Livus, established as a German owner, developer, and operator of furnished micro-living apartments, has initiated a strategic advisory partnership with Rabin Savion. Mr Savion is operating through the Savion Group. The mandate involves close cooperation with Livus founder Mischa Sumin. The aim is to acquire a strategic investor to finance Livus's next growth phase, to approach further capital providers, and to identify new acquisition and development opportunities nationwide.
Livus's current platform comprises approximately 850 apartments. Of these, about 130 units are located in Berlin, while the remaining 720 apartments are distributed across sites in Bonn, Dortmund, Essen, Magdeburg, and Siegen. Planning permission has been granted for a further 84 apartments in Leipzig, with completion slated for the next two years. The company's concept offers modern, furnished apartments at predictable monthly rents, targeting students, young professionals, and individuals requiring relocation for work.
Strategic Orientation and Operational Efficiency
Livus undertakes new construction, adapts existing buildings through conversion or refurbishment, and independently manages the entire process from leasing to operations. A key element of its business model is a proprietary software tailored for operations. This supports digital leasing, tenant communication, contract management, and performance analysis, and integrates AI-powered features. Livus sees itself as a Proptech platform that synergistically combines real estate expertise, operational know-how, and proprietary technology to enable scaling beyond its current portfolio.
Rabin Savion, co-founder and former CEO of ADO Properties S.A., developed the company into a major player in the Berlin housing market, took it public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in 2015, and expanded its portfolio to over 25,000 apartments. Later, as CEO of Ambelin GmbH, he founded an integrated property and asset management platform for Blackstone. Through the Savion Group, he currently advises on M&A transactions in real estate, energy, and AI, and supports companies with leadership issues. Mr Savion expressed his continued belief in residential real estate in Berlin, but noted that the predictability of long-term investments was impaired by stricter regulation and political debates. He saw the opportunity to apply his experience in the housing sector nationwide, particularly in university and regional cities, which are often overlooked by institutional investors. Here, the demand for small, affordable, professionally managed apartments is high, competition is lower, and the regulatory environment is more manageable. This offers attractive risk-adjusted returns compared to traditional residential investments.
Mischa Sumin highlighted his long-standing acquaintance with Mr Savion, dating back to 2005 with Grand City Hotels and Grand City Properties. He emphasised Mr Savion's expertise in capital raising, transactions, and corporate scaling as a significant complement to the structures established at Livus. The current market timing is considered attractive for acquisitions, as it offers well-capitalised companies scope for selective action. The goal is to find a strategic investor who shares the long-term vision, with Mr Savion's support, and to examine a broader pipeline of opportunities: existing properties, buildings for conversion or refurbishment, and plots for new construction projects. The focus is on university and regional cities with strong labour markets that exhibit demand for high-quality and reasonably priced housing beyond the student market.
Market Potential and Analysis
Current market analyses support this broad search strategy. A CBRE study points to a limited project pipeline in many university locations. Newmark, in an analysis of 84 university cities, identifies potential in medium-sized locations with a high proportion of students and less professional competition. The MLP Student Housing Report 2026 registered an annual growth in asking rents for students of 6.1 percent in Bonn and 5.9 percent in Magdeburg, compared to an average of 2.6 percent across 38 cities surveyed. Livus assesses each real estate opportunity based on local demand, affordability, planning law, and expected returns. Livus and the Savion Group invite owners, project developers, potential strategic investors, capital partners, and transaction advisors to make contact.
