employer projects through the "Project-Kompetenz-Studium" model.

Product overview

CRES is a specialized higher education institution (Steinbeis Transfer Institute) offering accredited academic degree programs from Bachelor to Doctorate in real estate economics and management. The portfolio includes undergraduate programs (Bachelor of Arts in Management with Immobilienwirtschaft and Immobilienbewertung specializations), graduate programs (Master of Arts in General Management Real Estate), and continuing education credentials. The institution also provides a digital learning platform (Online-Campus), digital badge certification system, and publishes regular industry research including the Hamburger Mietenstudie, Büromarktprognose, and Verwalterentgeltstudie. The academic offerings are delivered hybrid (in-person in Freiburg or online) and are conducted in partnership with Steinbeis University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Management — Immobilienwirtschaft Accredited three-year undergraduate degree program combining business administration fundamentals with specialized real estate industry knowledge, preparing graduates for careers in property management, brokerage, and real estate companies. Offered in both Berufseinsteiger (dual-study, 36 months, 525 EUR/month) and Berufstätige (working-professional, from 16,330 EUR total) formats, with 180 ECTS credits conferred by Steinbeis-Hochschule.
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Management — Immobilienbewertung Accredited three-year undergraduate degree program focusing on real estate valuation methodologies, preparing students for professional property appraisal and assessment roles. Offered in both Berufseinsteiger (dual-study, 525 EUR/month) and Berufstätige (working-professional, from 21,600 EUR total) formats, with 180 ECTS credits conferred by Steinbeis-Hochschule.
• Master of Arts (M.A.) General Management Real Estate Accredited graduate degree program advancing management and leadership competencies, qualifying students for senior and executive roles in the real estate industry. Standard duration 24 months (flexible up to 48), 60/90/120 ECTS options, four intake windows per year, tuition 15,000-21,000 EUR plus one-time matriculation (500 EUR) and examination (500 EUR) fees. Conferred by Steinbeis-Hochschule.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students complete a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with 180 ECTS credits and exit with both an academic degree and 3 years of work experience, typically hired directly by the partner company.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Hadi Teherani ConsultantsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CRES partnered with Hadi Teherani Consultants for the Büromarkt und Senior Living Studie 2025, a joint research study analyzing the office real estate market and Senior Living concepts on Mallorca. The partnership combined CRES's real estate research expertise with Hadi Teherani's architectural and market consulting capabilities.
• BFW Landesverband Nord e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The BFW Landesverband Nord (Federal Association of Real Estate Property Companies, North Region) is a data partner for the Hamburger Mietenstudie 2025, contributing real rental contract data for the study.
• Grundeigentümer-Verband HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Grundeigentümer-Verband Hamburg (Hamburg Property Owners Association) contributed rental contract data to the Hamburger Mietenstudie 2025.
• Immobilienverband Deutschland (IVD) Nord e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025IVD Nord (professional association of real estate brokers, property managers, and appraisers) contributed rental data to the Hamburger Mietenstudie 2025. IVD also co-founded the predecessor institution DIA.
• VNW Landesverband Hamburg e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025VNW (Association of North German Housing Companies) contributed rental contract data from its member companies to the Hamburger Mietenstudie 2025, covering approximately 38% of all Hamburg rental relationships.
• SAGA Siedlungs-Aktiengesellschaft HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SAGA GWG (one of Hamburg's largest housing companies) was a data contributor to the Hamburger Mietenstudie 2025, providing anonymized rental contract data.
• VWA Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025VWA Business School is CRES's sister institute within the Steinbeis-Hochschule network, also located in the Haus der Akademien in Freiburg. While both offer Steinbeis-accredited degrees, VWA focuses on general business administration and public administration programs, creating a complementary rather than competing relationship.
• Partner Companies (Employer Sponsors) — SamplecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Companies including Christian Müller Immobilien, Dawonia, Erzbistum München und Freising, Loudin Immobilien, Strenger, Unmüssig Gruppe, VR-ImmoService, Brumani Immobilien, BVG mbH, Dürrschnabel Immobilien, and KRAMS Immobilien act as employer sponsors, offering dual-study positions. These companies provide employment for Berufseinsteiger students, sponsor tuition, and receive academic transfer outputs. CRES maintains a broader open pool of companies that are ready to host dual-study students.
• Steinbeis-HochschulecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015CRES is a Steinbeis Transfer Institute operating under the academic responsibility of Steinbeis-Hochschule. Steinbeis-Hochschule provides institutional accreditation and confers all Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate degrees awarded by CRES. The Steinbeis-Hochschule is a private, state-recognized university.
• gif e.V. (Gesellschaft für Immobilienforschung)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010The Competence Group Immobilienmarkt-Research of gif e.V. co-conducts the Büromarktprognose Deutschland survey with CRES. This is a flagship annual research collaboration that has been running since 2010 and is now in its 30th iteration. The survey collects expert expectations for office market indicators (prime rents, prime yields, vacancy rates) across Germany's top 5 office markets.
• Deutsche Immobilien-Akademie (DIA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995DIA was founded in 1995 by VWA Freiburg and Immobilienverband Deutschland (IVD) and is the predecessor and founding partner of CRES. The demand for an accredited academic degree pathway at DIA led to CRES's creation in 2015. DIA continues as a sister institution providing continuing education (Immobilien(fach)wirt, Diplom-Sachverständige) with prior learning recognition possible at CRES.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Deutsche Immobilien-Akademie (DIA): DIA is CRES's predecessor and sister institute, co-located in the Haus der Akademien Freiburg, offering the continuing-education credentials (Immobilien(fach)wirt, Sachverständige) that feed into CRES degree programs via prior-learning recognition.
• EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht: Private German university offering real estate-focused Bachelor and Master programs with strong corporate sponsorship; competes for the same Berufstätige continuing-education tuition pool as CRES.
• Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt (HfWU): Public German university with a dedicated real estate management faculty (Geislingen) offering Bachelor and Master programs in real estate economics and valuation — directly comparable academic offerings to CRES.
• IRE|BS International Real Estate Business School: University of Regensburg-affiliated real estate business school offering accredited Bachelor, Master, and Executive programs in real estate — the most established direct competitor for academically rigorous real estate management degrees in Germany.
• ADI Akademie der Immobilienwirtschaft: Berlin-based private academy offering professional development and certifications for the German real estate industry — competes for working-professional continuing-education demand alongside CRES.

Broad incumbents

• Technische Hochschule Köln — Fakultät für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften: Large public university offering specialized real estate and facility management programs (e.g., Immobilienwirtschaft Bachelor/Master); a broad incumbent competing on price and accreditation scale.
• Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (HTW Berlin): Berlin-based public university offering real estate and facility management programs, targeting both full-time students and working professionals — comparable to CRES on dual-track delivery model.

Regional players

• BBA – Bundesverband der Immobilienberater: Industry association providing real estate broker and agent certifications in Germany; competes for the same continuing-education budget pool, especially for the DIA Immobilienwirt equivalent credentials.

Emerging players

• Europäische Hochschule für Innovation und Perspektive (EHiP): Private, state-recognized German university offering fully online Bachelor and Master programs, increasingly focused on vocational and dual-study formats — overlapping with CRES's hybrid online delivery strategy.

Others

• VWA Business School Freiburg: CRES's sister Steinbeis Transfer Institute co-located in the Haus der Akademien, offering general business administration degrees — overlapping institutional infrastructure and back-office with CRES but not a direct competitor in real estate specialization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@steinbeiscres
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-real-estate-studies-cres-
• Xx.com/CRES_Freiburg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Steinbeis.Cres

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Center for Real Estate Studies