In what’s becoming far more commonplace these days, another international investor is planning to buy into the U.S. multifamily market.
Earlier this year, Australian companies Lendlease and First State Super teamed up to launch an investment platform that plans to build a $2 billion multifamily portfolio in the U.S.
Then, Singapore’s CapitaLand announced back in September that it entered the U.S. market with an $835 million acquisition of 16 apartment communities in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, and Denver, with plans for much more.
Now, Round Hill Capital, a Europe-based real estate investment, development and asset management firm, is partnering with Cortland to invest in the U.S. multifamily market.
The partnership will see Round Hill conducting the investment management, while Cortland will lead the community and day-to-day operations of the properties Round Hill acquires.
And the companies aren’t just planning to invest, they already have. The companies announced this week that Round Hill has closed on its first investment in the U.S., the Exchange at North Haven, a 411-unit inner suburban apartment community located in the Brookhaven/Chamblee neighborhoods of Atlanta, Georgia.
According to the companies, the acquisition is the “start of an ongoing program of investment in the U.S. to build a significant multifamily housing portfolio, focused on stable, attractive, income-producing assets.”
Rob Reiskin, Round Hill’s senior managing director, head of Americas, said the company has been carefully evaluating investment opportunities in the U.S. since 2010, and feels that the time is right to dive into the multifamily market in the U.S.
“We are pleased to partner with Cortland and acquire The Exchange and we expect to make further investments through our strong identified investment pipeline,” Reiskin said.
“We believe that recently renovated, suburban residential assets located in select growth areas of Southeastern U.S. cities are an attractive area for investment and we look forward to bringing our significant resources and experience to bear in this market and for the benefit of our partners and investors,” Reiskin added.
Round Hill Founder and CEO Michael Bickford said this investment is merely a first step, but noted the company will be cautious in its approach.
“We are proud to offer our European investment partners access to high-quality, defensive investments in multifamily housing across Europe and the USA,” Beckford said. “This investment represents a strategic first step for Round Hill as we carefully enter the U.S. real estate market and a solid base to expand our investment platform in the select cities in the Americas, which continue to exhibit attractive investment fundamentals and strong future growth drivers.”
As for Cortland, CEO Steven Defrancis said the company is “delighted” to partner with Round Hill to bring investment opportunities to international capital markets.
