Värde Partners Announces Plans for Via Célere to Acquire Land Bank Assets from Aelca

Via Célere to Become Largest Residential Developer in Spain

MADRID – Värde Partners, the global alternative investment firm, today announced plans for Via Célere, a residential property developer in Spain, to acquire the land bank assets of Aelca, another residential developer and asset manager in Spain.

Following the transaction, Via Célere will be the largest residential real estate developer in Spain with a gross asset value of over EUR2.2 billion, positioned to deliver an estimated 2,000 housing units in 2019 with the ability to deliver 5,000 units by 2021. Värde will own 75 percent of Via Célere.

In 2017, Via Célere merged with Dospuntos, a residential developer that was created as a result of the Värde-led restructuring of Grupo San Jose. At that time, Juan Antonio Gómez-Pintado assumed the role of CEO of the combined entities. Today’s transaction further strengthens Via Célere’s leading market position.

“Via Célere is remarkably well positioned to focus exclusively on building an impressive portfolio of best-in-class homes and flats as it will not need to purchase a single plot of land to hit its delivery targets over the next three years,” said Hector Serrat, Managing Director at Värde Partners. “We are excited to continue to partner with Juan Antonio and the entire management team.”

“Värde has extensive experience in the residential development space, including owning and operating home builders across Europe and the U.S., and we are fully committed to residential development in Spain,” added Francisco Milone, Head of European Real Estate at Värde Partners. “The Spanish homebuilding market remains fragmented and in need of further consolidation by scalable operators with a track-record of delivering on time and on budget.”

Värde will retain full ownership of Aelca, and continue to partner with Jose Juan Martin and Javier Gomez, the founders of Aelca, to support the company as an independent manager and promoter of residential properties in Spain. Post-transaction, Javier de Oro will assume the role of CEO of Aelca. Värde has a long-standing relationship with Javier from his tenure as head of the real estate division of Aliseda, the exclusive servicer of Banco Poplular’s distressed real estate assets. Värde sold its controlling stake in Aliseda to Banco Santander in 2017.

About Värde Partners
Värde Partners is a $14 billion global alternative investment firm that employs a value-based approach to investing across a broad array of geographies, segments and asset types, including real estate, mortgages, corporate credit, specialty finance, real assets and infrastructure. The firm sponsors and manages a family of private investment funds with a global investor base that includes foundations and endowments, pension plans, insurance companies, other institutional investors and private clients. Founded in 1993, Värde employs more than 300 people globally with regional headquarters in Minneapolis, London and Singapore. Värde opened its office in Madrid in 2014. For more information, visit www.varde.com.

About Via Célere
Vía Célere is a real estate company specialising in development, investment and management of residential assets. Thanks to its innovative business model and team of professionals, Vía Célere is today one of the reference companies in the new environment and real estate cycle. Since its founding in 2007, Vía Célere has already delivered more than 2,300 homes, demonstrating a solid experience in startups, development and delivery of high quality residential developments throughout the whole of Spain. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability as the fundamental pillars of their projects, at the same time shows a permanent commitment to satisfaction for its clients, shareholders and the professional development of nearly 300 employees.