The real estate arm of Italian lender Unicredit is finalising the sale of five assets held in the 7RE portfolio, which was put on the market in September last year through Cushman & Wakefield.

Italian construction tycoon Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone is said to be the preferred buyer for the 5,000-m2 asset in Via Nazionale, while the 3,000-m2 Palazzo Odescalchi is being divested to the savings bank consortium body, Acri, for EUR 20 mln.

The portfolio, which is being sold via a public bidding launched in early 2011, consists of a total of seven historic buildings at central locations in Rome such as via del Corso, via Cesi, via Nazionale and the Parioli district. The total value amounts to roughly EUR 300 mln.

C&W said earlier this year that the assets had received over 20 binding offers both as separate properties and as a portfolio. The buildings, which are mostly vacant, have been owned by Unicredit since the takeover in 2007 of smaller rival Capitalia.