NIC's New Web Site Tells All.

Still trying to figure out the game rules in today's turbulent market, where capital has been hard to obtain and properties difficult to price? You'll be glad to know that the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industries (NIC) has recently launched an expanded Web site to keep providers informed about the industry's latest finance and business developments. The site can be accessed at its new address, www.NIC.org.

One new feature of the site, Key Financial Indicators, provides a quarterly summary of operating and valuation benchmarks to help providers and developers access key industry performance data, as well as obtain immediate knowledge about the lending activity of financiers known to support the industry. This information, as reported by leading lenders, owners/operators and appraisal professionals, represents the most up-to-date compilation of financial information on seniors housing and long-term care. Here, you'll find statistics on loan volume and loan performance, occupancy rates, construction starts and capitalization rates.

The initial posting of the Key Financial Indicators data (with results through the Third Quarter of 1999) shows nearly a dozen major lenders reporting a total of more than $8 billion in outstanding project financing. It also displays the capitalization rates reported by appraisal firms for nearly 200 property transactions. Occupancy rates are posted for approximately 250,000 units in more than 2,500 stabilized congregate, assisted living, nursing home and CCRC properties. The most recent update, showing results through the Fourth Quarter of 1999, was posted just as this issue of Nursing Homes/Long Term Care Management was released.

When you're ready to seek funding, the Lender Locator should prove to be an extremely valuable resource. It is the online version of the popular NIC Lender & Investor Directory, which was originally published as an annual supplement to National Real Estate Investor magazine. This database makes it possible to find at the "click of a button" those lenders, investors and financial intermediaries who can meet your financing needs--by lender name, type of financing available, property type, geographic location and contact name. Listings about each company include contact information, the types and volume of financing they provide, and key facts about lending rates, fees and related criteria.

Those interested in tracking the industry's publicly traded stocks will want to go to NIC StockWatch, another new section of the Web site. In addition to "real-time" stock performance (updated every 15 to 20 minutes) on operating companies and REITs, you'll find recent news, analyst ratings and earnings reports about each company in the adjacent Competitive Tracker.

For observations about financing and business trends, visitors will want to visit Research & Statistics. This section offers answers to frequently asked questions about the industry, as well as places to go to find more specific information. Another part of this section, Facts & Findings, posts free issues of The NIC Insider, an online newsletter that provides seniors housing and long-term care executives with current decision-making and statistical information, including key findings from recent NIC and industry research.

Also free is the online version of the NIC Underwriter's Resource Guide. The Guide is the industry's most complete directory of articles, books, data sources, periodicals and research studies for evaluating and financing seniors housing and long-term care. Each resource includes a brief description, along with contact information for obtaining the item.

For a more expanded description of NIC's latest industry research reports, books, monographs, directories and more, visit the online NIC Bookstore. Providers will especially want to note the NIC Lender & Investor Survey, National Housing Survey of Adults Age 60+ (Volume II), and the upcoming Survey of Seniors Housing & Care CEOs and National Survey of Adult Children.

NIC's goal is to make www.NIC.org one place to turn for the tools, resources and research you need to help you make crucial financial and business decisions.

Robert G. Kramer is executive director of the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industries, celebrating its 10th, anniversary this September.