• Strawberry Fields REIT’s 2025 Growth

    Strawberry Fields REIT reported its 2025 operating results, noting that it was the best year since its inception more than 10 year ago. The company posted significant increases in FFO and AFFO, and it completed more than $110 million in several new acquisitions. Its portfolio now includes 131 skilled nursing facilities, 10 assisted living... Read More »
  • Owner/Operator Exits SNF Sector

    An independent owner/operator exited the skilled nursing sector through its divestment of Sunrise Country Manor, which has 80 beds in Milford, Nebraska, and features a mix of private and semi-private units. It maintained an 83% occupancy rate at the time of the sale. A regional operator looking to expand its footprint in Nebraska acquired the... Read More »
  • Assisted Living Providers Join Forces 

    Majestic Residences recently expanded its footprint, adding 17 assisted living communities and six in active development, through its acquisition of Avendelle Senior Living. Avendelle will be integrated into the Majestic Residences platform, with Avendelle’s corporate team retained. The combined organization will operate under the Majestic... Read More »
  • Investor Secures Financing and Acquires Class-A Community

    BWE’s Seniors Housing Capital Markets Team sold and financed The Capstone at Station Camp, which sits in the Nashville, Tennessee MSA. Built in 2021, the Class-A assisted living and memory care community comprises 100 units in Gallatin. It is operated by TerraBella Senior Living.  BWE represented the seller, Hunt Midwest. The buyer was a... Read More »
  • Multiple SNFs Sell in Separate Transactions

    A large skilled nursing company sold its 181-bed skilled nursing facility to a private investment firm based in New York, exiting South Carolina in the process. The buyer had an existing skilled nursing footprint, and will be leasing this facility to a regional operator. The building was older, built in the 1980s, and was around 80% occupied at... Read More »
Senior Living and Veterans

Senior Living and Veterans

Are we really doing enough for our veterans in senior living? I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. I was able to get away for a bit, but senior living is never far from my mind. With Memorial Day just two days ago, I thought it would be appropriate to mention who I ran into at the Argentum conference two weeks ago. Taking time out from retirement and sailing the world, Rick Grimes (former CEO of ALFA/Argentum and a veteran) was helping man the exhibit booth for Patriot Angels, an organization that helps veterans get the benefits they deserve. One benefit, which was new to me, is called the Aid and Attendance benefit through the Department of Veterans Affairs.... Read More »
Senior Living and Veterans

HCR ManorCare Deal The Future Or A Risk?

Hospitals and post-acute providers have not mixed well in the past, but ProMedica Health System hopes that changes. I keep thinking about the Welltower and ProMedica Health System acquisition of Quality Care Properties and HCR ManorCare. Given today’s valuations, ProMedica may have gotten a bit of a deal with ManorCare’s home health and hospice business. But we are still not convinced that a basically two-state hospital system will benefit from owning skilled nursing and assisted living all over the country. Will the tail wag the dog? Yes, there are a lot of unusual alliances going on in healthcare services today, with pharmacies buying insurers, and insurers buying anything they can get... Read More »
Senior Living and Veterans

To Build, or To Buy

One thing on the minds of many is that in these heady times in senior care M&A and development, investors are faced with a dilemma: whether to build, or buy (or both). Ben Swett here filling in for Steve Monroe, who is currently wandering around the Argentum conference in San Diego. One thing on the minds of many there is that in these heady times in senior care M&A and development, investors are faced with a dilemma: whether to build, or buy (or both). Buying existing properties comes with its obvious benefits, like cash flow and local brand recognition. But, what a senior wants in a community has changed over the years, meaning that those properties built 10, 20 or 50 years ago... Read More »
Senior Living and Veterans

The 40-Year Old SNF

The skilled nursing sector is under pressure, especially those facilities built 40 years ago. But buyers continue to see opportunity. There are some people who believe skilled nursing facilities are dinosaurs and will continue to see declines in census and profitability. There are others who believe they are part of the solution to contain healthcare costs and will see census increases in the future as demographics evolve and the SNF bed inventory continues to decline. Within both sides of the debate, there is concern for the large number of skilled nursing facilities that were built 40 years ago. Can they be part of the solution? Is it worthwhile to invest capital in an outdated design?... Read More »
Senior Living and Veterans

M&A Market Surges

After a very slow March, April seniors housing and care M&A transactions surged to nearly 50 acquisitions, more than double the number in March. In the first quarter this year, we averaged about 26 seniors housing and care acquisitions each month for a total of 77 in the quarter. That was close to what we have been seeing in the past few quarters, so nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until April. Last month we recorded 46 separate acquisitions, or double March’s volume. While it may not be a record, it is awfully close. The number will most likely rise above 50 as more deals come to light. It is too early to say this represents a trend in renewed M&A activity, but other than... Read More »
Senior Living and Veterans

M&A Values Dip

For the 12 months ended March 31, 2018, assisted and independent living average prices fell, while skilled nursing stayed the same as in 2017. After a record 2017 for assisted living average prices, for the trailing 12 months ended March 31, the prices have come down to earth, a bit. In this most recent period, the average price per unit fell 5% from calendar year 2017, to $210,100 per unit, and the unweighted average cap rate rose to 7.9% from 7.6%. This makes sense given rising interest rates and the continued market headwinds. The independent living market dropped by 9%, to $209,300 per unit, for the 12 months ended March 31, but I would assign less meaning to that because it is a much... Read More »