CHICAGO—A group of commercial real estate veterans formerly with Marcus & Millichap have founded a new Chicago-based national advisory firm that will focus on the healthcare sector, especially on what they say is the intersection between seniors housing and medical office buildings. Called Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors, the Chicago-based firm will work with both investors and operators of seniors housing and healthcare real estate and also have offices in Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC.

“The healthcare real estate market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with 80 million Americans becoming senior citizens within the next 15 years, and, as a result, they will be utilizing more healthcare-related services,” says Jacob Gehl, managing director and founding partner of Blueprint. Gehl is currently an executive board member of the American Seniors Housing Association and most recently the first vice president at Marcus & Millichap, where he spent 13 years.

“As the baby boomers age and more segments of the population enter into the healthcare system through the Affordable Care Act, healthcare-related properties are likely to see a major boost,” adds Gehl. “Whereas seniors housing and medical office used to be considered cousins, they are more like siblings now. Instead of viewing the seniors housing as a subsector of multifamily housing and medical office as subsector of office, the two should be viewed as healthcare real estate. Savvy investors know this and they want real estate service providers who can consult on all facets of the industry to enhance their portfolios.”

Blueprint's core service lines include exit strategy, capital solutions, partnership placement and consulting. For its capital solutions service, Blueprint has partnered with Housing Healthcare & Finance LLC, a FHA-insured mortgage lender for seniors housing and skilled nursing properties.

“By partnering with one of the nation's leading healthcare real estate lenders, we can offer clients direct access to capital for refinancing or acquisition purposes,” says Ben Firestone, formerly vice president for investments at Marcus & Millichap and also a Chicago-based managing director and founding partner of Blueprint. “Housing Healthcare & Finance brings a breadth of knowledge in the healthcare lending market and can help Blueprint's clients navigate highly complex and specific financing programs.”

Consulting services provided by Blueprint will include: due diligence management; market intelligence; feasibility studies and growth strategy.

Joining Gehl and Firestone at Blueprint is Christopher Hyldahl, the managing director and founding partner who leads Blueprint's West Coast operations, as well as Michael Segal, senior associate; Ryan Chase, senior analyst; and Mario Wilson, associate.

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Veterans Launch National Advisory Firm

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