Welltower among US investors interested in Barchester, report

US based real investment trust (REIT) Welltower is one of three US senior housing investors interested in acquiring Barchester Healthcare, according to a press report.

Online mergers and acquisition publication Betaville said Welltower was among the interested parties, along with real estate group, Ventas, and property investment firm, Colombia Pacific Advisors, after Barchester was put up for sale earlier this year (see BREAKING NEWS: Owners seeking £2.5bn for Barchester, report).

Other investor interest in Barchester, which is owned by businessmen Dermot Desmond, JP McManus and John Magnier, has reportedly included a Singaporean sovereign wealth fund, a Chinese investor, Australian banking group, Macquarie, and Paris based private equity firm, PAI Partners (see Investor interest in Barchester heats up ahead of bid deadline).

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Welltower is one of the biggest investors in the UK care home market. Major recent investments have included £13m on a 64-bed property with Avery Healthcare and £18m on a Sunrise Senior Living property.

The REIT has also initiated a relationship with Encore Care Homes through the £13m purchase of a 60-bed private pay focused property in Southampton in a deal supported by property consultant JLL.

The deal involves an exclusive option for Welltower to acquire £250m worth of Encore’s developments through a partnership with owner, Quantum Group (see Welltower posts flat third quarter revenue).