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                                                                     Exhibit 1.1


                             HEALTH CARE REIT, INC.

                                  $175,000,000

                               7.5% Notes due 2007


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------


                                                                  August 7, 2001

Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc.
UBS Warburg LLC
Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
   c/o Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc.
   130 Liberty Street, 28th Floor
   New York, NY  10006


Gentlemen:

         Health Care REIT, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to sell to the underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in Schedule I
hereto for whom you are acting as representatives (the "Representatives"), the
principal amount of its debt securities identified in Schedule I hereto (the
"Securities"), to be issued under the Indenture specified in such schedule (the
"Indenture") between the Company and the trustee identified in such schedule
(the "Trustee").

         As the Underwriters, you have advised the Company (a) that you are
authorized to enter into this Agreement and (b) that you are willing to purchase
the Securities set forth in Schedule I.

         In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:

         1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company
represents and warrants as follows:

                  (i) Registration statements on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-43177
         and 333-19801) with respect to the Securities has been carefully
         prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the
         Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the Rules and
         Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and
         Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and have been filed
         with the Commission under the Act. The Company has complied with the
         conditions for the use of Form S-3. Copies of such registration
         statements, including any amendments thereto, the preliminary
         prospectuses (meeting the requirements of Rule 430A of the Rules and
         Regulations) contained therein, the exhibits, financial statements and
         schedules, as finally amended and revised, and all documents
         incorporated by reference have heretofore been delivered by the Company
         to you. Such registration statements, herein referred to as the
         "Registration Statements," which shall be

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         deemed to include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon
         Rule 430A and contained in the Prospectus referred to below and all
         information incorporated by reference therein, have been declared
         effective by the Commission under the Act and no post-effective
         amendment to either of the Registration Statements has been filed as of
         the date of this Agreement; and each of the Registration Statements and
         Prospectus as referred to below comply, or will comply, as the case may
         be, in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust
         Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the
         Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Trust Indenture Act"). The
         form of prospectus first filed by the Company with the Commission
         pursuant to its Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, or if no such filing is
         required, the form of final prospectus included in each of the
         Registration Statements at the time each of the Registration Statements
         is declared effective, is herein referred to as the "Prospectus." Each
         preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statements prior to
         the time it becomes effective is herein referred to as a "Preliminary
         Prospectus." Any reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the
         Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents
         incorporated by reference therein and any supplements or amendments
         thereto filed with the Commission as of the date of such Preliminary
         Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, and in the case of any
         reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, also
         shall be deemed to include any documents incorporated by reference
         therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date
         of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, and any supplements or
         amendments thereto, filed with the Commission after the date of the
         filing of the Prospectus under Rule 424(b) or 430A, and prior to the
         termination of the offering of the Securities by the Underwriters. Any
         reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus
         or Prospectus, as the case may be, shall be deemed to refer to and
         include any documents filed after the date of such Preliminary
         Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities and
         Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and incorporated
         by reference into such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the
         case may be; and any reference to any amendment to either of the
         Registration Statements shall be deemed to refer to and include any
         annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
         of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration
         Statement that is incorporated by reference into such Registration
         Statement.

                  (ii) The Company has been duly organized and is validly
         existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
         of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own its properties
         and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statements;
         the Company is duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions
         in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and
         in which the failure to qualify would (a) have a materially adverse
         effect upon the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
         a whole, (b) adversely affect the issuance, validity, or enforceability
         of the Securities or the enforceability of the Indenture or (c)
         adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
         this Agreement (each of (a), (b) and (c) above, a "Material Adverse
         Effect"); except for HCRI Pennsylvania Properties, Inc., HCRI Texas
         Properties, Inc., HCRI Overlook Green, Inc., HCRI Nevada Properties,
         Inc., Health Care REIT International, Inc., HCRI Southern Investments
         I, Inc., HCN BCC Holdings, Inc., HCRI Tennessee Properties, Inc., HCRI
         Limited Holdings, Inc., HCRI Texas Properties, Ltd., Pennsylvania BCC
         Properties, Inc., HCN Atlantic GP, Inc., HCN Atlantic LP, Inc., HCRI
         Louisiana Properties, L.P., HCRI North Carolina Properties, LLC, HCRI
         Massachusetts Properties, Inc., HCRI Massachusetts Properties Trust,
         HCRI Indiana Properties, Inc., HCRI Indiana Properties, LLC, HCRI
         Holdings Trust, HCRI Maryland Properties, LLC, Morningside Holdings of
         Satyr Hill, LLC, Morningside Holdings of Friendship, LLC and
         Morningside Holdings of St. Charles, LLC the Company has no
         subsidiaries.

                  (iii) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when
         issued, authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the
         Indenture, will be duly and validly executed,


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         authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and
         binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by
         the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with
         their terms; the Indenture has been duly authorized and qualified under
         the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and binding instrument
         of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
         terms; and the Securities and the Indenture will conform to the
         statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus, and any
         amendments and supplements thereto.

                  (iv) The Company's authorized, issued and outstanding
         capitalization is set forth in the Prospectus; and all of the issued
         shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly
         authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.

                  (v) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or
         suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus relating to the
         proposed offering of the Securities nor instituted proceedings for that
         purpose. The Registration Statements and the Prospectus, and any
         amendments or supplements thereto, contain or will contain all
         statements which are required to be stated therein by, and in all
         material respects conform to or will conform to, as the case may be,
         the requirements of the Act, the Rules and Regulations and the Trust
         Indenture Act. The documents incorporated by reference in the
         Prospectus, at the time they were or will be filed with the Commission,
         conformed or will conform at the time of filing, in all material
         respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Act, as
         applicable, and the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder.
         Neither the Registration Statements nor any amendment thereto, and
         neither the Prospectus nor any supplement thereto, including any
         documents incorporated by reference therein, contains or will contain,
         as the case may be, any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or
         will omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
         however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
         (a) that part of the Registration Statements which constitutes the
         Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust
         Indenture Act of the Trustee, and (b) information contained in or
         omitted from the Registration Statements or the Prospectus, or any such
         amendment or supplement, or any documents incorporated by reference
         therein, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information
         furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters,
         specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

                  (vi) The financial statements of the Company, together with
         related notes and schedules as set forth or incorporated by reference
         in the Registration Statements, present fairly the financial position
         and the results of operations of the Company at the indicated dates and
         for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and the related
         notes and schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally
         accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the
         periods involved, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation
         of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial and
         statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the
         Registration Statements present fairly the information shown therein
         and, to the extent based upon or derived from the financial statements,
         have been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements
         presented therein.

                  (vii) There is no action or proceeding pending or, to the
         knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or involving
         any property of the Company before any court or administrative agency
         which might reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse
         Effect, except as set forth in the Registration Statements.


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                  (viii) The Company has good and marketable title to all of the
         properties and assets reflected in the financial statements hereinabove
         described (or as described in the Registration Statements as owned by
         it), subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any
         kind except those reflected in such financial statements (or as
         described in the Registration Statements) or which are not material in
         amount or which do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be
         made of the property. The leases, agreements to purchase and mortgages
         to which the Company is a party, and the guaranties of third parties
         (a) are the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and, to
         the knowledge of the Company, of all other parties thereto, and the
         Company knows of no default or defenses currently existing with respect
         thereto which might reasonably be expected to result in any material
         adverse change in the business or condition (financial or otherwise) of
         the Company, and (b) conform to the descriptions thereof set forth in
         the Registration Statements. Each mortgage which the Company holds on
         the properties described in the Registration Statements constitutes a
         valid mortgage lien for the benefit of the Company on such property.

                  (ix) The Company has filed all Federal, state and foreign
         income tax returns which have been required to be filed (except where
         the timely extensions for the filing of such returns have been made)
         and has paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments
         received by it to the extent that such taxes have become due and are
         not being contested in good faith. All tax liabilities have been
         adequately provided for in the financial statements of the Company.

                  (x) Since the respective dates as of which information is
         given in each of the Registration Statements, as they may be amended or
         supplemented, there has not been any material adverse change or any
         development involving a prospective material adverse change in or
         affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company or the
         earnings, business affairs, management, or business prospects of the
         Company, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business,
         and the Company has not incurred any material liabilities or
         obligations and there has not been any material transaction entered
         into by the Company, other than transactions in the ordinary course of
         business and changes and transactions contemplated by each of the
         Registration Statements, as it may be amended or supplemented. The
         Company has no material contingent obligations which are not disclosed
         in the Registration Statements, as they may be amended or supplemented.

                  (xi) The Company is not (a) in default under any agreement,
         lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which
         it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound or the
         Company's certificate of incorporation or by-laws, (b) in violation of
         any statute, or (c) in violation of any order, rule or regulation
         applicable to the Company or its properties, of any court or of any
         regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body, any
         of which defaults or violations described in clauses (a) through (c)
         constitutes, or after any required notice and passage of any applicable
         grace period would constitute, a Material Adverse Effect. The issue and
         sale of the Securities and the performance by the Company of all of the
         provisions of its obligations under the Securities, the Indenture and
         this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and
         therein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and
         thereof will not conflict with or constitute a violation of any statute
         or conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or
         provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage,
         deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is
         a party or by which the Company or the Company's properties may be
         bound, or of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company
         or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or the
         Company's properties or of any court or of any regulatory body,
         administrative agency or other governmental body.



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                  (xii) Each approval, consent, order, authorization,
         designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory,
         administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with
         the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the
         consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
         Indenture (except such additional steps as may be required by the
         National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or may be
         necessary to qualify the Securities for public offering by the
         Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained
         or made by the Company, and is in full force and effect.

                  (xiii) The Company holds all material licenses, certificates
         and permits from governmental authorities which are necessary to the
         conduct of its businesses and the Company has not received any notice
         of infringement or of conflict with asserted rights of others with
         respect to any patents, patent rights, trade names, trademarks or
         copyrights, which infringement is material to the business of the
         Company.

                  (xiv) The Company qualifies as a real estate investment trust
         pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of
         1986, as amended, has so qualified for the taxable years ended December
         31, 1984 through December 31, 2000 and no transaction or other event
         has occurred or is contemplated which would prevent the Company from so
         qualifying for its current taxable year.

                  (xv) To the best of the Company's knowledge, Ernst & Young
         LLP, who have certified certain of the financial statements and related
         schedules filed with the Commission as part of, or incorporated by
         reference in, the Registration Statements, are independent public
         accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.

                  (xvi) To the knowledge of the Company, after inquiry of its
         officers and directors, there are no affiliations with the NASD among
         the Company's officers, directors, or principal stockholders, except as
         set forth in the Registration Statements or as otherwise disclosed in
         writing to the Underwriters.

                  (xvii) This Agreement and the Indenture have been duly
         authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

                  (xviii) Neither the Company nor any of its officers or
         directors has taken nor will any of them take, directly or indirectly,
         any action resulting in a violation of Regulation M promulgated under
         the Exchange Act, or designed to cause or result in, or which has
         constituted or which reasonably might be expected to constitute, the
         stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

                  (xix) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statements, the
         Company is not a party to any written contract or agreement relating to
         any purchase of real property or the lending of funds secured by real
         property which is probable of being consummated and which, if not
         consummated, might reasonably be expected to result in any Material
         Adverse Effect.

                  (xx) The Company is not, and immediately after the sale of the
         Securities pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement will
         not be, an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an
         "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act
         of 1940.

         2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE SECURITIES. On the basis of the
representations, warranties and covenants herein contained, and subject to the
conditions herein set forth, the Company


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agrees to sell to the Underwriters and the Underwriters agree to purchase from
the Company the principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto at
the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto plus accrued interest, if any,
from the date specified in Schedule I hereto to the date of payment and
delivery.

                  Payment for the Securities to be sold hereunder is to be made
in New York Clearing House funds by certified or bank cashier's checks drawn to
the order of the Company for the Securities to be sold by it against delivery of
the Securities to the Representatives. Such payment and delivery are to be made
at the offices of Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc., 130 Liberty Street, New York,
New York, at 10:00 a.m. New York time, on the third business day after the date
of this Agreement or at such other time and date not later than three business
days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree upon, such time and date
being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As used herein, "business day"
means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on
which banks in New York are open for business and not permitted by law or
executive order to be closed). The Securities will be registered in such names
and in such denominations as the Representatives request in writing not later
than the second full business day prior to the Closing Date, and will be
delivered through book-entry facilities of The Depository Trust Company ("DTC")
and made available for inspection by the Representatives at least one business
day prior to the Closing Date at such place as the Representatives, DTC and the
Company shall agree.

         3. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS. It is understood that the Underwriters
are to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives
deem it advisable to do so. The Securities are to be initially offered to the
public at the price and upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The
Representatives may from time to time thereafter change the public offering
price and other selling terms.

         4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants and agrees with the
Underwriters that:

                  (i) The Company will (a) prepare and timely file with the
         Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, if the final
         form of the prospectus is not included in the Registration Statements
         at the time such Registration Statements are declared effective, a
         Prospectus containing information previously omitted at the time of
         effectiveness of the Registration Statements in reliance on Rule 430A,
         if applicable, of the Rules and Regulations, (b) use its best efforts
         to cause the Registration Statements to remain in effect as to the
         Securities for so long as the Representatives may deem necessary in
         order to complete the distribution of the Securities, (c) not file any
         amendment to the Registration Statements or supplement to the
         Prospectus, or document incorporated by reference therein, of which the
         Representatives shall not previously have been advised and furnished
         with a copy or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably
         objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the Rules and
         Regulations and (d) file on a timely basis all reports and any
         definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the
         Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus
         and prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities by the
         Representatives; provided, however, that for each such report or
         definitive proxy or information statement, the Company will not file
         any such report or definitive proxy or information statement, or
         amendment thereto, of which the Representatives shall not previously
         have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
         Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is
         not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations.

                  (ii) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of
         any request of the Commission for amendment of either of the
         Registration Statements or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any
         additional information, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
         order suspending the effectiveness of either of the Registration
         Statements or the use of the Prospectus


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         or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose, or of the
         suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
         in any jurisdiction, and the Company will use its best efforts to
         prevent (a) the issuance of any such stop order preventing or
         suspending the use of the Prospectus, or (b) any such suspension of the
         qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any
         jurisdiction, and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting of any such
         stop order, if issued, or such suspension of qualification.

                  (iii) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in
         endeavoring to qualify the Securities for sale under the securities
         laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have
         designated and will make such applications, file such documents, and
         furnish such information as may be reasonably required for that
         purpose, provided the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
         foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process
         in any jurisdiction or to subject itself to taxation as doing business
         in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to
         file such a consent or so subject to taxation. The Company will, from
         time to time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other
         documents, as are or may be required to continue such qualifications in
         effect for so long a period as the Representatives may reasonably
         request for distribution of the Securities.

                  (iv) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
         Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary
         Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company
         will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representatives during the
         period when delivery of a Prospectus is required under the Act, as many
         copies of the Prospectus in final form, or as thereafter amended or
         supplemented, as the Representatives may reasonably request. The
         Company will deliver to the Representatives at or before the Closing
         Date, six signed copies of each of the Registration Statements and all
         amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will
         deliver to the Representatives such number of each of copies of the
         Registration Statements, including documents incorporated by reference
         therein, but without exhibits, and of all amendments thereto, as the
         Representatives may reasonably request.

                  (v) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(i) above, if during
         the period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by
         an Underwriter or a dealer any event shall occur as a result of which,
         in the judgment of the Company or in the opinion of counsel for the
         Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the
         Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
         circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a
         purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend
         or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company
         promptly will either (a) prepare and file with the Commission an
         appropriate amendment to either of the Registration Statements or
         supplement to the Prospectus or (b) prepare and file with the
         Commission an appropriate filing under the Exchange Act which shall be
         incorporated by reference in the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as
         so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances
         when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will
         comply with law.

                  (vi) The Company will make generally available to its security
         holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not
         later than 15 months after the effective date of each of the
         Registration Statements, an earnings statement (which need not be
         audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of at least 12
         consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the relevant
         Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the
         requirements of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and
         Regulations and will advise the Representatives in writing when such
         statement has been so made available.


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                  (vii) The Company will, for a period of five years from the
         Closing Date, deliver to the Representatives copies of annual reports
         and copies of all other documents, reports and information furnished by
         the Company to its stockholders or filed with any securities exchange
         pursuant to the requirements of such exchange or with the Commission
         pursuant to the Act or the Exchange Act. The Company will deliver to
         the Representatives similar reports with respect to significant
         subsidiaries, as that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations,
         which are not consolidated in the Company's financial statements.

                  (viii) The Company will not, during the period beginning on
         the date hereof and continuing to and including the business day
         following the Closing Date, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise
         dispose of any debt securities of or guaranteed by the Company which
         are substantially similar to the Securities without the
         Representatives' prior written consent.

         5. COSTS AND EXPENSES. The Company will pay all costs, expenses and
fees incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement and the
Indenture, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
following: the fees incident to the preparation, issuance, execution,
authentication and delivery of the Securities, including any expenses of the
Trustee; the fees payable to rating agencies in connection with the rating of
the Securities; accounting fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Company; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested
by, the Underwriters, copies of the Registration Statements, Preliminary
Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this Agreement, the Indenture, the Blue Sky Survey
and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission;
the filing fees and expenses (including legal fees and disbursements) incident
to securing any required review by the NASD of the terms of the sale of the
Securities; the fees incident to the listing of the Securities on any stock
exchange; and the expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters, incurred in connection with the qualification of the
Securities under state securities or Blue Sky laws. Any transfer taxes imposed
on the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters will be paid by the Company.
The Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters'
expenses (other than those related to qualification under state securities or
Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement shall not be consummated because
the conditions in Section 7 hereof are not satisfied, or because this Agreement
is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 6 hereof (other than a
termination as a result of a failure to satisfy the condition set forth in
subparagraph (iv) of Section 6 hereof), or by reason of any failure, refusal or
inability on the part of the Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any
condition of this Agreement or to comply with any of the terms hereof on its
part to be performed, unless such failure to satisfy said condition or to comply
with said terms be due to the default or omission of any Underwriter, then the
Company shall reimburse the several Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in
connection with investigating, marketing and proposing to market the Securities
or in contemplation of performing its obligations hereunder, but the Company
shall not in any event be liable to the several Underwriters for damages on
account of loss of anticipated profits from the sale by them of the Securities.

         6. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS. The several
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities on the Closing Date
are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date, of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained herein, and to the performance by the
Company of its covenants and obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions:

                  (i) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of either of
         the Registration Statements, as amended from time to time, shall have
         been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken
         or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the
         Commission.


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                  (ii) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this
         Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred
         any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of (a) any
         intended or potential downgrading or (b) any review or possible change
         that does not indicate an improvement in the rating, if any, accorded
         any securities of or guaranteed by the Company by any "nationally
         recognized statistical rating organization," as such term is defined
         for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act.

                  (iii) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing
         Date, the opinion of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, counsel for the
         Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives,
         as representatives of the several Underwriters, to the effect that:

                           (a) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
                  validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
                  laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and
                  authority to own its properties and conduct its business as
                  described in the Prospectus.

                           (b) The Company is duly qualified to transact
                  business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its
                  business requires such qualification, and in which the failure
                  to qualify would constitute a Material Adverse Effect.

                           (c) The Company has authorized and outstanding
                  capital stock as set forth under the caption "Capitalization"
                  in the Prospectus; the authorized shares of its Common Stock
                  have been duly authorized; the outstanding shares of its
                  Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and
                  are fully paid and nonassessable.

                           (d) The Registration Statements have become effective
                  under the Act and, to such counsel's knowledge no stop order
                  proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or are
                  pending or threatened under the Act.

                           (e) The Registration Statements, the Prospectus and
                  each amendment or supplement thereto and documents
                  incorporated by reference therein comply as to form in all
                  material respects with the requirements of the Act, the
                  Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, as applicable, and
                  the applicable rules and regulations thereunder (except that
                  such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial
                  statements, schedules and other financial or statistical
                  information included or incorporated by reference therein).

                           (f) The statements contained in the Prospectus under
                  the caption "Description of Notes" and "Description of Debt
                  Securities," insofar as such statements constitute a summary
                  of documents referred to therein or matters of law, are
                  accurate summaries and fairly and correctly present in all
                  material respects the information called for with respect to
                  such documents and matters.

                           (g) The statements under the caption "Certain
                  Government Regulations" in the Company's Annual Report on Form
                  10-K, and any amendments thereto, for the fiscal year ended
                  December 31, 2000 as to matters of law stated therein, have
                  been reviewed by such counsel and constitute fair summaries of
                  the matters described therein which are material to the
                  business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company.

                           (h) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or
                  documents required to be filed as exhibits to or incorporated
                  by reference in either of the Registration Statements or
                  described in either of the Registration Statements or the
                  Prospectus which


                                       9
   10

                  are not so filed, incorporated by reference or described as
                  required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized
                  in each of the Registration Statements or the Prospectus are
                  fairly summarized in all material respects.

                           (i) Such counsel knows of no legal proceedings
                  pending or threatened against the Company that could,
                  individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
                  have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in the
                  Prospectus.

                           (j) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and
                  the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions herein
                  contemplated, including the issuance and sale of the
                  Securities and the performance by the Company of its
                  obligations under the Securities, the Indenture and this
                  Agreement, do not and will not conflict with or constitute a
                  violation of any statute or conflict with or result in a
                  breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
                  default under, the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of
                  the Company, any material agreement or instrument known to
                  such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which the
                  Company or the Company's properties may be bound or any order
                  known to such counsel or rule or regulation applicable to the
                  Company or the Company's properties of any court or
                  governmental agency or body.

                           (k) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
                  and delivered by the Company.

                           (l) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed
                  and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and
                  binding instrument of the Company enforceable against the
                  Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent
                  that enforcement thereof may be limited by (A) bankruptcy,
                  insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws now or
                  hereafter in effect relating to creditors' rights generally
                  and (B) general principles of equity (regardless of whether
                  enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in
                  equity); and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the
                  Trust Indenture Act.

                           (m) The Securities have been duly authorized and
                  executed by the Company and when authenticated in accordance
                  with the terms of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for
                  by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of the
                  Agreement, will constitute a valid and binding obligation of
                  the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the
                  Indenture, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
                  their terms, except to the extent that enforcement thereof may
                  be limited by (A) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
                  moratorium or similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating
                  to creditors' rights generally and (B) general principles of
                  equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in
                  a proceeding at law or in equity).

                           (n) The Indenture and the Securities conform in all
                  material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the
                  Registration Statements and the Prospectus.

                           (o) No approval, consent, order, authorization,
                  designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory,
                  administrative or other governmental body is necessary in
                  connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
                  or the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions
                  contemplated this Agreement or the Indenture (other than as
                  may be required by the NASD or as required by state securities
                  and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no
                  opinion) except such as have been obtained or made by the
                  Company, specifying the same.


                                       10
   11

                           (p) The Company is not an "investment company" or a
                  company "controlled" by an "investment company" within the
                  meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

                  In addition, such counsel will provide an opinion, based on
         such counsel's own review of the Company's certificate of
         incorporation, stating that the Company was organized and continues to
         be organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a
         real estate investment trust under subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
         Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and, based on such counsel's
         review of the Company's federal income tax returns and discussions with
         management and independent public accountants for the Company, that the
         Company, taking into account operations for its taxable and fiscal
         years ended December 31, 1997 through December 31, 2000, satisfied
         the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate
         investment trust under the Code for such years and that its proposed
         method of operation will enable it to meet the requirements for
         qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust under the
         Code for its taxable and fiscal year ending December 31, 2001.
         Furthermore, such counsel shall opine that the statements contained
         under the heading "Taxation" in the Registration Statements and in the
         Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any amendments, for the
         fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 are correct and accurate in all
         material respects and present fairly and accurately the material
         aspects of the federal income tax treatment of the Company and of its
         stockholders.

                  In rendering such opinion, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP may
         rely as to matters governed by the laws of states other than the laws
         of State of Ohio, the corporate laws of the State of Delaware or
         Federal laws on local counsel in such jurisdictions, provided that in
         such case Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP shall state that they believe
         that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying on such other
         counsel and such other counsel shall indicate that the Underwriters may
         rely on such opinion. As to matters of fact, to the extent they deem
         proper, such counsel may rely on certificates of officers of the
         Company and public officials so long as such counsel states that they
         have no reason to believe that either the Representatives or they are
         not justified in relying on such certificates. In addition to the
         matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to
         the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which
         leads them to believe that either of the Registration Statements, as of
         the respective times they became effective under the Act, the
         Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date it was
         filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), or any of the documents incorporated by
         reference therein, as of the date of effectiveness of each of the
         Registration Statements or, in the case of documents incorporated by
         reference into the Prospectus after the date of effectiveness of each
         of the Registration Statements, as of the respective date when such
         documents were filed with the Commission, contained an untrue statement
         of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
         stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
         misleading, and each of the Registration Statements and the Prospectus,
         or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any of the documents
         incorporated by reference therein, as of the date of effectiveness of
         each of the Registration Statements or, in the case of documents
         incorporated by reference into the Prospectus after the date of
         effectiveness of each of the Registration Statements, as of the
         respective date when such documents were filed with the Commission, as
         of the Closing Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
         omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (except that
         such counsel need express no view as to financial statements, schedules
         and other financial or statistical information included therein). With
         respect to such statement, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, may state
         that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth or
         incorporated by reference therein, but is without independent check and
         verification.



                                       11
   12

                  (iv) The Representatives shall have received from
         Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion
         dated the Closing Date, with respect to the organization of the
         Company, the validity of the Indenture and the Securities, the
         Registration Statements, the Prospectus and other related matters as
         the Representatives reasonably may request and such counsel shall have
         received such papers and information as they reasonably request to
         enable them to pass upon such matters.

                  (v) The Representatives shall have received at or prior
         to the Closing Date from Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, a memorandum or
         summary, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, with
         respect to the qualification for offering and sale by the
         Representatives of the Securities under the state securities or Blue
         Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably
         have designated to the Company.

                  (vi) The Representatives shall have received on the
         Closing Date, a signed letter from Ernst & Young LLP, dated the Closing
         Date, which shall confirm, on the basis of a review in accordance with
         the procedures set forth in the letter, dated August 7, 2001, signed by
         such firm and delivered to the Representatives by Ernst & Young LLP,
         that nothing has come to their attention during the period from the
         date five days prior to the date hereof, to a date not more than five
         days prior to the Closing Date, which would require any change in its
         letter dated August 7, 2001 if it were required to be dated and
         delivered on the Closing Date. All such letters shall be in form and
         substance satisfactory to the Representatives.

                  (vii) The Representatives shall have received on the
         Closing Date, a certificate or certificates of the Chairman of the
         Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President and the Chief Financial
         Officer of the Company to the effect that as of the Closing Date, each
         of them severally represents as follows:

                           (a) Each of the Registration Statements have become
                  effective under the Act and no stop order suspending the
                  effectiveness of either of the Registration Statements has
                  been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been
                  taken or are, to his knowledge, contemplated by the
                  Commission.

                           (b) Subsequent to the delivery of this Agreement and
                  prior to the Closing date, there shall not have occurred any
                  downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of (A) any
                  intended or potential downgrading or (B) any review or
                  possible change that does not indicate an improvement in the
                  rating, if any, accorded any securities of or guaranteed by
                  the Company by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
                  organization," as such term is defined for purposes of Rule
                  436(g)(2) of the Act.

                           (c) He does not know of any litigation instituted or
                  threatened against the Company of a character required to be
                  disclosed in the Registration Statements which is not so
                  disclosed; he does not know of any material contract required
                  to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statements which
                  is not so filed; and the representations and warranties of the
                  Company contained in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as
                  of the Closing Date.

                           (d) He has carefully examined the Registration
                  Statements and the Prospectus and in his opinion, as of the
                  effective date of each of the Registration Statements, the
                  statements contained in each of the Registration Statements,
                  including any document incorporated by reference therein, were
                  true and correct, and such



                                       12
   13

                  Registration Statements and Prospectus, or any document
                  incorporated by reference therein, did not omit to state a
                  material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
                  order to make the statements therein not misleading and, in
                  his opinion, since the effective date of each of the
                  Registration Statements, no event has occurred which should
                  have been set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the
                  Prospectus which has not been so set forth in such supplement
                  or amendment.

         The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all
material respects reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and to Calfee,
Halter & Griswold LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.

         If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be
fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by
the Representatives by notifying the Company of such termination in writing or
by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date.

         In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any
obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8
hereof).

         7. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY. The obligations of the
Company to sell and deliver the portion of the Securities required to be
delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are subject to the conditions
that at the Closing Date no stop order suspending the effectiveness of either of
the Registration Statements shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.

         8. INDEMNIFICATION.

                  (i) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
         each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
         within the meaning of the Act against any losses, claims, damages or
         liabilities to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may
         become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
         claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect
         thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue statement or
         alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained or incorporated
         by reference in either of the Registration Statements, any Preliminary
         Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (b)
         the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
         required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
         therein not misleading, or (c) any act or failure to act, or any
         alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or
         relating in any manner to, the Securities or the offering contemplated
         hereby and will reimburse each such Underwriter and each such
         controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
         by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with
         investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability,
         action or proceeding; provided, however, that the Company will not be
         liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage
         or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or
         alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made or
         incorporated by reference in either of the Registration Statements, any
         Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or
         supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
         furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically
         for use in the preparation thereof; and provided further that as to any
         Preliminary Prospectus this indemnity agreement shall not inure to the
         benefit of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter on
         account of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising from
         the sale of any Securities to any person by such Underwriter if such
         Underwriter failed to send or give a copy of the Prospectus, as the
         same may


                                       13
   14

         be amended or supplemented, to that person within the time required by
         the Act, and the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
         material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
         in such Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus, unless
         such failure resulted from non-compliance by the Company with Section
         4(iv) or Section 4(v). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
         any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

                  (ii) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless
         the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
         signed each of the Registration Statements, and each person, if any,
         who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act, against any
         losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or any such
         director, officer or controlling person may become subject under the
         Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
         liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of
         or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
         any material fact contained or incorporated by reference in either of
         the Registration Statements, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus
         or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
         upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material
         fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
         therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which
         they were made; and will reimburse any legal or other expenses
         reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or
         controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any
         such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or proceeding; provided,
         however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case to the
         extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
         untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made or
         incorporated by reference in either of the Registration Statements, any
         Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement,
         in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
         to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically for use
         in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in
         addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.

                  (iii) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
         investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of
         which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person
         (the "indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom
         such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing. No
         indemnification provided for in Sections 8(i) or (ii) shall be
         available to any party who shall fail to give notice as provided in
         this Section 8(iii) if the party to whom notice was not given was
         unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and
         was prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to
         give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties
         from any liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party
         for contribution or otherwise than on account of the provisions of
         Sections 8(i) or (ii). In case any such proceeding shall be brought
         against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying
         party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
         entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish
         jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
         the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified
         party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such
         counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any
         indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel at its
         own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party
         shall pay as incurred the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by
         the indemnified party in the event (a) the indemnifying party and the
         indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such
         counsel or (b) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any
         impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the
         indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same
         counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing
         interests between them, in which case the indemnifying party shall not
         be entitled to assume the defense of such suit



                                       14
   15

         notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such
         counsel. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in
         connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
         jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more
         than one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm
         shall be designated in writing by you in the case of parties
         indemnified pursuant to Section 8(i) and by the Company in the case of
         parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(ii). The indemnifying party
         shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
         without its written consent but if settled with such consent or if
         there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party
         agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or
         liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the
         foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have
         requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for
         fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the fifth sentence of
         this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable
         for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
         consent to which the indemnification obligations of the Company
         hereunder are applicable if (a) such settlement is entered into more
         than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid
         request and (b) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the
         indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of
         such settlement.

                  (iv) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
         unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless to the extent required
         therein an indemnified party under Sections 8(i) or (ii) above in
         respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
         proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
         indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
         such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
         liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such
         proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
         by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from
         the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by
         the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law
         or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under
         Section 8(iii) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
         such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such
         proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits
         but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
         Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
         omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
         (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other
         relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by
         the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be
         deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
         offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the
         Underwriters bear to the total proceeds of the offering (the proceeds
         received by the Underwriters being equal to the total underwriting
         discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters), in each case
         as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The
         relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
         whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
         the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
         information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters
         on the other hand and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access
         to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
         omission.

                  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
         just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(iv) were
         determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation
         which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to
         above in this Section 8(iv). The amount paid or payable by an
         indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
         liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to
         above in this Section 8(iv) shall be deemed to include any legal or
         other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
         connection with investigating or defending any such action



                                       15
   16


         or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(iv), (a) no
         Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
         underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities
         purchased by such Underwriter and (b) no person guilty of fraudulent
         misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
         shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of
         such fraudulent misrepresentation.

                  (v) In any proceeding relating to either of the Registration
         Statements, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
         supplement or amendment thereto, each party against whom contribution
         may be sought under this Section 8 hereby consents to the jurisdiction
         of any our having jurisdiction over any other contributing party,
         agrees that process issuing from such court may be served upon him or
         it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of such
         process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it
         as an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other
         contributing party is a party.


         9. NOTICES. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and,
except as otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed
and confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown
Inc., 130 Liberty Street, 28th Floor, New York, New York, 10006, Attention: John
W. Patterson, with a copy to Carlos Del Cristo; if to the Company, to Health
Care REIT, Inc., One SeaGate, Suite 1500, Toledo, Ohio 43603-1475, Attention:
George L. Chapman, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President.

         10. TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to
the Company as follows:

                  (i) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the
         Securities are released by you for sale, or (ii) 11:30 A.M. on the
         first business day following the date of this Agreement;

                  (ii) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the
         following has occurred: (a) since the respective dates as of which
         information is given in either of the Registration Statements and the
         Prospectus, any material adverse change or any development involving a
         prospective material adverse change in or affecting the condition,
         financial or otherwise, of the Company or the earnings, business
         affairs, management or business prospects of the Company, whether or
         not arising in the ordinary course of business, (b) any outbreak or
         escalation of hostilities or declaration of war or national emergency
         after the date hereof or other national or international calamity or
         crisis or change in economic or political conditions if the effect of
         such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or
         change on the financial markets of the United States would, in your
         reasonable judgment, make the offering or delivery of the Securities
         impracticable or inadvisable, (c) trading in securities on the New York
         Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange shall have been suspended
         or materially limited (other than limitations on hours or numbers of
         days of trading) or minimum prices shall have been established for
         securities on either such Exchange, (d) the enactment, publication,
         decree or other promulgation of any federal or state statute,
         regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority
         which in your reasonable opinion materially and adversely affects or
         will materially or adversely affect the business or operations of the
         Company, (e) declaration of a banking moratorium by either federal or
         New York State authorities, (f) the taking of any action by any
         federal, state or local government or agency in respect of its monetary
         or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a material
         adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States, (g) any
         litigation or proceeding is pending or threatened against any
         Underwriter which seeks to enjoin or otherwise restrain, or seeks
         damages in connection with, or questions the legality or validity of
         this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, or (h) any



                                       16
   17

         downgrading in the rating of the Company's debt securities by any
         "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as defined for
         purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); or

         (iii) as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement.

         11. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement has been and is made solely for the
benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors,
executors, administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and
controlling persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right
or obligation hereunder. The term "successors" shall not include any purchaser
of the Securities merely because of such purchase.

         13. MISCELLANEOUS. The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution
agreements contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and
covenants in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of
(i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on
behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of
the Company or its directors or officers and (iii) delivery of and payment for
the Securities under this Agreement.

         This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.

         This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of New York.



             [The remainder of this page intentionally left blank.]



                                       17
   18



         If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

                                         Very truly yours,

                                         HEALTH CARE REIT, INC.


                                         By:      /s/Raymond W. Braun
                                              ----------------------------------
                                            Name:  Raymond W. Braun
                                            Title: Executive Vice President
                                                   Chief Operating Officer &
                                                   Chief Financial Officer

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.

DEUTSCHE BANC ALEX. BROWN INC.
UBS WARBURG LLC
LEGG MASON WOOD WALKER, INCORPORATED
RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.
AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNDERWRITERS LISTED ON SCHEDULE I

BY:      DEUTSCHE BANC ALEX. BROWN INC.


         By:      /s/ Carlos Del Cristo
              ---------------------------------------
               Name:  Carlos Del Cristo
               Title:  Director




                                       18

   19




                                   SCHEDULE I

                                                        

Underwriters:                                                Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc.
                                                             UBS Warburg LLC
                                                             Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated
                                                             Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
                                                             McDonald Investments Inc.

Underwriting Agreement Date:                                 August 7, 2001

Registration Statement Nos.:                                 333-43177 and 333-19801

Title of Securities:                                         7.5% Senior Notes due August 15, 2001 (the "Notes")

Aggregate Principle Amount:                                  $175,000,000

Price to Public:                                             98.697% of the principal amount of the Notes

Underwriting Discount:                                       0.875%

Purchase Price to Underwriter:                               97.822% of the principal amount of the Notes

Indenture:                                                   Indenture, dated as of April 17, 1997, as amended by
                                                             the Supplemental Indenture No. 4, between Health Care
                                                             REIT, Inc. and The Fifth Third Bank

Trustee:                                                     The Fifth Third Bank

Maturity:                                                    August 15, 2007

Interest Rate:                                               7.5%

Interest Payment Dates:                                      February 15 and August 15

Optional Redemption Provisions:                              Make-Whole provision (T+25bps)

Sinking Fund Provisions:                                     No

Closing Date and Time of Delivery:                           Friday, August 10, 2001

Closing Location:                                            Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc.
                                                             130 Liberty Street, 28th Floor
                                                             New York, New York  10006




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