Catella CER Invests €15.5m in Student Residence in Portugal

The 6.622-m2 student residence is located in Carcavelos, Cascais, and comprises the fund’s first investment in Portugal.

 

The Catella European Residential Fund (CER) is investing in Portugal for the first time, paying €15.5 million for a 99-year concession for a student residence in the municipality of Cascais.

The Berlin-based Catella Residential Investment Management GmbH (CRIM) as the investment manager and Catella Real Estate AG, a Munich-based AIFM platform, were advised by Catella AM Iberia S.L. on the transaction. Value One Holding sold the asset.

In a statement sent to brainsre.news, managing partner of CATELLA-AM Iberia, Eduardo Guardiola, commented: “This transaction is a milestone for CER, the fund’s first investment in Portugal, and also for CRIM, as it represents its first acquisition in Portugal. It is also an important transaction for Catella AM Iberia, as it is our first asset under management in Portugal and the third student residence under management. There is no doubt that the Portuguese real estate market presents interesting opportunities in affordable student residences, residences and offices, markets that are very different in their maturity and size, but all of them interesting to us in different ways.”

The student residence is located in Carcavelos, in the municipality of Cascais, close to the beach and a 10-minute walk from NOVA School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE). Lisbon’s city centre is 20 minutes away by train.

The 6,622-m2 property was built in 2020 and consists of 192 spacious single rooms (20 m2 on average), a gym, rooftop terrace, study, music and leisure spaces and parking. It is 99% occupied and was awarded a LEED Gold sustainability certification after its construction.

Vienna-based MILESTONE is part of the Value One Group and is the current manager of the asset. The international real estate developer and student residence operator brings extensive knowledge of the design and management of student residences, combined with international experience. MILESTONE currently has 4,627 student beds under development and management in Austria, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Italy.

The CER Fund has over €1.6 billion in AUMs including approximately 70 assets, generating a net annual internal rate of return of 9.6% since its launch in 2007.