Our Strengths
Well Positioned Portfolio with Strong Market Characteristics.As of September 30, 2018, we owned 35 multifamily properties representing 12,555 units in seven states that were approximately 93.8% occupied with a weighted average monthly effective rent per occupied apartment unit of $979. From June 30, 2015 to September 30, 2018, our average monthly effective rent per occupied apartment unit increased from $784 to $979, representing a compounded annual growth rate of 7.1%. As of September 30, 2018, our Q3 Same Store properties, which we define as properties that we owned throughout each of the quarters ended September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017, included 31 properties encompassing 11,091 units, and were approximately 93.8% leased with a weighted average monthly effective rent per occupied apartment unit of $972. During the quarter ended September 30, 2018, we entered into 1,549 new leases and renewed 1,702 leases. Our weighted average monthly effective rent for new leases and renewals increased by 4.2%, or $41, and 4.5%, or $44, respectively, during the quarter ended September 30, 2018 when compared to the prior rent achieved at each unit that had a new lease or renewal during such quarter. We actively seek to acquire and own properties in markets in the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, which are exhibiting strong job and population growth. According to a recent Bureau of Labor statistics report, from September 2017 to September 2018 the markets in which our current properties are located experienced an average annual job growth rate of 3.1%, and nine of the ten markets in which our current properties are located have outpaced the national average for job growth during the same period. In addition, based on year-over-year total number of jobs added, our properties are located in seven of the top ten, eight of the top fifteen, and ten of the top thirty-five metropolitan statistical areas.
Value-Add Strategy Fuels Growth. We primarily seek to acquire and own Class B multifamily properties that we believe will benefit from ourvalue-add strategy, which includes making targeted improvements to the exterior, interior and common areas of our properties, that we expect to result in near-term increases to the renovated units’ rental rates and attractive returns on our capital expenditure investments. From April 1, 2015 through September 30, 2018, we have completed full and partial renovations on 5,345 units for the properties in our portfolio as of September 30, 2018, at a weighted average cost of $5,033 per renovated unit that has been leased. Based onin-place rent on renovated units immediately prior to the renovations compared to the monthly rent immediately after completion of the renovations, we have achieved average rent growth of $95 per renovated unit, an increase of 10.8%, on all units renovated and leased as of September 30, 2018.
Proven Value Creation. Since listing on the NYSE on April 1, 2015 through September 30, 2018, we have delivered a total return to shareholders of approximately 178%, measured by stock price appreciation and assuming the reinvestment of all dividends paid, outperforming both the MSCI REIT Index and the S&P 500 during the same period. We achieved these results in part by strategically recycling capital from sales into purchases of new properties with greater value-add potential. During this period, we disposed of 17 properties consisting of 4,588 units for total net cash proceeds of approximately $385.8 million and acquired 14 properties consisting of 5,327 units for purchase prices aggregating approximately $618.3 million and produced a 26.8% cumulative increase in average monthly rent per occupied apartment unit during the period.
Experienced Management Team with Strong Sponsor Alignment.We are externally managed by our Adviser, an affiliate of our Sponsor. Members of our Adviser’s management team, who serve as our executive officers, include James Dondero, our President, Brian Mitts, our Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President and Treasurer, Matt McGraner, our Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, and Matthew Goetz, our Senior Vice President-Investments and Asset Management. The management team has over 70 years of combined investment experience in equities, debt, real estate, private equity, distressed situations and