Livermore, Calif. – If living well throughout the New Year and for the rest of your life is on your list of resolutions for 2012, you’re bound to find plenty of inspiration at Rosewood Gardens, the Livermore assisted community where people aren’t just living; they’re thriving. Rosewood Gardens has announced a new way for residents and area seniors to thrive in 2012.

Now managed by Watermark Retirement Communities, Rosewood Gardens is getting ready to introduce Watermark University. Watermark University’s curriculum provides area seniors free and fun opportunities to engage in brain and body fitness for life. The classes are taught by residents, community associates and guest instructors, all passionate about sharing their knowledge, skills and talents.

“We’ve put together a great variety of classes for our first semester of Watermark University,” said Teresa Tigno, community life director for Rosewood Place. “Our executive director, Joseph Sarto, will be teaching wine tasting and food pairing. Our business office manager, Aracely Garcia, is offering a class called Travels Through Europe. Our dining director, Christina Carrington, is doing Food Demonstrations and Restaurant Critique Outings. These are just a few examples of the classes that will be open to residents, associates and outside guests, free of charge. Our complete course catalog will be released on December 15, 2011 and the public is invited to our kick off registration day on December 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.”

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By Bob Howard

CENTURY CITY, CA-A joint venture of locally based QVT Mount Auburn Capital and Watermark Retirement Communities of Tucson, AZ has acquired two seniors housing facilities in Beverly Hills and Livermore, CA totaling 142 units. Ash Baraghoush of QVT Mount Auburn tells GlobeSt.com that the properties include a 60-unit assisted living facility in Beverly Hills that was built in 2000; the Livermore asset is a 64 unit assisted living and 18-unit memory care facility that was built in 1974 and renovated in 2008. Terms of the sale were undisclosed, but industry sources pegged it at more than $31.9 million.

Baraghoush says, “This acquisition provided QVT MAC the opportunity to own two senior housing facilities in strong markets in California with a very experienced owner/operator of senior housing. Given our basis, the asset’s location, and minimal vacancy for like product, we are confident that owning these assets will produce strong returns for our partner and investors.”

Baraghoush commented that QVT MAC is “very bullish on the senior sector due to the significant growth of the seniors population coupled with an insufficient supply of near term existing senior housing.” The QVT Mount Auburn joint venture has acquired the assets at a time when the seniors housing market has improved significantly, according to a report described recently on GlobeSt.com.

In that report, Marcus & Millichap’s Seniors Housing Research Report for the first half of 2011, Marcus & Millichap SVP Mike Pardoll said, “The seniors housing sector has improved significantly since last year, as demand begins to pick up from aging baby boomers.”
As the GlobeSt.com report noted, during 2011, occupancy in the independent living sector is forecast to improve 80 basis points to 88.1%, supporting a 1.1% increase in rents to $2,678 per month. Assisted living operations will hold relatively steady, M&M predicts, but a modest rise in completions will lower the occupancy rate 40 basis points to 88% this year. As operators compete for residents, rent growth will ease to just 0.8% to $3,543 per month.
QVT MAC acquired the Beverly Hills and Livermore properties from an institutional owner/operator of senior housing facilities across the nation. CBRE capital markets arranged the debt financing with GE Health Care.

QVT typically invests in projects with an expected term of three to seven years. “This allows us to be flexible with respect to longer term strategies,” Baraghoush says. The company focuses on residential, multifamily, industrial, office, and retail investments nationwide, targeting deals ranging from $10 million to $70 million.

QVT MAC looks to acquire opportunistic and value-added investments. “We have the ability to respond quickly due to the small team of principals with full investment discretion,” Baraghoush says.

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