Beyond the Lease: Why Good Student Housing Is About Trust, Communication, and Community
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA The First Ninety Days Tell You Everything The first three months after a student signs a lease reveal whether your approach to housing actually works. That’s when you find out if the communication channels hold up, if the trust you built during the showing was real, and whether the student […]
The First Apartment That Changed Everything: How One Real Estate Decision Became a 40-Year Journey
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA The Purchase That Seemed Too Small to Matter In 1984, I bought my first property. A one-bedroom apartment, 590 square feet, nothing remarkable about it. At the time, it felt like the only move I could afford to make. I had recently finished my master’s degree in communications, and I […]
Why Long-Term Thinking Has Always Been My Greatest Investment
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA Looking Beyond the Next Opportunity When I purchased my first property in 1984, I did not know exactly where that decision would lead. It was a modest one-bedroom apartment, about 590 square feet, and at the time, it was simply an opportunity to take my first step into real estate. […]
What Students Really Look for When Renting Near Boston Universities
My name is Anwar Faisal, and I have spent many years working in real estate across Boston and Brookline. A large part of my focus has been on housing near universities, where demand is strong, consistent, and closely tied to the academic calendar. Over time, I have learned that students do not always look for […]
The Student Housing Gap in Boston: How Private Housing Providers Help Meet Real Demand Near Universities By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA
Over time, I have seen a clear pattern. Boston is one of the strongest education hubs in the United States, yet there is not enough on-campus housing to meet the full demand from students. This gap creates real pressure on the rental market, especially in neighborhoods close to major universities. In my experience, private housing […]
From Gaza to Greater Boston: How Immigrant Entrepreneurs Shape the U.S. Real Estate Market By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA
My name is Anwar Faisal, and my story begins in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. When I look back at my journey from Gaza to Greater Boston, I do not see it as a straight line. I see it as a series of lessons, challenges, and opportunities that shaped the way I think about business, housing, […]
Meeting the Demand for Student Housing: A Long-Term Urban Strategy
By Anwar Faisal, Boston, MA My name is Anwar Faisal, and my work in real estate began with recognizing an unmet need for student housing and the willingness to meet it, despite public resistance. From the outset, my goal has been to create stability through housing. Over time, I have come to understand that housing […]