University Hill Realty

What University Hill Realty does

University Hill Realty LLC is a family-owned real estate and property management company founded in 1972 by Norman Roth in Syracuse, NY. It operates a portfolio of 130+ rental units, predominantly 1-to-5-bedroom single-family and multi-family homes concentrated within roughly half a mile of Syracuse University, plus at least one commercial property at 108 Dell Street. The company serves undergraduate and graduate students from Syracuse University, SUNY ESF, Le Moyne College, and Upstate Medical University, as well as local families and individuals, and offers licensed real estate sales services for single-family homes, multi-unit investments, and commercial transactions in the University Area and East Side of Syracuse.

The underlying technology stack is built on AppFolio as the core property management platform, providing the tenant portal for online rent payment (eCheck and credit/debit card via Authorize.net), maintenance request submission, and electronic lease signing. Zillow integration enables self-guided virtual tours, and the company website is localized into eight languages (English, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, French, Greek, German). All properties are uniformly outfitted with ENERGY STAR certified appliances, thermal pane windows, glass block basement windows, and LED lighting. Three full-time in-house maintenance employees live in the University Area and provide 24-hour emergency on-call service. The company has no disclosed subsidiaries, no funding rounds, no parent entity, and no institutional investment, and has been continuously family-owned and operated for over 50 years.

The business model combines a recurring monthly rental income stream (subscription-style, billed monthly with security deposits equal to one month's rent and last-month's rent prepaid for undergraduates) with transaction-fee revenue from licensed real estate sales. Pricing starts at $500 per bedroom per month, with discounts of 3% (quarterly), 5% (semi-annual), and 7% (annual) for early payment; utilities average approximately $75 per person per month. Go-to-market is a hybrid sales-led and self-serve/PLG motion: prospective tenants find listings on the website or AppFolio, take virtual or in-person tours, reserve on a first-come first-served basis, and complete electronic applications and leases through the tenant portal, supplemented by phone/text contact, in-person office visits by appointment at 500 Westcott Street, and tenant referrals. Marketing channels include the multilingual website, Zillow/AppFolio listings, current tenant referrals, and formal referral partnerships with the Syracuse University Office of Off Campus & Commuter Services and SUNY ESF.

Name

University Hill Realty

Legal name

University Hill Realty LLC

Website

https://universityhill.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

University Hill Realty is a family-owned Syracuse, NY real estate and property management company founded in 1972 that operates 130+ rental units near Syracuse University, serving students, families, and individuals with online leasing and licensed sales services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Property Management & Real Estate Services

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311), Real Estate Property Managers (53131), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Housing Property Management (BPAJAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Off-Campus / University-Affiliated Housing Management (EDAEAFAB), Off-Campus Housing Support & Landlord Relations (EDALACAJ), Student Housing Tenant Representation (BPAJALAE)

Keywords

• Residential rental housing
• Property management services
• Student housing rentals
• Real estate sales brokerage
• Off-campus apartment leasing

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Rental Income: Monthly rental payments from residential properties including single-family and multi-family homes ranging from 1 to 5 bedrooms. Tenants pay rent per bedroom or per unit. Additional revenue from commercial property rental (108 Dell Street).
2. Real Estate Sales Services: Licensed real estate professionals in New York State providing buying and selling services for single family homes, multi-unit investments, and commercial leasing/development

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

University Hill Realty is a family-owned real estate and property management company that leases well-maintained, energy-efficient single-family and multi-family homes (1-5 bedrooms) in the Syracuse, NY area, primarily serving Syracuse University students, families, and individuals. The company also provides licensed real estate sales services for buyers and sellers of residential, multi-unit investment, and commercial properties in the University Area and East Side of Syracuse. Tenant services are delivered online through an AppFolio-powered tenant portal that supports rent payment, maintenance requests, electronic lease signing, and virtual property tours.

Product overview

University Hill Realty is a family-owned property management company offering a unified housing platform centered on residential rentals and real estate services. The core offering consists of 1-to-5-bedroom rental units near Syracuse University, supported by a Tenant Portal that consolidates online rent payment, maintenance request submission, and lease signing. Supplementary services include virtual tours via Zillow and AppFolio, and full real estate sales services covering single-family, multi-unit, and commercial transactions. All components are managed through the AppFolio property management infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Rental Housing Well-maintained, upgraded, and energy-efficient single-family and multi-family rental homes ranging from 1 to 5 bedrooms located within walking distance of Syracuse University, leased primarily to students, families, and individuals in the Syracuse, NY area. Prices start at $500 per bedroom.
• Tenant Portal Online portal powered by AppFolio that allows tenants to securely pay rent (eCheck and credit/debit card), submit maintenance requests, communicate with management, sign leases electronically, and manage their rental account from any web browser or mobile device.
• Real Estate Sales Services Full-service licensed real estate brokerage in New York State providing buying and selling representation for single-family homes, multi-unit investment properties, and commercial leasing and development in the University Area and East Side of Syracuse.
• Virtual Property Tours Self-guided virtual tours offered through Zillow and guided live virtual tours through AppFolio that allow prospective tenants to explore available rental properties online at their convenience with real-time support from team members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Properties located within approximately 0.5 mile of Syracuse University - most students can walk to campus in just a few minutes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Westcott Street FairminorOthersCommunity event partnership supporting the local Westcott neighborhood cultural fair and community activities.
• Syracuse StageminorOthersCultural institution partnership supporting the arts in Syracuse community.
• Everson MuseumminorOthersCultural institution partnership supporting the arts in Syracuse community.
• Onondaga Historical AssociationminorOthersHistorical preservation partnership supporting local history initiatives.
• Gustav Stickley HouseminorOthersHistoric home partnership supporting preservation of important Arts and Crafts movement architecture.
• Westcott Community CenterminorOthersCommunity partnership supporting neighborhood services and activities in Westcott.
• SU Office of Off Campus & Commuter ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity partnership for student housing referrals and information sharing. Syracuse University Office helps direct students to off-campus housing options.
• SUNY ESF Alumni AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlumni association partnership for SUNY ESF student housing referrals.
• SU Alumni AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlumni association partnership for Syracuse University student housing referrals.
• Westcott Neighborhood AssociationminorOthersNeighborhood association partnership supporting the Westcott community.
• Rosamond Gifford Lecture SeriesminorOthersCultural lecture series sponsorship supporting educational programming.
• Westcott Art TrailminorOthersArts and culture partnership supporting the Westcott neighborhood art community.
• Upstate Medical UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedical university partnership providing housing for students and staff at Upstate Medical University near Syracuse.
• SUNY ESFcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity partnership providing housing for SUNY ESF students within walking distance of campus.
• Barry Park AssociationminorOthersNeighborhood park association partnership supporting local community.
• Thorndon Park AssociationminorOthersNeighborhood park association partnership supporting local community.
• Syracuse Cooperative MarketminorOthersLocal cooperative business partnership supporting sustainable food access in the neighborhood.
• Meadowbrook Neighborhood AssociationminorOthersNeighborhood association partnership supporting local community.
• Crouse HospitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare institution partnership providing housing for hospital staff near the university area.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scion Living (The Scion Group): Student housing developer and operator focused on off-campus apartments near universities; directly comparable in serving the same student tenant base with professionally managed rental housing within walking distance of campus.
• CA Student Living: Student housing investment and management platform; comparable in serving the same student renter base with professionally managed off-campus housing, though at larger institutional scale.
• Cardinal Group Companies: Student housing and multifamily property management firm; directly comparable in providing managed student rental housing near universities, though typically operating larger purpose-built communities.
• Campus Apartments: Operator and developer of off-campus student housing communities near major US universities, directly comparable to UHR in target customer (university students), product (apartment-style rentals), and operating model (property management for student tenants).
• PeakMade Realty: Student housing operator specializing in off-campus communities near major universities; directly comparable in customer segment (students) and product (professionally managed off-campus rentals).
• The Annex Group (Landmark Properties): Developer and operator of purpose-built student housing communities near universities; comparable in target market and product offering to student renters, though focused on new-construction communities.

Broad incumbents

• Asset Living: Large third-party property management firm with a dedicated student housing division; comparable to UHR in providing managed residential rentals to student populations, though at materially larger scale and across multiple geographies.
• American Campus Communities: One of the largest publicly-traded student housing operators; comparable to UHR in serving university students with managed rental housing, though at REIT scale with purpose-built communities rather than converted historic homes.
• Greystar: Largest residential property management company in the US with student housing exposure; comparable in third-party property management operations for residential rentals, though Greystar operates at massive scale across many markets.

Others

• Rent College Pads: Online marketplace connecting students with off-campus housing; UHR is a recognized 'Top Rated Landlord' on the platform, making it an ecosystem partner and indirect channel rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UniversityHillRealtyLLC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-hill-realty-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 University Hill Realty