Preiss
Preiss is a woman-owned, privately held real estate operator that acquires, develops, owns, and manages off-campus student and multifamily housing across 86 properties and 67 U.S. universities, with $4.5B AUM and a proprietary mobile wallet access platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Preiss does
Preiss (formerly The Preiss Company) is a privately held, woman-owned real estate operator founded in 1987 by Donna Preiss and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company acquires, develops, owns, and manages off-campus student housing and conventional multifamily properties, operating 86 properties encompassing 38,800+ beds across 67 universities with approximately $4.5 billion in assets under management. Its portfolio is organized around branded sub-brands including Signature (premium, tech-forward developments) and The Collective (lifestyle-oriented student communities), alongside conventional multifamily assets in markets such as Raleigh.
The company's primary revenue comes from monthly rental income on owned properties, supplemented by third-party property management fees and technology-related fees. A core technology differentiator is the Mobile Wallet Experience, developed with affiliated innovation arm IRIS Technologies and deployed across 9 communities covering approximately 5,000 beds, integrating Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Allegion's Schlage XE360 locks, Quext smart thermostats, and Entrata property management software. Signature properties additionally feature direct fiber-to-unit internet up to 1 Gbps, EV charging, and advanced leak detection. Preiss pursues growth through direct acquisitions, joint ventures with capital partners (Crow Holdings Capital, Township Capital, Nuveen Real Estate, FD Stonewater), ground-up development, and an expanding third-party management business (six new Q1 2026 assignments covering 2,564 beds).
Preiss firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Preiss
- Legal name
- Preiss
- Website
- https://preiss.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Preiss is a woman-owned, privately held real estate operator that acquires, develops, owns, and manages off-campus student and multifamily housing across 86 properties and 67 U.S. universities, with $4.5B AUM and a proprietary mobile wallet access platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Preiss industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Housing Property Management
- NAICS
- Residential Property Managers (531311), Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings (except Miniwarehouses) (531120)
- SIC
- Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Housing Property Management & Leasing Operators (THAMAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Multifamily & Student Housing Asset Management (BPAJAMAD)
Keywords
Where Preiss is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Preiss business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Rental Income: Revenue generated from owned student housing and multifamily properties through monthly rental payments from residents across 86 properties.
- Technology Fees: Revenue derived from the Mobile Wallet Experience initiative through technology fees as part of the $698,000 annual NOI lift across participating communities.
- Third-Party Management Fees: Property management services provided to external property owners, generating management fee income. The company expanded with six Q1 2026 third-party assignments encompassing 2,564 beds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Property-specific rental pricing based on unit type, location, and amenities |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Preiss product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Preiss acquires, develops, owns, and manages off-campus student housing and conventional multifamily properties across U.S. university markets, operating 86 properties with 38,800+ beds serving 67 universities under $4.5B in assets under management. The company also provides third-party property management services to external owners and partners with institutional investors on joint-venture acquisitions and developments. Its technology-augmented resident experience centers on the Mobile Wallet Experience developed with subsidiary IRIS Technologies, enabling keyless entry via Apple Wallet and Google Wallet across 9 communities covering approximately 5,000 beds.
Product overview
Preiss is a nationwide leader in student and multifamily housing, operating as a single integrated platform for property acquisition, development, ownership, and management. The company's product portfolio centers on its core student housing property management offering — which spans branded sub-brands including Signature (premium tech-forward properties with mobile-wallet integrated smart locks, smart thermostats, and fiber-to-unit internet) and The Collective (lifestyle-oriented communities) — alongside conventional multifamily management and third-party management services. A key technology differentiator is the Mobile Wallet Experience, developed in partnership with Preiss's innovation arm IRIS Technologies, which enables residents to access units and amenities via Apple Wallet and Google Wallet and is deployed across 9 communities covering approximately 5,000 beds. The company also offers Tour24 for self-guided property tours as part of its technology-augmented resident experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Signature: Premium brand featuring high-end student housing developments with tech-forward smart-home infrastructure, best-in-class amenities, and elevated student living spaces. Properties include Signature Music Row, Signature 1909, Signature Hartwell Village, Signature at Varsity, and Signature on Grand.
- The Collective
Products and services
- Student Housing Property Management Preiss's core offering comprising acquisition, development, ownership, and management of off-campus student housing properties across the United States, serving 67 universities with 38,800+ beds across 86 properties. Targeted at college students seeking off-campus housing near major universities.
- Multifamily Housing Management Acquisition, development, ownership, and management of conventional multifamily properties alongside Preiss's student housing portfolio, including properties such as Edition on Oberlin and The Greens at Tryon. Targeted at conventional multifamily residents.
- Third-Party Property Management Services Property management services provided to external property owners and investors, generating management fee income. Targeted at institutional real estate investors, private equity funds, and external property owners seeking experienced operating partners.
- Mobile Wallet Experience (with IRIS Technologies) A mobile-first access management system enabling residents to unlock unit doors, bedrooms, and shared amenities using Apple Wallet and Google Wallet on smartphones or wearables, with offline functionality and low-battery support. Targeted at student housing residents and operators seeking to modernize access control.
- Signature Brand Student Housing Developments Premium, high-end branded student housing sub-brand featuring tech-forward smart home infrastructure including mobile-wallet integrated smart locks, smart thermostats, direct fiber-to-unit internet up to 1 Gbps, EV charging stations, and elevated finishes, targeting premier university markets.
- The Collective Brand Student Housing Communities Lifestyle-oriented off-campus student housing sub-brand serving various university markets including Norman (Oklahoma), Clemson (South Carolina), Auburn (Alabama), Lubbock (Texas Tech), Lawrence (Kansas), Kennesaw (Georgia), and Columbia (Missouri). Targeted at college students seeking modern amenities and mobile-enabled living.
Quantifiable outcome
- 38% reduction in access-related call volume across participating communities
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Preiss
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Preiss technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature4 records
Preiss partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- FD StonewaterflagshipVertically integrated real estate firm partnering with Preiss on two major student housing developments: Signature at Varsity near NC State (679 beds) and Signature on Grand near UT Knoxville (528 beds), both scheduled for Fall 2027 delivery.
- IRIS TechnologiescorePreiss's innovation and consulting engine, IRIS Technologies serves as the connective layer between strategy, technology, and execution for the Mobile Wallet Experience initiative. The partnership developed the industry's first off-campus student housing mobile wallet access at scale across 9 communities.
- AllegioncoreHardware partner providing Schlage XE360 mobile-enabled locks integrated with the mobile wallet access system. Allegion also launched its Campus-to-Community Student Living solutions ecosystem featuring Preiss as a launch partner.
- QuextcoreSoftware provider contributing smart thermostat hub system integrated with the mobile wallet access experience at The Collective at Norman.
- ApplecoreTechnology partner for mobile wallet integration. Preiss and IRIS hosted an exclusive Apple Summit at Apple Headquarters in Cupertino to provide direct insight into student housing operations and shape future mobile access roadmaps.
- GooglecoreTechnology partner enabling Google Wallet integration for mobile wallet access experience across participating communities.
- NewmarkminorGlobal commercial real estate services provider that arranged $77.3 million in acquisition financing for Valentine Commons through life company lender.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Preiss competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Asset Living: Asset Living (formerly Asset Campus Housing) is one of the largest third-party student and multifamily housing managers in the U.S. It directly competes with Preiss in third-party management assignments and serves similar institutional investor clients.
- Campus Apartments: Campus Apartments is a Philadelphia-based student housing owner and operator managing communities near major East Coast and Midwest universities. It competes directly with Preiss for acquisitions, development, and management contracts in select university markets.
- Balfour Beatty Campus Living: Balfour Beatty Campus Living is a dedicated student housing division of Balfour Beatty, providing development, investment, and management services for on- and off-campus student housing. It is comparable to Preiss in serving institutional clients and university markets.
- Core Spaces: Core Spaces is a leading owner-operator of off-campus student housing communities serving major U.S. universities. It is directly comparable to Preiss as both develop, own, and manage purpose-built student housing in top university markets (e.g., Core Spaces acquired Preiss-developed The Collective at Columbia).
- CA Ventures: CA Ventures is a vertically integrated real estate investment firm specializing in student housing, multifamily, and senior living development and management. Its student housing arm (CA Student Living) competes with Preiss for both acquisitions and management contracts.
- GMH Communities: GMH Communities is a student housing owner-operator specializing in off-campus communities near major universities. Its investment, development, and management platform is closely comparable to Preiss's vertically integrated model.
- The Scion Group: The Scion Group is a student housing owner, developer, and manager focused on off-campus communities near major universities. It is highly comparable to Preiss in business model (acquisition + development + management) and target customer (off-campus student residents).
- Cardinal Group Companies: Cardinal Group is a real estate investment and management firm specializing in student housing, multifamily, and senior living. Its student housing portfolio and third-party management services directly overlap with Preiss's core offering.
Broad incumbents
- Greystar Real Estate Partners: Greystar is the largest multifamily and student housing operator in the U.S., managing over $300B in assets. As a broad incumbent, it competes with Preiss across student housing, conventional multifamily, and third-party management, but at significantly greater scale and capital capacity.
- American Campus Communities: American Campus Communities (acquired by Blackstone in 2022) is the largest publicly-traded student housing REIT, owning and managing ~200+ properties. As a broad incumbent, it competes with Preiss across acquisition, development, and management at greater scale and with deeper institutional backing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Preiss social profiles
Digital presencePreiss financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Preiss leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Preiss subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Preiss funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Preiss M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Preiss
What does Preiss do?
Preiss acquires, develops, owns, and manages off-campus student housing and conventional multifamily properties across U.S. university markets, operating 86 properties with 38,800+ beds serving 67 universities under $4.5B in assets under management. The company also provides third-party property management services to external owners and partners with institutional investors on joint-venture acquisitions and developments. Its technology-augmented resident experience centers on the Mobile Wallet Experience developed with subsidiary IRIS Technologies, enabling keyless entry via Apple Wallet and Google Wallet across 9 communities covering approximately 5,000 beds.
Is Preiss a public or private company?
Preiss is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Preiss founded?
Preiss was founded in 1987. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Preiss based?
Preiss is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Preiss make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Rental Income is the primary driver. The others are technology Fees and third-Party Management Fees.
Who are Preiss's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Asset Living, Campus Apartments, Balfour Beatty Campus Living, Core Spaces, CA Ventures, GMH Communities, The Scion Group and Cardinal Group Companies. Broad incumbents are Greystar Real Estate Partners and American Campus Communities.
Does Preiss have an API?
No public API is recorded for Preiss.
What industry is Preiss in?
Preiss's product category is Student Housing Property Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAMAGAK, Student Housing Property Management & Leasing Operators, with a secondary code of BPAJAMAD, Multifamily & Student Housing Asset Management. Its NAICS code is 531311 and its SIC code is 6512.