Colvin Case Study Challenge: 2024

THE COMPETITION

The Colvin Case Study Challenge is a national intercollegiate real estate case study competition for full or part-time students enrolled in a college or a university real estate program (undergraduate or graduate or a university sanctioned real estate club/organization). The Challenge is to document a recent innovative real estate project within the team’s metropolitan region. Unlike many other case competitions, this is a post-development report and documentation of a recently completed project (or project phase). The Challenge is designed to hone professional skills and reveal the knowledge base and understanding of markets, project valuation, finance, urban design and sustainability, entitlement processes and operational issues.

The competition may be offered for (a) course credit, (b) as part of a course requirement, or (c) as an extracurricular activity. The number of teams from an individual school or program is not limited.

  • Round 1: Teams submit a written case study of an existing real estate development project.

  • Round 2: Four teams will be chosen to present their case study, in person, to an industry panel of judges at the University of Maryland, College Park.

 

THE CASE STUDY SCOPE

The selected project must meet the following parameters:

  1. Location: Project located within the team’s local, state or regional area

  2. Permitted asset classes: residential, office, retail, hospitality, mixed-use

  3. Size: 25 acres or less

  4. TDC: $25 –$350 Million

  5. Completion: Project (or project phase) completed by 2019 or later

 

TEAM SPECIFICATIONS

  • One to three Real Estate Students (undergraduate or graduate)

  • Maximum of two advisors: one faculty and one professional

 

CASE STUDY PARAMETERS

  1. Developer/Development team

  2. Developer’s vision for the project

  3. Detailed project description & site plan

  4. Market Analysis

  5. Planning and entitlement issues

  6. Building & landscape designs and sustainable/green features

  7. Project financing and market analysis (sources and uses) (performance to proforma) (ROI)

  8. Current operational issues/challenges

  9. Exit strategy

  10. Innovation and impact of the development

  11. Interviews with stakeholders

 

JUDGING

  • Results of the preliminary judging will be announced on November 19, 2024

  • The top four teams will present to a live jury of real estate professionals (and an audience) at the University of Maryland, College Park.*

  • 30 minute presentations/20 minute Q&A.

  • Winners will be announced and prizes presented at an awards reception

 

PRIZES

FIRST PLACE $10,000

SECOND PLACE $5,000 NEW!

THIRD PLACE $2,500

FOURTH PLACE $2,500

 

SCHEDULE

Submit Application:     Deadline Extended! - October 4, 2024 (5 p.m.) 

Team Submission:   November 13, 2024 (11:59 PM)

Announcement of Finalists: November 19, 2024

Present at UMD: December 7, 2024*

Awards Reception: December 7, 2024

* Finalists are responsible for airfare, ground travel and incidentals. Hotel accommodations will be provided by the University of Maryland (up to 3 team members plus one sponsor/mentor/faculty).

 

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Maximum report length 20 pages, single spaced

  • ULI Case Studies format recommended (example provided upon request)

  • PDF document with 1-inch margins on all sides, Arial 12-point font

  • Title Page and Executive Summary (3 page maximum) (not within 20-page limit)

  • Graphics, charts, images permitted within page limits

  • Color print or B/W permitted

  • Appendices: maximum of 10 pages (not within 20-page limit)

  • Electronic submission location: To Be Announced

  • University/College name and names of team members should NOT appear in any part of the final paper. Each team will be assigned a random team number.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Carrie Chard, Assistant Director

Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development

Architecture Building #145

3835 Campus Drive

University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

cchard@umd.edu  |  301-405-6322

 

Special thank you to our sponsor Wells Fargo Foundation.