Miami Herbert Real Estate Program: Pioneering Insights and Collaborations in 2025

Throughout 2025, the Miami Herbert Real Estate Program has made significant strides in research, student-alumni collaboration, and thought leadership. Here’s an in-depth look at its impactful activities and initiatives.

Faculty Research Highlights: Unpacking Gender Inequality in Real Estate

Recent research by Athena Tsouderou, assistant professor of finance at Miami Herbert, and Selale Tuzel, professor of finance at USC Marshall School of Business, reveals alarming trends regarding gender disparity in residential real estate:

• Higher Mortgage Interest Rates: Single women are found to pay higher mortgage interest rates compared to their male counterparts.
• Refinancing Challenges: Women are also less likely to refinance their mortgages when interest rates decline.
• Impact of Financial Literacy: The research indicates that the financial literacy gap widens with education. Tsouderou notes, “A surprising finding from our research is that the financial literacy gap between men and women in the United States actually widens with education. While financial literacy for men continues to rise with college education, it tends to level off for women."

This growing disparity has profound implications for mortgage terms and refinancing decisions, underscoring the need for enhanced financial education among women.

Inspiring Student-Alumni Engagement: The Rockefeller Center Refinancing

Emarie Bohanon (B.B.A. ’16), senior director at Tishman Speyer, provided a transformative learning opportunity for twelve undergraduates by inviting them behind the scenes of the $3.5 billion refinancing of Rockefeller Center. This landmark transaction is notable for being the largest single-asset CMBS deal for an office property and marks a revival in the SASB CMBS market.

Key Takeaways from the Visit:

• First-Hand Experience: Students gained valuable insights into real-world applications of their coursework and learned about Bohanon’s successful navigation of the evolving real estate landscape.
• Exclusive Access: The visit allowed students to witness the complexities involved in high-stakes real estate transactions.

Ninth Annual Impact Investing in Commercial Real Estate Case Competition

This year’s Impact Investing in Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Case Competition emerged as the largest to date, engaging nearly 125 students from nine premier U.S. and Canadian universities.

Top Competitors:

• Undergraduate Division: Recent University of Miami graduates Yamo Deniz (’25), Adem Murad (’25), and Fatima Navarro (’24) clinched first place, winning a $15,000 prize for their innovative project, The Nest. Their proposal focused on:

  • Mixed-income housing for Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood
  • Sustainable design and smart home technology
  • 30% of units reserved for affordable housing
• Graduate Division: A team from Columbia University took home top honors for their urban revitalization strategy.

Real Estate Impact Conference: Bridging Ideas and Innovation

The 15th Annual Real Estate Impact Conference, co-hosted by the Miami Herbert Business School, the School of Architecture, and the School of Law, successfully attracted 500 leading commercial real estate professionals and garnered $1 million in sponsorships.

Conference Highlights:

• Keynote Speakers: Industry leaders such as Lauren Hochfelder of Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing-Americas and Andy Gloor of Sterling Bay addressed the audience.
• Critical Discussions: Topics revolved around the transformation brought by AI and emerging technologies in investment strategies and the formation of effective public-private partnerships.

Watch individual conference sessions here.

Conclusion: A Hub for Real Estate Innovation

The Miami Herbert Real Estate Program continues to foster significant research and student engagement, shaping future leaders in the real estate sector. With a focus on addressing gender disparities and real-world problem-solving, the program inspires students to challenge norms and innovate solutions.

If you’re eager to learn more about the Miami Herbert Real Estate Program, reach out to Andrea Heuson at aheuson@miami.edu.

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