The US opportunistic investor Värde Partners is close to finalising the purchase of a retail portfolio across Spain currently owned by APN European Retail Property Group.
The Minneapolis based opportunistic investor is making its first purchase in the Spanish market with the acquisition of four assets. Värde is understood to be paying €70m in cash for the properties. Although there has been comment in the market that Spanish broker Aguirre Newman is advising the buyer and that Jones Lang LaSalle is advising the seller, i-comparables has been unable to confirm this.
The portfolio comprises La Vega retail mall in Madrid; two retail warehouses with three tenants located close to Pamplona, Navarra; the 31,000 m2 Cuadernillos Retail & Leisure Park in Alcala de Henares, Madrid and the Festival Park, factory outlet centre, in Palma de Mallorca.
According to PropertyEU, APN and RBS (the lender) put the assets on the market in May this year. Indicative offers were submitted by June, with three parties selected to make binding bids by end-July. However, due to growing financial market volatility and tighter financing, the vendors decided in September to re-open the bidding process to new buyers, including Värde, which recently emerged as the preferred party.
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