NEW CANAAN, Conn., Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Interest rate headwinds have persisted across real estate, but seniors housing and care M&A activity remains on track for another record year. The industry recorded 241 publicly announced deals in the third quarter of 2026, according to data from LevinPro LTC. Excluding foreign transactions, quarterly volume totaled 201 deals, bringing the U.S. year-to-date total to 614, just 76 deals shy of the full-year 2025 total.  

The monthly average of publicly announced U.S. transactions in Q3:26 was 67, a pace that would translate to 804 deals annually. U.S. deal volume declined 2% from the previous quarter. However, off-market closings have increased, with some remaining confidential, and REITs remain among the most active buyers but often disclose limited transaction details. Additionally, deal activity typically picks up from the third quarter to the fourth. 

“We are seeing a remarkably resilient senior care M&A market that keeps rising in activity and value despite spiking interest rates,” stated Ben Swett, Managing Editor of The SeniorCare Investor. “Additional capital is also pouring in from other industries, joining a growing group of very competitive buyers for senior care assets.” 

Assisted living accounted for the majority of Q3:26 deals at 58%, followed by skilled nursing at 25% and independent living at 11%. CCRCs, active adult and affordable senior apartments each accounted for 2%. 

Although the supply of skilled nursing facilities available for sale continues to fall short of investor demand, recent transaction activity suggests more sellers are coming off the sidelines. The number of skilled nursing facilities sold in Q3:26 rose 3% from Q2:26 and 58% from Q1:26. Larger portfolios also contributed to the activity with seven publicly announced transactions involving at least 10 assets closing in Q3:26, six of which were skilled nursing portfolios. Comparatively, six such transactions closed in Q2:26, with five being skilled nursing portfolios.  

As buyers competed for relatively few available facilities, values jumped across each of the senior care sectors, according to the Mid-Year Update to The Senior Care Acquisition Report (see report here). A lack of new construction in the sector, and the higher capital costs to build communities today, could help push M&A activity and values even higher, as well.  

“We have seen numerous deals close above $1 million per unit in the seniors housing sector this year, a previously unheard-of figure,” added Swett. “But cap rates are not at historic lows, and the rising levels of census and cash flow across the seniors housing communities support the high valuations.”  

More Class-A deals closed in Q3:26 compared to a year earlier, but Class-B deal volume doubled compared with Q3:25. Some buyers have already been priced out of Class-A communities and have moved down the quality chain to chase Class-B assets.  

All long-term care M&A deals dating back to 1993 can be accessed on Levin Associates’ LevinPro database via a subscription. In addition, valuation statistics and results of the seniors housing and care M&A market are published each year in The Senior Care Acquisition Report. For information, or to subscribe, call 800-248-1668 or email info@levinassociates.com. Irving Levin Associates was established in 1948 and has offices in New Canaan, Connecticut, and North Bethesda, Maryland. The company publishes research reports and newsletters, and maintains databases on the healthcare and seniors housing M&A markets.

* To receive this press release via email, send a message to pressreleases@levinassociates.com

Ben Swett, Managing Editor
Phone: (203) 846-6800 


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