US private equity group Cerberus is planning to sell off its residential portfolio in Germany, newspaper Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing a person familiar with the situation. The portfolio, bought for EUR 1 bn in 2005, revolves around some 20,000 flats formerly owned by trade unions. Cerberus, which would be the first investor to exit the German market, is allegedly disappointed with the investment as it has not yet seen the margins it had hoped for. It may even need to inject fresh capital into the investment, the paper said.
US private equity group Cerberus is planning to sell off its residential portfolio in Germany, newspaper Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing a person familiar with the situation. The portfolio, bought for EUR 1 bn in 2005, revolves around some 20,000 flats formerly owned by trade unions. Cerberus, which would be the first investor to exit the German market, is allegedly disappointed with the investment as it has not yet seen the margins it had hoped for. It may even need to inject fresh capital into the investment, the paper said.
Pirelli RE Deutschland's ceo Wolfgang Weinschrod said that the company is interested in buying Cerberus' real estate and that talks are ‘continuing’. Pirelli RE ceo Carlo Puri Negri recently said the group was planning a major acquisition in Germany following that of Deutsche Grundvermogen (DGAG).
Another US investor, hedge fund and private equity group Fortress, has spent some EUR 3.5 bn on German property in recent years and floated the portfolio on the stock market last year but the share prices have fallen significantly since then. Cerberus and Fortress are among of foreign investors who have flocked to Germany in recent years, attracted by the prospect of quick and high returns on their investment, but their expectations have so far not been met. Real estate investment in Germany hit EUR 49 bn in 2006, up 109% year-on-year.
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