POST APARTMENT HOMES LP
8-K, 1997-10-22
OPERATORS OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS
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<PAGE>   1
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                           --------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 20, 1997
                                                         ----------------

                           Post Apartment Homes, L.P.
                           --------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Georgia                  0-28226                     58-2053632
- ------------------------------    --------------           ---------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction      (Commission                 (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)           File Number)             Identification No.)


     3350 Cumberland Circle, Atlanta, Georgia                       30339
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code (770) 850-4400
                                                   --------------




<PAGE>   2
Item 5. Other Events

         Post Apartment Homes, L.P. (the "Registrant") is filing this Current
Report on Form 8-K so as to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
certain items that are to be incorporated by reference into its Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-36595).


Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

         (c)      Exhibits.

                  1(a) -   Distribution Agreement

                  4(a) -   Form of Fixed Rate Note (Incorporated by reference
                           from Exhibit 4(a) to the Registrant's Current Report
                           on Form 8-K dated January 29, 1997)

                  4(b) -   Form of Floating Rate Note (Incorporated by reference
                           from Exhibit 4(b) to the Registrant's Current Report
                           on Form 8-K dated January 29, 1997)

                  5(a) -   Opinion of King & Spalding

                  8(a) -   Opinion of King & Spalding re: tax matters

                 23(a) -   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

                 23(b) -   Consent of King & Spalding (included in Exhibit
                           5(a))






                                       -2-
<PAGE>   3
                                   SIGNATURE


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                  POST APARTMENT HOMES, L.P.
                                  (Registrant)


                                  By:  POST PROPERTIES, INC.,
                                       as general partner


Date: October 20, 1997                 By:/s/ John A. Williams
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          John A. Williams
                                          Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive
                                          Officer and Director










                                       -3-
<PAGE>   4
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number and Description                                                   Page
- ------------------------------                                                   ----
<S>                                                                              <C>
 1(a) - Distribution Agreement

 4(a) - Form of Fixed Rate Note (Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4(a) to
        the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 29, 1997)

 4(b) - Form of Floating Rate Note (Incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4(b)
        to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 29, 1997)

 5(a) - Opinion of King & Spalding

 8(a) - Opinion of King & Spalding re: tax matters

23(a) - Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

23(b) - Consent of King & Spalding (included in Exhibit 5(a))

</TABLE>










                                       -4-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 1(a)


                           POST APARTMENT HOMES, L.P.

                               MEDIUM-TERM NOTES
                   DUE NINE MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE

                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

                                                               October 20, 1997

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                 Incorporated
World Financial Center
North Tower, 10th Floor
New York, New York  10281-1310

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
60 Wall Street
New York, New York  10260

Dear Sirs:

         Post Apartment Homes, L.P., a Georgia limited partnership (the
"Operating Partnership"), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co.,
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc. (each, an "Agent," and collectively, the "Agents") with respect to the
issue and sale by the Operating Partnership of its Medium-Term Notes Due Nine
Months or More From Date of Issue (the "Notes"). The Notes are to be issued
pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of September 25, 1996, as amended or
modified from time to time (the "Indenture"), between the Operating Partnership
and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, as trustee (the "Trustee"). As of the date hereof,
the Operating Partnership has authorized the issuance and sale of up to U.S.
$344,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of Notes (or its equivalent,
based upon the exchange rate on the applicable trade date in such foreign or
composite currencies as the Operating Partnership shall designate at the time
of issuance) to or through the Agents pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
It is understood, however, that the Operating Partnership may from time to time
authorize the issuance of additional Notes and that such

<PAGE>   2

additional Notes may be sold to or through the Agents pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, all as though the issuance of such Notes were authorized as of
the date hereof.

         This Agreement provides both for the sale of Notes by the Operating
Partnership to one or more Agents as principal for resale to investors and
other purchasers and for the sale of Notes by the Operating Partnership
directly to investors (as may from time to time be agreed to by the Operating
Partnership and the applicable Agent), in which case such Agent will act as an
agent of the Operating Partnership in soliciting offers for the purchase of
Notes.

         Post Properties, Inc., a Georgia corporation (the "Company"), and the
Operating Partnership have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-36595) for the
registration of, among other securities, debt securities of the Operating
Partnership (the "Debt Securities"), including the Notes, under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and the offering thereof from time to
time in accordance with Rule 430A or Rule 415 of the rules and regulations of
the Commission under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act Regulations"). Such
registration statement (as amended, if applicable) has been declared effective
by the Commission and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "1939 Act"). Such registration statement
and the prospectus constituting a part thereof (including in each case the
information, if any, deemed to be part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A(b) of the
1933 Act Regulations), and each prospectus supplement relating to the offering
of Notes pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 415 of the 1933 Act Regulations (the
"Prospectus Supplement"), including all documents incorporated therein by
reference, as from time to time amended or supplemented pursuant to the 1933
Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), or
otherwise, are collectively referred to herein as the "Registration Statement"
and the "Prospectus," respectively; provided, that if any revised Prospectus
shall be provided to the applicable Agent(s) by the Operating Partnership for
use in connection with the offering of Notes (whether or not such revised
prospectus is required to be filed by the Company or the Operating Partnership
pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations), the term "Prospectus"
shall refer to each such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first
provided to such applicable Agent(s) for such use; provided, further, that a
Prospectus Supplement shall be deemed to have supplemented the Prospectus only
with respect to the offering of Notes to which it relates. Any registration
statement (including any supplement thereto or information which is deemed part
thereof) filed by the Operating Partnership under Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act
Regulations (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement") shall be deemed to be part
of the Registration Statement. Any prospectus (including any amendment or
supplement thereto or information which is deemed part thereof) included in the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall be deemed to be part of the
Prospectus. A "preliminary prospectus" shall be deemed to refer to any
prospectus used before the registration statement became effective and any
prospectus furnished by the Operating Partnership after the registration
statement became effective and before any acceptance by the Operating
Partnership of an offer for the purchase of Notes which omitted information to
be included upon pricing in a form of prospectus filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations. All references in this
Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is
"contained," "included" or "stated" in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean
and include all such

                                       2
<PAGE>   3
financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed
to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall
be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the 1934 Act
which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be. For purposes of this
Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, preliminary prospectus supplement, Prospectus or Prospectus
Supplement or any amendment or supplement to the foregoing shall be deemed to
include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data
Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

         The term "Subsidiary" as used herein means a corporation or a
partnership a majority of the outstanding equity interests, as the case may be,
of which is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or the
Operating Partnership, as the case may be, or by one or more other Subsidiaries
of the Company or the Operating Partnership.

SECTION 1.        Appointment as Agent.

         (a)      Appointment. Subject to (i) the terms and conditions stated
herein and (ii) the reservation by the Operating Partnership of the right to
sell Notes directly on its own behalf and to appoint, upon at least 10 days'
prior written notice to the Agents, additional persons to serve as Agents
hereunder (provided that such persons are engaged on the same terms and
conditions as those contained in this Agreement), the Operating Partnership
hereby agrees that Notes will be sold to or through the Agents and that it will
not appoint any other agents to act on its behalf, or to assist it, in the
placement of the Notes; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the
contrary included in this Agreement, the Operating Partnership may accept any
offer to purchase Notes from or through any broker or dealer (other than an
Agent) if (i) the Operating Partnership shall not have solicited such offer,
(ii) such broker or dealer is engaged on substantially the same terms and
conditions as those contained in this Agreement, except for the obligations
described in Sections 8(a), 8(b) and 8(c) hereof, and (iii) the Operating
Partnership notifies the Agents promptly following acceptance of such an offer.

         (b)      Sale of Notes. The Operating Partnership shall not sell or
approve the solicitation of offers for the purchase of Notes in excess of the
amount which shall be authorized by the Operating Partnership from time to time
or in excess of the aggregate initial offering price of Notes registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Agents shall have no responsibility
for maintaining records with respect to the aggregate initial offering price of
Notes sold, or of otherwise monitoring the availability of Notes for sale,
under the Registration Statement.

         (c)      Purchases as Principal. The Agents shall not have any
obligation to purchase Notes from the Operating Partnership as principal.
However, absent an agreement between an Agent and the Operating Partnership
that such Agent shall be acting solely as an agent for the Operating
Partnership, such Agent shall be deemed to be acting as principal in connection
with any offering of Notes by the Operating Partnership through such Agent.
Accordingly, the Agents, individually or in a syndicate, may agree from time to
time to purchase Notes from the Operating Partnership as

                                       3
<PAGE>   4

principal for resale to investors and other purchasers determined by such
Agents. Any purchase of Notes from the Operating Partnership by an Agent as
principal shall be made in accordance with Section 3(a) hereof.

         (d)      Solicitations as Agent. If agreed upon between an Agent and
the Operating Partnership, such Agent, acting solely as an agent for the
Operating Partnership and not as principal, will solicit offers for the
purchase of Notes. Such Agent will communicate to the Operating Partnership,
orally, each offer for the purchase of Notes solicited by it on an agency basis
other than those offers rejected by such Agent. Such Agent shall have the
right, in its discretion reasonably exercised, to reject any offer for the
purchase of Notes, in whole or in part, and any such rejection shall not be
deemed a breach of its agreement contained herein. The Operating Partnership
may accept or reject any offer for the purchase of Notes, in whole or in part.
Such Agent shall make reasonable efforts to assist the Operating Partnership in
obtaining performance by each purchaser whose offer for the purchase of Notes
has been solicited by it on an agency basis and accepted by the Operating
Partnership. Such Agent shall not have any liability to the Operating
Partnership in the event that any such purchase is not consummated for any
reason. If the Operating Partnership shall default on its obligation to deliver
Notes to a purchaser whose offer has been solicited by such Agent on an agency
basis and accepted by the Operating Partnership, the Operating Partnership
shall (i) hold such Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising
from or as a result of such default by the Operating Partnership and (ii) pay
to such Agent any commission to which it would otherwise be entitled absent
such default.

         (e)      Reliance. The Operating Partnership and the Agents agree that
any Notes purchased from the Operating Partnership by one or more Agents as
principal shall be purchased, and any Notes the placement of which an Agent
arranges as an agent of the Operating Partnership shall be placed by such
Agent, in reliance on the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
of the Operating Partnership contained herein and on the terms and conditions
and in the manner provided herein.

SECTION 2.        Representations and Warranties.

         (a)      The Operating Partnership represents and warrants to each
Agent as of the date hereof, as of the date of each acceptance by the Operating
Partnership of an offer for the purchase of Notes (whether to such Agent as
principal or through such Agent as agent), as of the date of each delivery of
Notes (whether to such Agent as principal or through such Agent as agent) (the
date of each such delivery to such Agent as principal is referred to herein as
a "Settlement Date"), and as of any time that the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented, other than an amendment or
supplement relating solely to the offering of securities other than the Notes
(each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a "Representation
Date"), as follows:

                           (1) The Operating Partnership meets the requirements
                  for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Registration
                  Statement (including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement)
                  has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order
                  suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
                  any part

                                       4
<PAGE>   5

                  thereof has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceeding
                  for that purpose has been instituted or is pending or, to the
                  knowledge of the Operating Partnership, is contemplated or
                  threatened by the Commission or by the state securities
                  authority of any jurisdiction, and any request on the part of
                  the Commission for additional information has been complied
                  with. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939
                  Act. No order preventing or suspending the use of the
                  Prospectus has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose
                  has been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Operating
                  Partnership, threatened by the Commission or by the state
                  securities authority of any jurisdiction.

                           (2) The Registration Statement, at the time it
                  became effective, complied, and the Registration Statement
                  and the Prospectus, at each Representation Date, will comply,
                  in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933
                  Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the
                  rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act
                  (the "1939 Act Regulations"). The Registration Statement, at
                  the time the Registration Statement became effective, did
                  not, and as of each Representation Date will not, 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. As of the date
                  hereof, at the date of the Prospectus and at each
                  Representation Date, the Prospectus and any amendments and
                  supplements thereto (unless the term "Prospectus" refers to a
                  prospectus which has been provided to an Agent by the
                  Operating Partnership for use in connection with an offering
                  of Notes which differs from the Prospectus on file at the
                  Commission at the time the Registration Statement became
                  effective, in which case at the time it is first provided to
                  an Agent for such use) did not and will not contain an untrue
                  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
                  necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
                  of the circumstances under which they were made, not
                  misleading. If the Operating Partnership elects to rely upon
                  Rule 434 of the 1933 Act Regulations, the Operating
                  Partnership will comply with the requirements of Rule 434.
                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and
                  warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements
                  in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the
                  Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with
                  information furnished to the Operating Partnership in writing
                  by the Agents expressly for use in the Registration Statement
                  or the Prospectus or to that part of the Registration
                  Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility
                  and Qualification on Form T-1 under the 1939 Act (the
                  "Statement of Eligibility") of the Trustee under the
                  Indenture. If a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is
                  required in connection with the offering and sale of Notes,
                  the Operating Partnership has complied or will comply with
                  the requirements of Rule 111 of the 1933 Act Regulations
                  relating to the payment of filing fees therefor.

                           (3) Each preliminary prospectus, preliminary
                  prospectus supplement and Prospectus Supplement filed as part
                  of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part
                  of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424

                                       5
<PAGE>   6

                  under the 1933 Act, complied, when so filed, in all material
                  respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and, if applicable,
                  each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to
                  the Agents for use in connection with the offering of Notes
                  will, at the time of such delivery, be identical to the
                  electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
                  Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted
                  by Regulation S-T.

                           (4) The documents incorporated or deemed to be
                  incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they
                  were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and
                  will comply in all material respects with the requirements of
                  the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
                  thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations") and, when read
                  together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the
                  time the Registration Statement became effective, at the date
                  hereof, at the date of the Prospectus and as of each
                  Representation Date, did not and will not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which
                  they were made, not misleading.

                           (5) The accounting firm that certified the financial
                  statements and supporting schedules included in, or
                  incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement
                  and the Prospectus, is an independent public accountant as
                  required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

                           (6) The consolidated financial statements of the
                  Company and the Operating Partnership incorporated by
                  reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
                  together with the related schedules and notes, as well as
                  those financial statements, schedules and notes of any other
                  entity included therein, present fairly the financial
                  position of the Company, the Operating Partnership and their
                  consolidated subsidiaries, or such other entities, as the
                  case may be, at the respective dates indicated and the
                  statement of operations, stockholders' equity, partners'
                  equity, and cash flows of the Company, the Operating
                  Partnership and their consolidated subsidiaries, or such
                  other entities, as the case may be, for the periods
                  specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in
                  conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
                  ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
                  involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in, or
                  incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement
                  and the Prospectus present fairly the information required to
                  be stated therein. The selected financial data and the
                  summary financial information included in, or incorporated by
                  reference into, the Prospectus present fairly the information
                  shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent
                  with that of the audited financial statements included in, or
                  incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement
                  and the Prospectus. The Company's and the Operating
                  Partnership's ratios of earnings to fixed charges and ratios
                  of earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividends 
                  (actual and, if any, pro forma) included in the Prospectus 
                  under the captions "Ratios of Earnings to Fixed

                                       6
<PAGE>   7

                  Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends" and in Exhibit 12.1 to
                  the Registration Statement have been calculated in compliance
                  with Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K of the Commission. In
                  addition, any pro forma financial statements included in, or
                  incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement
                  and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the
                  applicable requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X of
                  the Commission, and the assumptions used in the preparation
                  thereof are, in the opinion of the Company, reasonable and    
                  the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect
                  to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein and
                  have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
                  compilation of such statements. Other than the historical
                  financial statements (and schedules) included therein, no
                  other historical or pro forma financial statements (or
                  schedules) are required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act
                  Regulations to be included in the Registration Statement.

                           (7) Since the respective dates as of which
                  information is given in the Registration Statement and the
                  Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has
                  been no material adverse change in the condition, financial
                  or otherwise, or in the earnings, assets, business affairs or
                  business prospects of the Operating Partnership and its
                  Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise (a "Material
                  Adverse Effect"), whether or not arising in the ordinary
                  course of business; (B) no casualty loss or condemnation or
                  other adverse event with respect to any of the interests held
                  directly or indirectly in any of the real properties owned,
                  directly or indirectly, by the Operating Partnership or its
                  Subsidiaries (the "Properties") has occurred that is material
                  to the Operating Partnership and its Subsidiaries considered
                  as one enterprise; (C) there have been no transactions
                  entered into by the Operating Partnership or any Subsidiary,
                  other than those arising in the ordinary course of business,
                  which are material with respect to the Operating Partnership
                  and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise or that
                  would result, upon consummation, in any material inaccuracy
                  in the representations contained in Section 2(a)(6) above;
                  (D) neither the Operating Partnership nor any Subsidiary has
                  incurred any material obligation or liability, direct,
                  contingent or otherwise; and (E) there has been no material
                  change in the short-term debt or long-term debt of the
                  Operating Partnership.

                           (8) The Operating Partnership has been duly formed
                  and is validly existing as a limited partnership in good
                  standing under the Georgia Revised Uniform Limited
                  Partnership Act (the "Georgia Act") with partnership power
                  and authority to own, lease and operate its properties, to
                  conduct the business in which it is engaged and to enter into
                  and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the
                  other agreements to which it is a party. The Operating
                  Partnership is duly qualified or registered as a foreign
                  partnership and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
                  which such qualification or registration is required, whether
                  by reason of the ownership, leasing or management of property
                  or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so
                  qualify or register would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                       7
<PAGE>   8

                           (9) Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly formed
                  and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws
                  of its jurisdiction of organization with partnership or
                  corporate power and authority to conduct the business in
                  which it is engaged and to own, lease and operate its
                  properties as described in the Prospectus and to enter into
                  and perform its obligations under any agreements to which it
                  is a party. Each of the Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a
                  foreign partnership, corporation or other organization to
                  transact business and is in good standing in each
                  jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether
                  by reason of the ownership or leasing of property, the
                  management of properties by others or the conduct of
                  business, except where the failure to so qualify would not
                  have a Material Adverse Effect.

                           (10) All of the issued and outstanding shares of
                  capital stock and partnership interests, as the case may be,
                  of each Subsidiary have been validly issued and fully paid
                  and are owned by the Operating Partnership, the Company,
                  another Subsidiary, and/or certain affiliated entities as
                  described in the Registration Statement, in each case free
                  and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien,
                  encumbrance, claim or equity, other than the transfer
                  restrictions set forth in the Option and Transfer Agreement
                  by and among the Operating Partnership, Post Services, Inc.,
                  John A. Williams and John T. Glover. Except as otherwise
                  disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, the
                  Operating Partnership owns no direct or indirect equity
                  interest in any entity other than its Subsidiaries.

                           (11) The Operating Partnership has full power and
                  authority to enter into and perform its obligations under
                  this Agreement and this Agreement has been duly authorized,
                  executed and delivered by the Operating Partnership and,
                  assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the
                  other parties thereto, is a valid and binding agreement of
                  the Operating Partnership enforceable against the Operating
                  Partnership in accordance with its terms, except as (A) the
                  enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
                  insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
                  affecting creditors' rights generally, (B) the availability
                  of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles
                  of general applicability, and (C) rights to indemnity and
                  contribution thereunder may be limited by state or federal
                  securities laws or the public policy underlying such laws.

                           (12) The Indenture (A) has been duly authorized,
                  executed and delivered by the Operating Partnership, and,
                  assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the
                  Trustee, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the
                  Operating Partnership, enforceable against the Operating
                  Partnership in accordance with its terms, subject to (i)
                  applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
                  moratorium, fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting
                  creditors' rights generally and (ii) general principles of
                  equity (regardless of whether such

                                       8
<PAGE>   9

                  enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in
                  equity and except the effect on enforceability of (a)
                  requirements that a claim with respect to any Notes payable
                  other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign or composite
                  currency judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into
                  U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date
                  determined pursuant to applicable law or (b) federal or state
                  law limiting, delaying or prohibiting the making of payments
                  outside the United States; and (B) conforms in all material
                  respects to the description thereof in the Prospectus.

                           (13) The Notes have been duly authorized by the
                  Operating Partnership for offer, sale, issuance and delivery
                  pursuant to this Agreement and when issued and authenticated
                  in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered
                  against payment of the consideration therefor, will
                  constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
                  Operating Partnership, entitled to the benefits of the
                  Indenture enforceable against the Operating Partnership in
                  accordance with its terms, subject to (i) applicable
                  bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
                  fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting creditors'
                  rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity
                  (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a
                  proceeding at law or in equity and except the effect on
                  enforceability of (a) requirements that a claim with respect
                  to any Notes payable other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
                  or composite currency judgment in respect of such claim) be
                  converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing
                  on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or (b)
                  federal or state law limiting, delaying or prohibiting the
                  making of payments outside the United States. Such Notes will
                  be in the form contemplated by, and each registered holder
                  thereof is entitled to the benefits of, the applicable
                  Indenture. The terms of such Notes conform in all material
                  respects to all statements and descriptions related thereto
                  contained in the Prospectus. Such Notes rank and will rank on
                  a parity with all unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness
                  of the Operating Partnership that is outstanding on the
                  Delivery Date or that may be incurred thereafter, except that
                  such Notes will be effectively subordinated to the prior
                  claims of each secured mortgage lender to any specific
                  Property which secures such lender's mortgage.

                           (14) Neither the Operating Partnership nor any of
                  its Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter, by-laws,
                  certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement or
                  LLC agreement, as the case may be, or in default in the
                  performance or observance of any obligation, agreement,
                  covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture,
                  mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note,
                  lease or other agreement or instrument to which it or any of
                  them is a party or by which any of them may be bound, or to
                  which any of their property or assets is subject, except for
                  such defaults that could not result in a Material Adverse
                  Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this
                  Agreement and the Indenture and the execution and delivery of
                  the Notes and the transactions contemplated herein or
                  therein, including the issuance, sale and delivery of the
                  Notes and the

                                       9
<PAGE>   10


                  use of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes as described
                  in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds," and
                  compliance by the Operating Partnership with its obligations
                  hereunder and thereunder, (A) do not and will not, whether
                  with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or
                  both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or
                  Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the
                  creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance
                  upon any assets, properties or operations of the Operating
                  Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, any
                  material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
                  or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or
                  instrument to which the Operating Partnership or any of its
                  Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be
                  bound, or to which any of their properties or assets is
                  subject, nor (B) will such action result in any violation of
                  the provisions of the (i) charter, bylaws, LLC agreement or
                  partnership agreement of the Operating Partnership or any
                  Subsidiary, as the case may be, or (ii) any applicable law,
                  statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of
                  any government, government agency or court, domestic or
                  foreign, having jurisdiction over the Operating Partnership
                  or any Subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or
                  operations, except any violation that could not result in a
                  Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a "Repayment Event"
                  means any event or condition which gives the holder of any
                  note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any
                  person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require
                  the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion
                  of such indebtedness by the Operating Partnership or any
                  Subsidiary.

                           (15) No labor dispute with the employees of the
                  Company, the Operating Partnership or any Subsidiary exists
                  or, to the knowledge of the Operating Partnership, is
                  imminent, which may result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                           (16) There is no action, suit or proceeding before
                  or by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or
                  foreign, now pending, or to the knowledge of the Operating
                  Partnership threatened against or affecting the Operating
                  Partnership, any Subsidiary thereof, any Property or any
                  officer or director of the foregoing, which is required to be
                  disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
                  (other than as stated therein), or which could reasonably be
                  expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which
                  might materially and adversely affect the consummation of
                  this Agreement, the Indenture or the transactions
                  contemplated herein or therein or the performance by the
                  Operating Partnership of its obligations under this
                  Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes. There is no pending
                  legal or governmental proceedings to which the Operating
                  Partnership or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any of
                  their respective assets or properties is subject which could
                  reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
                  Effect.

                           (17) There are no contracts or documents of the
                  Company or the Operating Partnership which are required to be
                  described in the Registration

                                      10
<PAGE>   11

                  Statement, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by
                  reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which
                  have not been so described and/or filed as required.

                           (18) No authorization, approval or consent of any
                  court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or
                  required for the performance by the Operating Partnership of
                  its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the
                  Notes or in connection with the transactions contemplated
                  under this Agreement, the Indenture, or the Notes, except
                  such as have been already obtained or as may be required
                  under the 1933 Act, the 1939 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations or
                  state securities or real estate syndication laws or the rules
                  of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
                  ("NASD").

                           (19) The Operating Partnership and its Subsidiaries
                  own or possess trademarks, service marks, trade names or
                  other intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual
                  Property") necessary to carry on the business now operated by
                  them, and neither the Operating Partnership nor any of its
                  Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of
                  any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of
                  others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any
                  facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual
                  Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the
                  Operating Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries therein, and
                  which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any
                  unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or
                  inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a
                  Material Adverse Effect.

                           (20) Each of the Operating Partnership and its
                  Subsidiaries has all permits, licenses, approvals, consents,
                  certificates and other authorizations of and from
                  (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") and has made all
                  declarations and filings with all appropriate federal, state,
                  local, foreign and other governmental authorities, all self
                  regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals
                  required for it to own, lease, license and use its properties
                  and assets and to conduct its business in the manner
                  described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
                  other than such Governmental Licenses the absence of which,
                  singly or in the aggregate, could be reasonably likely to
                  result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Operating
                  Partnership nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any
                  notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
                  modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly
                  or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
                  decision, ruling or finding, could be reasonably likely to
                  result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                           (21) (A) Except as otherwise set forth in the
                  Registration Statement or Prospectus, the Operating
                  Partnership has good and marketable fee simple title to the
                  land underlying the Properties and good and marketable title
                  to the improvements thereon and all other assets that are
                  required for the effective operation of such Properties in
                  the manner in which they currently are operated,

                                      11
<PAGE>   12

                  subject, however, to mortgages on such Properties, to utility
                  easements serving such Properties, to liens of ad valorem
                  taxes not due and payable, to zoning and similar governmental
                  land use matters affecting such Properties that are
                  consistent with the current uses of such Properties, to
                  matters of title not adversely affecting marketability of
                  title to such Properties, other statutory liens not due and
                  payable, title matters that may be material in character,
                  amount or extent but which do not materially detract from the
                  value, or interfere with the use of, the Properties or
                  otherwise materially impair the business operations being
                  conducted or proposed to be conducted thereon, ownership of
                  cable television lines and facilities serving one or more of
                  such Properties by the cable television providers or their
                  affiliates, service marks and trade names used in connection
                  with such Properties, and ownership by others of certain
                  items of equipment and other items of personal property that
                  are not material to the conduct of business operations at
                  such Properties; (B) the ground lease under which the
                  Operating Partnership leases the land on which any Property
                  is located is in full force and effect, and the Operating
                  Partnership is not in default in respect of any of the terms
                  or provisions of any such lease and the Operating Partnership
                  has not received notice of the assertion of any claim by
                  anyone adverse to the Operating Partnership's rights as
                  lessee under any such lease, or affecting or questioning the
                  Operating Partnership's right to the continued possession or
                  use of the Property under any such lease or of a default
                  under any such lease, other than claims which would not have
                  a Material Adverse Effect; (C) all liens, charges,
                  encumbrances, claims, or restrictions on or affecting any of
                  the Properties and the assets of the Operating Partnership or
                  any Subsidiary which are required to be disclosed in the
                  Prospectus are disclosed therein; (D) none of the Operating
                  Partnership or any tenant of any of the Properties is in
                  default under any of the leases pursuant to which the
                  Operating Partnership, as lessor, leases its Property (and
                  the Operating Partnership does not know of any event which,
                  but for the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both,
                  would constitute a default under any of such leases) other
                  than such defaults that would not have a Material Adverse
                  Effect; (E) except as otherwise set forth in the Registration
                  Statement or Prospectus or to the extent not material to the
                  Operating Partnership, no person has an option or right of
                  first refusal to purchase all or part of any Property or any
                  interest therein; (F) each of the Properties complies with
                  all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including,
                  without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and
                  regulations and laws relating to access to the Properties),
                  except to the extent disclosed in the Prospectus and except
                  for such failures to comply that would not individually or in
                  the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; (G) the
                  Operating Partnership does not have knowledge of any pending
                  or threatened condemnation proceedings, zoning change, or
                  other similar proceeding or action that will in any manner
                  affect the size of, use of, improvements on, construction on
                  or access to the Properties, except such proceedings or
                  actions that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and
                  (H) other than with respect to the Property known as "Post
                  Woods," the Operating Partnership is the beneficiary of title
                  insurance on the Properties in

                                      12
<PAGE>   13

                  amounts that were commercially reasonable at the time such
                  policies were issued, and in each case such title insurance
                  is in full force and effect.

                           (22) The Operating Partnership is not, and upon the
                  issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated and the
                  application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the
                  Prospectus will not be, an "investment company" within the
                  meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
                  (the "1940 Act"), or is or will become a "holding company" or
                  a "subsidiary company" of a "registered holding company," as
                  defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as
                  amended.

                           (23) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, (A) each
                  Property, including, without limitation, the Environment (as
                  defined below) associated with each Property, is free of any
                  Hazardous Substance (as defined below) in violation of any
                  Environmental Law (as defined below) applicable to the
                  Properties, except for any Hazardous Substance that would not
                  have any Material Adverse Effect; (B) neither the Operating
                  Partnership nor any Subsidiary has caused or suffered to
                  occur any Release (as defined below) of any Hazardous
                  Substance into the Environment on, in, under or from any
                  Property in violation of any Environmental Law applicable to
                  such Property, and no condition exists on, in or under any
                  Property or, to the knowledge of the Operating Partnership,
                  any property adjacent to any Property that could result in
                  the occurrence of liabilities under, or any violations of,
                  any Environmental Law applicable to such Property, give rise
                  to the imposition of any Lien (as defined below) under any
                  Environmental Law, or cause or constitute a health, safety or
                  environmental hazard to any property, person or entity except
                  any violation which could not be reasonably likely to result
                  in a Material Adverse Effect; (C) neither the Operating
                  Partnership nor any Subsidiary is engaged in or intends to
                  engage in any manufacturing or any similar operations at any
                  Property that (1) require the use, handling, transportation,
                  storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Substance
                  (other than paints, stains, cleaning solvents, insecticides,
                  herbicides, or other substances that are used in the ordinary
                  course of operating any Property and in compliance with all
                  applicable Environmental Laws) or (2) require permits or are
                  otherwise regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law; (D)
                  except as otherwise set forth in the Registration Statement
                  or Prospectus, neither the Operating Partnership nor any
                  Subsidiary has received any notice of a claim under or
                  pursuant to any Environmental Law applicable to a Property or
                  under common law pertaining to Hazardous Substances on any
                  Property or pertaining to other property at which Hazardous
                  Substances generated at any Property have come to be located
                  which could be reasonably likely to result in a Material
                  Adverse Effect; (E) except as otherwise set forth in the
                  Registration Statement or Prospectus, neither the Operating
                  Partnership nor any Subsidiary has received any notice from
                  any Governmental Authority (as defined below) claiming any
                  violation of any Environmental Law that is uncured or
                  unremediated as of the date hereof which could reasonably be
                  likely to result in a Material Adverse

                                      13
<PAGE>   14

                  Effect; and (F) except as otherwise set forth in the
                  Registration Statement or Prospectus, no Property (1) is
                  included or, to the knowledge of the Operating Partnership or
                  any Subsidiary, proposed for inclusion on the National
                  Priorities List issued pursuant to CERCLA (as defined below)
                  by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the
                  "EPA") or on the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
                  Compensation, and Liability Information System database
                  maintained by the EPA as a potential CERCLA removal, remedial
                  or response site or (2) is included or proposed for inclusion
                  on, any similar list of potentially contaminated sites
                  pursuant to any other applicable Environmental Law nor has
                  the Operating Partnership, or any subsidiary received any
                  written notice from the EPA or any other Governmental
                  Authority proposing the inclusion of any Property on such
                  list.

                           As used herein, "Hazardous Substance" shall include,
                  without limitation, any hazardous substance, hazardous waste,
                  toxic or dangerous substance, pollutant, solid waste or
                  similarly designated materials, including, without
                  limitation, oil, petroleum, or any petroleum-derived
                  substance or waste, asbestos or asbestos-containing
                  materials, PCBs, pesticides, explosives, radioactive
                  materials, dioxins, urea formaldehyde insulation or any
                  constituent of any such substance, pollutant or waste,
                  including any such substance, pollutant or waste identified,
                  listed or regulated under any Environmental Law (including,
                  without limitation, materials listed in the United States
                  Department of Transportation Optional Hazardous Material
                  Table, 49 C.F.R. ss. 172.101, as the same may now or
                  hereafter be amended, or in the EPA's List of Hazardous
                  Substances and Reportable Quantities, 40 C.F.R. Part 3202, as
                  the same may now or hereafter be amended); "Environment"
                  shall mean any surface water, drinking water, ground water,
                  land surface, subsurface strata, river sediment, buildings,
                  structures, and ambient, workplace and indoor air;
                  "Environmental Law" shall mean the Comprehensive
                  Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as
                  amended (42 U.S.C. ss. 9601, et seq.) ("CERCLA"), the
                  Resource Conservation Recovery Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. ss.
                  6901, et seq.), the Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. ss.
                  7401, et seq.), the Clean Water Act, as amended (33 U.S.C.
                  ss. 1251, et seq.), the Toxic Substances Control Act, as
                  amended (15 U.S.C. ss. 2601 et seq.), the Occupational Safety
                  and Health Act of 1970, as amended (29 U.S.C. ss. 651, et
                  seq.), the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended
                  (49 U.S.C. ss. 1801, et seq.), together with all rules,
                  regulations and orders promulgated thereunder and all other
                  federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations
                  and orders relating to the protection of the environment or
                  of human health from environmental effects; "Governmental
                  Authority" shall mean any federal, state or local
                  governmental office, agency or authority having the duty or
                  authority to promulgate, implement or enforce any
                  Environmental Law; "Lien" shall mean, with respect to any
                  Property, any material mortgage, deed of trust, pledge,
                  security interest, lien, encumbrance, penalty, fine, charge,
                  assessment, judgment or other liability in, on or affecting
                  such Property; and "Release" shall mean any spilling,
                  leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting,

                                      14
<PAGE>   15

                  emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching,
                  dumping, emanating or disposing of any Hazardous Substance
                  into the Environment including, without limitation, the
                  abandonment or discard of barrels, containers, tanks
                  (including, without limitation, underground storage tanks) or
                  other receptacles containing or previously containing any
                  Hazardous Substance or any release, emission, discharge or
                  similar term, as those terms are defined or used in any
                  Environmental Law.

                           (24) Each of the Operating Partnership and its
                  Subsidiaries is insured by insurers of recognized financial
                  responsibility against such losses and risks and in such
                  amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in
                  which they are engaged.

                           (25) The assets of the Operating Partnership do not
                  constitute "plan assets" under the Employee Retirement Income
                  Security Act of 1974, as amended.

                           (26) Except as otherwise set forth in the
                  Registration Statement or Prospectus, the mortgages and deeds
                  of trust encumbering the properties and assets are not
                  convertible and are not cross-defaulted or
                  cross-collateralized to any property not owned by the
                  Operating Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries; except as
                  otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or
                  Prospectus, none of the Operating Partnership or any of its
                  Subsidiaries holds participating interests in such mortgages
                  and deeds of trust.

                           (27) The partnership agreement of the Operating
                  Partnership (the "Operating Partnership Agreement") has been
                  duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties
                  thereto and constitutes the valid agreement thereof,
                  enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as (A) the
                  enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
                  insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
                  affecting creditors' rights generally and (B) the
                  availability of equitable remedies may be limited by
                  equitable principles of general applicability; and the
                  execution, delivery and performance of the Operating
                  Partnership Agreement did not, at the time of execution and
                  delivery, and does not constitute a breach of, or default
                  under any material contract, lease or other instrument to
                  which the Operating Partnership is a party or by which its
                  properties may be bound or any law, administrative regulation
                  or administrative or court decree.

                           (28) The Company was organized and has operated in
                  conformity with the requirements for qualification and
                  taxation as a REIT for each of its taxable years beginning
                  with the year ended December 31, 1993, and its current
                  organization and method of operation should enable it to
                  continue to meet the requirements for qualification and
                  taxation as a REIT.

                                      15
<PAGE>   16

                           (29) The Operating Partnership and each of the
                  Subsidiary Partnerships are properly classified as
                  partnerships, and not as corporations or as associations
                  taxable as corporations, for Federal income tax purposes
                  throughout the period from July 22, 1993 through the date
                  hereof, or, in the case of any Subsidiary Partnerships that
                  have terminated, through the date of termination of such
                  Subsidiary Partnerships.

                           (30) Each of the Company, the Operating Partnership
                  and its Subsidiaries has filed all federal, state, local and
                  foreign income tax returns which have been required to be
                  filed (except in any case in which the failure to file would
                  not have a Material Adverse Effect) and has paid all taxes
                  required to be paid and any other assessment, fine or penalty
                  levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is
                  due and payable, except, in all cases, for any such tax,
                  assessment, fine or penalty that is being contested in good
                  faith.

                           (31) The Notes, upon issuance, will be excluded or 
                  exempted under, or beyond the purview of, the Commodity 
                  Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules and regulations of 
                  the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under such Act, as 
                  amended.

                           (32) To the Operating Partnership's knowledge after 
                  due inquiry, the Medium-Term Note Program under which the
                  Notes are issued (the "Program"), as well as the Notes, are
                  rated Baa1 Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and BBB+ by        
                  Standard & Poor's Ratings Service, or such other rating as to
                  which the Operating Partnership shall have most recently
                  notified the Agents pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof.

         (b)      Additional Certifications. Any certificate signed by any
officer of the Operating Partnership (or any officer of the Company) or any of
its Subsidiaries and delivered to one or more Agents or to counsel for the
Agents in connection with an offering of Notes to one or more Agents as
principal or through an Agent as agent shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Operating Partnership to such Agent or Agents as to the matters
covered thereby on the date of such certificate and, unless subsequently
amended or supplemented, at each Representation Date subsequent thereto.

SECTION 3.        Purchases as Principal; Solicitations as Agent.

         (a)      Purchases as Principal. Unless otherwise agreed between an
Agent and the Operating Partnership, Notes shall be purchased by such Agent as
principal. Notes purchased from the Operating Partnership by the Agents,
individually or in a syndicate, as principal shall be made in accordance with
terms agreed upon between such Agent or Agents and the Operating Partnership
(which terms, unless otherwise agreed, shall, to the extent applicable, include
those terms specified in Exhibit A hereto and shall be agreed upon orally, with
written confirmation prepared by such Agent or Agents and mailed to the
Operating Partnership). An Agent's commitment to purchase Notes as principal
shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the representations and


                                      16
<PAGE>   17


warranties of the Operating Partnership herein contained and shall be subject
to the terms and conditions herein set forth. Unless the context otherwise
requires, references herein to "this Agreement" shall include the applicable
agreement of one or more Agents to purchase Notes from the Operating
Partnership as principal. Each purchase of Notes, unless otherwise agreed,
shall be at a discount from the principal amount of each such Note equivalent
to the applicable commission set forth in Schedule A hereto. The Agents may
engage the services of any broker or dealer in connection with the resale of
the Notes purchased by them as principal and may allow all or any portion of
the discount received from the Operating Partnership in connection with such
purchases to such brokers or dealers. At the time of each purchase of Notes
from the Operating Partnership by one or more Agents as principal, such Agent
or Agents shall specify the requirements for the officers' certificate,
opinions of counsel and comfort letter, if any, pursuant to Sections 8(b), 8(c)
and 8(d) hereof.

         (b)      Solicitations as Agent. On the basis of the representations
and warranties herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, when agreed by the Operating Partnership and an Agent, such Agent,
as an agent of the Operating Partnership, will use its reasonable efforts to
solicit offers for the purchase of Notes upon the terms set forth in the
Prospectus. The Agents are not authorized to appoint sub-agents with respect to
Notes sold through them as agent. All Notes sold through an Agent as agent will
be sold at 100% of their principal amount unless otherwise agreed upon between
the Operating Partnership and such Agent.

         The Operating Partnership reserves the right, in its sole discretion,
to suspend solicitation of offers for the purchase of Notes through an Agent,
as an agent of the Operating Partnership, commencing at any time for any period
of time or permanently. As soon as practicable after receipt of instructions
from the Operating Partnership, such Agent will suspend solicitation of offers
for the purchase of Notes from the Operating Partnership until such time as the
Operating Partnership has advised such Agent that such solicitation may be
resumed.

         The Operating Partnership agrees to pay each Agent a commission, in
the form of a discount, equal to the applicable percentage of the principal
amount of each Note sold by the Operating Partnership as a result of a
solicitation made by such Agent, as an agent of the Operating Partnership, as
set forth in Schedule A hereto.

         (c)      Administrative Procedures. The purchase price, interest rate
or formula, maturity date and other terms of the Notes specified in Exhibit A
hereto (as applicable) shall be agreed upon between the Operating Partnership
and the applicable Agent(s) and specified in a pricing supplement to the
Prospectus (each, a "Pricing Supplement") to be prepared by the Operating
Partnership in connection with each sale of Notes. Except as otherwise
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Notes will be issued in
denominations of U.S. $1,000 or any larger amount that is an integral multiple
of U.S. $1,000. The Agents and the Operating Partnership agree to perform, and
the Operating Partnership agrees to cause the Trustee to agree to perform,
their respective duties and obligations specifically provided to be performed
by them in the Administrative Procedures set forth in Exhibit B hereto (the
"Procedures").


                                      17
<PAGE>   18


SECTION 4.        Covenants of the Operating Partnership.

         Each of the Operating Partnership and the Company covenants and agrees
with each Agent as follows:

         (a)      Preparation of Pricing Supplements. The Operating Partnership
will prepare, with respect to any Notes to be sold to or through one or more
Agents pursuant to this Agreement, a Pricing Supplement with respect to such
Notes in a form previously approved by the Agents. The Operating Partnership
will use its best efforts to deliver such Pricing Supplement no later than
11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day following the date of the
Operating Partnership's acceptance of the offer for the purchase of such Notes
and will file such Pricing Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the 1933
Act not later than the close of business of the Commission on the fifth
business day after the date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used.

         (b)      Notice of Certain Events. The Operating Partnership will
notify the Agents immediately, and confirm such notice in writing, of (i) the
effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or
the filing of any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (other than any
amendment or supplement thereto providing solely for the determination of the
variable terms of the Notes or relating solely to the offering of securities
other than the Notes), (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission
with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any
documents incorporated therein by reference, (iii) any request by the
Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) the issuance
by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
preliminary prospectus, or of the initiation of any proceedings for that
purpose or (v) any change in the rating assigned by any nationally recognized
statistical rating organization to the Program or any Debt Securities
(including the Notes) of the Operating Partnership, or the public announcement
by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization that it has under
surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of the
Program or any such Debt Securities, or the withdrawal by any nationally
recognized statistical rating organization of its rating of the Program or any
such Debt Securities. The Operating Partnership will make every reasonable
effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is
issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

         (c)      Filing or Use of Amendments. The Operating Partnership will
give the Agents advance notice of its intention to file or prepare any
additional registration statement with respect to the registration of
additional Notes, any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any
filing under Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations) or any amendment or
supplement to the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time
it became effective or to the Prospectus (other than an amendment or supplement
thereto providing solely for the determination of the variable terms of the
Notes or relating solely to the offering of securities other than the Notes),
whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish to
the Agents copies of any such document a reasonable amount of time prior to
such proposed filing or use, as


                                      18
<PAGE>   19

the case may be, and will not file any such document to which the Agents or
counsel for the Agents shall reasonably object.

         (d)      Delivery of the Registration Statement. The Operating
Partnership has furnished to each Agent and to counsel for the Agents, without
charge, as many conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally
filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or
incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference therein) and conformed copies of all consents and
certificates of experts. Copies of the Registration Statement and each
amendment thereto furnished to the Agents will be identical to any
electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

         (e)      Delivery of the Prospectus. The Operating Partnership will
deliver to each Agent, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary
prospectus as such Agent may reasonably request, and the Operating Partnership
hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933
Act. The Operating Partnership will furnish to each Agent, without charge, such
number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Agent
may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
thereto furnished to the Agents will be identical to any electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

         (f)      Revisions of Prospectus -- Material Changes. Except as
otherwise provided in subsection (m) of this Section 4, if at any time during
the term of this Agreement any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a
result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the
Agents or counsel for the Operating Partnership, to amend the Registration
Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not 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 or to
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser,
or if it shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of either such counsel,
to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act
Regulations, the Operating Partnership shall give immediate notice, confirmed
in writing, to the Agents to cease the solicitation of offers for the purchase
of Notes in their capacity as agents and to cease sales of any Notes they may
then own as principal, and the Operating Partnership will promptly prepare and
file with the Commission, subject to Section 4(c) hereof, such amendment or
supplement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the
Agents, as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make
the Registration Statement and Prospectus comply with such requirements, and
the Operating Partnership will furnish to the Agents, without charge, such
number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Agents may reasonably
request. In addition, the Operating Partnership will comply with the 1933 Act,
the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to
permit the completion of the distribution of each offering of Notes.


                                      19
<PAGE>   20

         (g)      Prospectus Revisions -- Periodic Financial Information.
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (m) of this Section 4, on or prior
to the date on which there shall be released to the general public interim
financial statement information related to the Operating Partnership with
respect to each of the first three quarters of any fiscal year or preliminary
financial statement information with respect to any fiscal year, the Operating
Partnership shall furnish such information to the Agents, confirmed in writing,
and shall cause the Prospectus to include or incorporate by reference financial
information with respect thereto and corresponding information for the
comparable period of the preceding fiscal year, as well as such other
information and explanations as shall be necessary for an understanding thereof
or as shall be required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations.

         (h)      Prospectus Revisions -- Audited Financial Information. Except
as otherwise provided in subsection (m) of this Section 4, on or prior to the
date on which there shall be released to the general public financial
information included in or derived from the audited consolidated financial
statements of the Operating Partnership for the preceding fiscal year, the
Operating Partnership shall furnish such information to the Agents, confirmed
in writing, and shall cause the Prospectus to include or incorporate by
reference such audited consolidated financial statements and the report or
reports, and consent or consents to such inclusion or incorporation by
reference, of the independent accountants with respect thereto, as well as such
other information and explanations as shall be necessary for an understanding
of such consolidated financial statements or as shall be required by the 1933
Act or the 1933 Act Regulations.

         (i)      Earning Statements. The Operating Partnership will timely
file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make
generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earning
statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the
last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

         (j)      Use of Proceeds. The Operating Partnership will use the net
proceeds received by it from the issuance and sale of the Notes in the manner
specified in the Prospectus.

         (k)      Restriction on Offers and Sales of Securities. Unless
otherwise agreed upon between one or more Agents acting as principal and the
Operating Partnership, between the date of the agreement by such Agent(s) to
purchase the related Notes from the Operating Partnership and the Settlement
Date with respect thereto, the Operating Partnership will not, without the
prior written consent of such Agent(s), issue, sell, offer or contract to sell,
grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, any debt securities
of the type which could be offered under the Program of the Operating
Partnership (other than the Notes that are to be sold pursuant to such
agreement or commercial paper in the ordinary course of business).

         (l)      Reporting Requirements. The Operating Partnership, during the
period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act in connection with sales of the Notes, will file all documents
required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 and 15 of
the 1934 Act within the time periods prescribed by the 1934 Act and the 1934
Act Regulations.



                                      20
<PAGE>   21

         (m)      Suspension of Certain Obligations. The Operating Partnership
shall not be required to comply with the provisions of subsection (f), (g) or
(h) of this Section 4 during any period from the time (i) the Operating
Partnership requests that the Agents shall have suspended solicitation of
offers for the purchase of Notes in their capacity as agents (provided,
however, that such suspension shall be automatic, unless an Agent is holding
Notes as principal as described in clause (ii) below, from the time the
Operating Partnership shall have released to the general public interim or
audited financial information as described in Sections 4(g) or (h) until the
earlier to occur of (a) the filing of a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an
Annual Report on Form 10-K, (b) the filing of the general public interim or
audited financial information as described in Sections 4(g) or (h) pursuant to
a Current Report on Form 8-K or (c) a verbal request by the Operating
Partnership to any Agent that such Agent resume solicitation of offers for the
purchase of Notes) and (ii) no Agent shall then hold any Notes purchased from
the Operating Partnership as principal less than 180 days prior to such date
(unless, in the discretion of any Agent then holding Notes as principal, such
Agent waives the requirements of this clause (ii)), as the case may be, until
the time the Operating Partnership shall determine that solicitation of offers
for the purchase of Notes should be resumed or an Agent shall subsequently
purchase Notes from the Operating Partnership as principal.

SECTION 5.        Payment of Expenses.

         The Operating Partnership will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (a) the
preparation, filing, printing and delivery of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and all
amendments thereto and any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto; (b) the preparation and delivery of this
Agreement, the Indenture and such other documents as may be required in
connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Notes; (c) the
preparation, issuance and delivery of the Notes, including any fees and
expenses relating to the eligibility and issuance of Notes in book-entry form
and the cost of obtaining CUSIP or other identification numbers for the Notes;
(d) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Operating Partnership's
accountants, counsel and other advisors or agents (including any calculation
agent or exchange rate agent) and of the fees and disbursements of the Trustee;
(e) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents incurred in
connection with the establishment of the Program and incurred from time to time
in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby; (f) the fees charged
by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations for the rating of the
Program and the Notes; (g) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with
any listing of Notes on a securities exchange; (h) the filing fees incident to,
and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents in
connection with, the review, if any, by the NASD of the terms of the sale of
the Notes; (i) any advertising and other out-of-pocket expenses of the Agents
relating to the Notes reasonably incurred with the approval of the Operating
Partnership; and (j) the preparation, issuance and delivery to the Depository
Trust Company for credit to the accounts of the Agent(s) of any global note
registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for the Depository Trust
Company.


                                      21
<PAGE>   22

SECTION 6.        Conditions of Agents' Obligations.

         The obligations of one or more Agents to purchase Notes from the
Operating Partnership as principal and to solicit offers for the purchase of
Notes as an agent of the Operating Partnership, and the obligations of any
purchasers of Notes sold through an Agent as an agent of the Operating
Partnership, will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties on the part of the Operating Partnership herein contained or
contained in any certificate of an officer of the Operating Partnership, the
Company or any Subsidiary delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance and observance by the Operating Partnership of its covenants and
other obligations hereunder, and to the following additional conditions
precedent:

         (a)      (i) The Registration Statement (including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement) shall be effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been
instituted or shall be pending or threatened by the Commission, and any request
on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been
complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Agents, (ii) the
rating assigned by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization to
the Notes or any Debt Securities of the Operating Partnership as of the
applicable Representation Date shall not have been lowered since such date nor
shall any such rating organization have publicly announced that it has placed
the Notes or any Debt Securities of the Operating Partnership on what is
commonly termed a "watch list" for possible downgrading; and (iii) there shall
not have come to an Agent's attention any facts that would cause such Agent to
reasonably believe that the Prospectus, together with the applicable Prospectus
Supplement, at the time it was required to be delivered to purchasers of the
Notes, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances existing at such time, not misleading.

         (b)      The Agents shall have received the opinion, dated as of the
date hereof, of King & Spalding, counsel for the Company, the Operating
Partnership and the Subsidiaries, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel
for the Agents, to the effect that:

                           (i)      The Operating Partnership has been duly
                  formed and is validly existing as a limited partnership under
                  the Georgia Act. The Operating Partnership has partnership
                  power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
                  and to conduct the business in which it is engaged, and, to
                  counsel's knowledge, is duly qualified as a foreign
                  partnership in the jurisdictions set forth in an exhibit to
                  the opinion. All of the issued and outstanding interests in
                  the Operating Partnership have been duly authorized and
                  validly issued and fully paid.

                           (ii)     Each of Post Services, Inc., Post Asset
                  Management, Inc., Post Landscape Services, Inc. and RAM
                  Partners, Inc. and any Significant Subsidiary within the
                  meaning of Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X (collectively, the
                  "Significant Subsidiaries") has been duly formed and is
                  validly existing and in good standing




                                      22
<PAGE>   23

                  under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation. Each of
                  the Significant Subsidiaries has the power and authority to
                  own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct the
                  business in which it is engaged, and, to counsel's knowledge,
                  is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or partnership and
                  is in good standing in the jurisdictions set forth in an
                  exhibit to the opinion. All of the issued and outstanding
                  shares of capital stock, LLC interests and partnership
                  interests of each Significant Subsidiary have been duly
                  authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and are owned,
                  to such counsel's knowledge, free and clear of any security
                  interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
                  equity, other than as set forth in the Registration Statement
                  or Prospectus or the transfer restrictions set forth in the
                  Option and Transfer Agreement by and among the Operating
                  Partnership, Post Services, Inc., John A. Williams and John
                  T. Glover. The ownership of the shares of capital stock of
                  each Significant Subsidiary is as described in the
                  Registration Statement or Prospectus.

                           (iii)    The Indenture has been duly qualified under
                  the 1939 Act and has been duly authorized, executed and
                  delivered by the Operating Partnership and (assuming due
                  authorization, execution and delivery by the Trustee)
                  constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Operating
                  Partnership enforceable against the Operating Partnership in
                  accordance with its terms, subject to (1) applicable
                  bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
                  fraudulent transfer, or similar laws affecting creditors'
                  rights generally from time to time in effect and (2) general
                  principles of equity (regardless of whether such
                  enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in
                  equity). However, we express no opinion as to the effect on
                  enforceability of (A) requirements that a claim with respect
                  to any Notes payable other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
                  or composite currency judgment in respect of such claim) be
                  converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing
                  on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or (B)
                  federal or state law limiting, delaying or prohibiting the
                  making of payments outside the United States.

                           (iv)     The Notes have been duly and validly
                  authorized by all necessary action and, when executed,
                  authenticated and delivered in accordance with the Indenture
                  and against payment therefor as specified in this Agreement,
                  will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be
                  valid and legally binding obligations of the Operating
                  Partnership enforceable against the Operating Partnership in
                  accordance with their terms, subject to (1) applicable
                  bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
                  fraudulent transfer, or similar laws affecting creditors'
                  rights generally from time to time in effect and (2) general
                  principles of equity (regardless of whether such
                  enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in
                  equity). However, we express no opinion as to the effect on
                  enforceability of (A) requirements that a claim with respect
                  to any Notes payable other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
                  or composite currency judgment in respect of such claim) be
                  converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing
                  on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or (B)
                  federal or state


                                      23
<PAGE>   24

                  law limiting, delaying or prohibiting the making of payments
                  outside the United States.

                           (v)      This Agreement has been duly and validly
                  authorized, executed and delivered by the Operating
                  Partnership, and the Operating Partnership has the power and
                  authority to perform its obligations hereunder.

                           (vi)     The execution and delivery of this
                  Agreement by the Operating Partnership, and the performance
                  by the Operating Partnership of its obligations hereunder and
                  the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder,
                  did not, do not and will not conflict with or constitute a
                  breach or violation of, or default under: (A) to the
                  knowledge of counsel, any instrument or agreement filed or
                  incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration
                  Statement to which the Operating Partnership is a party or by
                  which it or any of its respective properties or other assets
                  or any Property may be bound or subject; (B) the certificate
                  of limited partnership or partnership agreement of the
                  Operating Partnership; or (C) to the knowledge of counsel,
                  any applicable law, rule, order, administrative regulation or
                  administrative or court decree, except that no opinion is
                  expressed under this clause (C) as to the Agreement with
                  respect to federal, state or foreign securities laws.

                           (vii)    The Registration Statement is effective
                  under the 1933 Act and, to counsel's knowledge based solely
                  upon telephonic confirmation from the staff of the
                  Commission, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
                  Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and
                  no proceedings for that purpose have been initiated or
                  threatened by the Commission.

                           (viii)   The Notes and the Indenture conform in all
                  material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in
                  the Prospectus.

                           (ix)     No consent, approval, authorization or
                  order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or
                  agency and no consent, approval, or authorization of any
                  person other than the Operating Partnership is required for
                  the performance by the Operating Partnership of its
                  obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes,
                  except such as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1939
                  Act, and the securities, Blue Sky or real estate syndication
                  laws of various states or the rules of the NASD in connection
                  with the offer and sale of the Notes.

                           (x)      To the knowledge of counsel, there is no
                  action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or
                  governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending
                  or threatened against or affecting the Company, the Operating
                  Partnership, any Significant Subsidiary or any material
                  property of the Company that is required to be disclosed in
                  the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein)
                  or that, if determined adversely to the Company, the
                  Operating Partnership, any Significant Subsidiary or any such
                  property, could reasonably be


                                      24
<PAGE>   25

                  expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation
                  of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. To the
                  knowledge of counsel, there are no contracts or documents of
                  the Operating Partnership or any Significant Subsidiary which
                  are required by the 1933 Act, or by the 1933 Act Regulations,
                  the 1934 Act, or the 1934 Act Regulations to be filed as
                  exhibits to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the
                  documents incorporated by reference which have not been so
                  filed as exhibits as required.

                           (xi)     None of the Company, the Operating
                  Partnership or any Subsidiary is required to be registered as
                  an investment company under the 1940 Act.

                           (xii)    The information (A) in the Prospectus and
                  the applicable Prospectus Supplement under the headings
                  "Description of Debt Securities," "Description of Notes,"
                  "Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations" and
                  "Federal Income Tax Considerations" and (B) in the Operating
                  Partnership's Form 10 under "Recent Sales of Unregistered
                  Securities," to the extent that it constitutes matters of law
                  or legal conclusions has been reviewed by such counsel, is
                  correct and presents fairly the information required to be
                  disclosed therein.

                           (xiii)   At the time the Registration Statement
                  became effective and at the Representation Date, the
                  Registration Statement and Prospectus (except for financial
                  statements and supporting schedules and other financial
                  information and data included or incorporated by reference
                  therein or the Statement of Eligibility, as to which such
                  counsel need not express any opinion), excluding the
                  documents incorporated by reference therein, complied as to
                  form in all material respects with the requirements of the
                  1933 Act, the 1939 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

                           (xiv)    Each document heretofore filed pursuant to
                  the 1934 Act and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
                  reference in the Prospectus (except for financial statements
                  and supporting schedules and other financial information and
                  data included or incorporated by reference therein, as to
                  which such counsel need not express any opinion) complied as
                  to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
                  1934 Act and the applicable 1934 Act Regulations in effect at
                  the date of their respective filings.

                           (xv)     The Company was organized and has operated
                  in conformity with the requirements for qualification and
                  taxation as a REIT for each of its taxable years beginning
                  with the year ended December 31, 1993, and its current
                  organization and method of operation should enable it to
                  continue to meet the requirements for qualification and
                  taxation as a REIT.

                           (xvi)    The Operating Partnership and each
                  Significant Subsidiary that is a partnership ("Subsidiary
                  Partnership") are properly classified as partnerships, and


                                      25
<PAGE>   26


                  not as corporations or as associations taxable as
                  corporations, for Federal income tax purposes throughout the
                  period from July 22, 1993 through the date hereof, or, in the
                  case of any Subsidiary Partnerships that have terminated,
                  through the date of termination of such Subsidiary
                  Partnerships.

         (c)      The Agents shall have received the opinion, dated as of the 
date hereof, of Hogan & Hartson L.L.P., counsel for the Agents, with respect to
the matters set forth in (i) (first sentence only), (iii), (iv), (v), (vii),
(viii), (xii) (solely with respect to information set forth in "Description of
Debt Securities" and "Description of Notes"), and (xiii) of Section 6(b) above.

         (d)      In rendering their opinions required by Sections 6(b) and 
6(c), respectively, King & Spalding and Hogan & Hartson L.L.P. shall each
additionally state (which shall not constitute an opinion) that no facts have
come to the attention of such counsel which cause them to believe that the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial
statements and supporting schedules and other financial information and data
included therein or omitted therefrom, or the Statement of Eligibility, as to
which such counsel need not express any view), as of the time it became
effective under the 1933 Act (and as of the time of filing of the Operating
Partnership's Annual Report on Form 10-K, if filed subsequent to the time of
effectiveness) or at the date of the Agreement, 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, or that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except as aforesaid) as of
the date of this Agreement, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.

                  In giving their opinions required by Section 6(b) and 6(c),
such counsel (A) may rely as to all matters of fact, upon certificates and
written statements of officers and employees of and accountants for the
Operating Partnership and the Company and (B) may rely as to the qualification
and good standing of each of the Operating Partnership or any of the
Subsidiaries to do business in any state or jurisdiction, upon certificates of
appropriate government officials or opinions of counsel in such jurisdictions,
which opinions shall be in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Agents. In giving their belief required in this Section 6(d), such counsel may
state that their belief is based upon their participation in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any amendments and supplements
thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof.

         (e)      On the date hereof, there shall not have been, since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Operating Partnership
and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business, and the Agents shall have received a
certificate of the President or a Vice President of the


                                      26
<PAGE>   27

Company and of the chief financial officer and chief accounting officer of the
Company, dated as of the date hereof, to the effect that (i) there has been no
such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the
Operating Partnership herein contained are true and correct with the same force
and effect as though expressly made at and as of the date of such certificate,
(iii) the Operating Partnership has complied with all agreements and satisfied
all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the date
of such certificate, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or, to the best of such officers' knowledge, are
threatened by the Commission.

         (f)      The Agents shall have received a letter from Price Waterhouse
LLP, dated as of the date hereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Agents, to the effect that: (i) they are independent accountants with respect
to the Company, the Operating Partnership and their Subsidiaries within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations; (ii) it is their opinion
that the consolidated financial statements and supporting schedules included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
covered by their opinions therein comply in form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations; (iii) based upon limited procedures set forth in detail in such
letter (which shall include, without limitation, the procedures specified by
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim
financial information as described in SAS No. 71, Interim Financial
Information, with respect to the unaudited financial statements of the Company
and the Operating Partnership included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement), nothing has come to their attention which causes them
to believe that, (A) any material modifications should be made to the unaudited
condensed financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement for them to be in conformity with GAAP or (B) the
unaudited condensed financial statements included or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1934 Act as it applies to
Form 10-Q and the related published rules and regulations or (C) at the date of
the latest available consolidated interim financial data, there has been any
change in the Common Stock of the Company or partnership interests in the
Operating Partnership or in the consolidated long term debt of the Company and
the Operating Partnership or any decrease in the net assets of the Company, as
compared with the amounts shown in the most recent consolidated balance sheet
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus or, during the period from the date of the most recent consolidated
statement of operations included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus at the date of the latest available
consolidated interim financial data, there were any decreases, as compared with
the corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated revenues, or
decrease in net income or net income per share of common stock of the Company
and the Operating Partnership, as applicable, except in all instances for
changes, increases or decreases which the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus disclose have occurred or may occur; (iv) based upon inquiries of
certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters, nothing came to our attention that (A) there was any change
at a specified date not more than five days prior to the date hereof in the
capital stock, increase in debt or any decreases in consolidated net assets,
stockholders' equity and accumulated earnings,


                                      27
<PAGE>   28

partners' equity, as applicable, of the Company as compared with amounts shown
on the most recent consolidated balance sheets included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or (B) for the
period from the date of the latest available consolidated interim financial
data to a specified date not more than five days prior to the date hereof,
there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the
preceding year, in consolidated revenues or in the total amount of income
before extraordinary items or of net income, except in all instances for
changes or decreases which the Registration Statement and Prospectus discloses
have occurred or may occur and (v) in addition to the audit referred to in
their opinions and the limited procedures referred to in clause (iii) above,
they have carried out certain specified procedures with respect to certain
amounts, percentages and financial and statistical information which are
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and which are
specified by the Agents, and have found such amounts, percentages and financial
and statistical information to be in agreement with relevant accounting,
financial and other records of the Company and the Operating Partnership and
their Subsidiaries identified in such letter.

         (g)      The Agents shall have received a letter from Ernst & Young
LLP dated as of the date hereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Agents, to the effect that: (i) they are independent accountants with respect
to Columbus Realty Trust ("Columbus") and its subsidiaries within the meaning
of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations; (ii) it is their opinion that the
consolidated financial statements and supporting schedules included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
covered by their opinions therein comply in form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations; (iii) based upon limited procedures set forth in detail in such
letter (which shall include, without limitation, the procedures specified by
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim
financial information as described in SAS No. 71, Interim Financial
Information, with respect to the unaudited financial statements of Columbus
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement), nothing
has come to their attention which causes them to believe that, (A) any material
modifications should be made to the unaudited consolidated financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement for them to
be in conformity with GAAP or (B) the unaudited consolidated financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the 1934 Act as it applies to Form 10-Q and the
related published rules and regulations or (C) at the date of the latest
available consolidated interim financial data, there has been any change in the
capital stock of Columbus or in the consolidated long term debt of Columbus or
any decrease in the consolidated net current assets of Columbus, as compared
with the amounts shown in the most recent consolidated balance sheet included
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
or, during the period from the date of the most recent consolidated statement
of operations included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus at the date of the latest available consolidated
interim financial data, there were any decreases, as compared with the
corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated revenues, or
decrease in consolidated income before extraordinary items or consolidated
income before extraordinary items per share of common stock or in consolidated
net income or consolidated net income per share of common stock of Columbus,
except in all instances for


                                      28
<PAGE>   29

changes, increases or decreases which the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus disclose have occurred or may occur; and (iv) based upon inquiries
of certain officials of Columbus who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters, nothing came to our attention that (A) there was any change
at a specified date not more than five days prior to the date hereof in the
capital stock, increase in long-term debt or any decreases in consolidated net
current assets or equity of Columbus as compared with amounts shown on the most
recent consolidated balance sheets included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or (B) for the period from the date
of the latest available consolidated interim financial data to a specified date
not more than five days prior to the date hereof, there were any decreases, as
compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated
revenues or in the total or per-share amounts of consolidated income before
extraordinary items or of consolidated net income, except in all instances for
changes or decreases which the Registration Statement and Prospectus disclose
have occurred or may occur.

         (h)      On the date hereof, counsel to the Agents shall have been
furnished with such documents and opinions as such counsel may require for the
purpose of enabling such counsel to pass upon the issuance and sale of Notes as
herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the
representations and warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions,
herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Operating Partnership in
connection with the issuance and sale of Notes as herein contemplated shall be
satisfactory in form and substance to the Agents and to counsel to the Agents.

         (i)      If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have
been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be
terminated by the applicable Agent or Agents by notice to the Operating
Partnership at any time and any such termination shall be without liability of
any party to any other party except as provided in Section 5 hereof and except
that Sections 9, 10, 11, 15 and 16 hereof shall survive any such termination
and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION  7.       Delivery of and Payment for Notes Sold through an Agent as
                  Agent.

         Delivery of Notes sold through an Agent as an agent of the Operating
Partnership shall be made by the Operating Partnership to such Agent for the
account of any purchaser only against payment therefor in immediately available
funds. In the event that a purchaser shall fail either to accept delivery of or
to make payment for a Note on the date fixed for settlement, such Agent shall
promptly notify the Operating Partnership and deliver such Note to the
Operating Partnership and, if such Agent has theretofore paid the Operating
Partnership for such Note, the Operating Partnership will promptly return such
funds to such Agent. If such failure has occurred for any reason other than
default by such Agent in the performance of its obligations hereunder, the
Operating Partnership will reimburse such Agent on an equitable basis for its
loss of the use of the funds for the period such funds were credited to the
Operating Partnership's account.


                                      29
<PAGE>   30

SECTION 8.        Additional Covenants of the Operating Partnership.

         The Operating Partnership further covenants and agrees with each Agent
as follows:

         (a)      Reaffirmation of Representations and Warranties. Each
acceptance by the Operating Partnership of an offer for the purchase of Notes
(whether to one or more Agents as principal or through an Agent as agent), and
each delivery of Notes (whether to one or more Agents as principal or through
an Agent as agent), shall be deemed to be an affirmation that the
representations and warranties of the Operating Partnership herein contained
and contained in any certificate theretofore delivered to the Agents pursuant
hereto are true and correct at the time of such acceptance or sale, as the case
may be, and an undertaking that such representations and warranties will be
true and correct at the time of delivery to such Agent(s) or to the purchaser
or its agent, as the case may be, of the Notes relating to such acceptance or
sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such time (it being
understood that such representations and warranties shall relate to the
Registration Statement and Prospectus as amended and supplemented to each such
time, other than an amendment or supplement relating to the offering of
securities other than the Notes).

         (b)      Subsequent Delivery of Certificates. Each time that (i) the
Operating Partnership shall file a Form 10-K or Form 10-Q with the Commission,
unless otherwise waived by the Agents, (ii) the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by an amendment or
supplement providing solely for the determination of the variable terms of the
Notes, the filing of a Form 10-K or Form 10-Q with the Commission or relating
solely to the offering of securities other than the Notes), if requested in
writing by the Agent or Agents, (iii) (if requested in writing by the Agent or
Agents) the Operating Partnership sells Notes to one or more Agents as
principal or (iv) the Operating Partnership sells Notes in a form not
previously certified to the Agents by the Operating Partnership, the Operating
Partnership shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent(s) forthwith a
certificate dated the date of filing with the Commission or the date of
effectiveness of such amendment or supplement, as applicable, or the date of
such sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to the Agent(s) to the
effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section
6(e) hereof which were last furnished to the Agents are true and correct at the
time of the filing or effectiveness of such amendment or supplement, as
applicable, or the time of such sale, as the case may be, as though made at and
as of such time (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such
time) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the
certificate referred to in Section 6(e) hereof, modified as necessary to relate
to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
the time of delivery of such certificate (it being understood that, in the case
of clause (iii) above, any such certificate shall also include a certification
that there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Operating Partnership and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise since
the date of the agreement by such Agent(s) to purchase Notes from the Operating
Partnership as principal).

         (c)      Subsequent Delivery of Legal Opinions. Each time that (i) the
Operating Partnership shall file a Form 10-K or Form 10-Q with the Commission,
unless otherwise waived by


                                      30
<PAGE>   31

the Agents, (ii) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended
or supplemented (other than by an amendment or supplement providing solely for
the determination of the variable terms of the Notes, the filing of a Form 10-K
or Form 10-Q with the Commission or relating solely to the offering of
securities other than the Notes), if requested in writing by the Agent or
Agents, (iii) (if requested in writing by the Agent or Agents) the Operating
Partnership sells Notes to one or more Agents as principal or (iv) the
Operating Partnership sells Notes in a form not previously certified to the
Agents by the Operating Partnership, the Operating Partnership shall furnish or
cause to be furnished forthwith to the Agent(s) and to counsel to the Agents
the written opinion of King & Spalding, counsel to the Operating Partnership,
or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agent(s), dated the date of
filing with the Commission or the date of effectiveness of such amendment or
supplement, as applicable, or the date of such sale, as the case may be, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent(s), of the same tenor
as the opinion referred to in Section 6(b) hereof, but modified, as necessary,
to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to the time of delivery of such opinion or, in lieu of such
opinion, counsel last furnishing such opinion to the Agents shall furnish the
Agent(s) with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agent(s) may rely
on such last opinion to the same extent as though it was dated the date of such
letter authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last opinion shall
be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended
and supplemented to the time of delivery of such letter authorizing reliance);
except for the opinion required under Section 6(b)(xv).

         (d)      Subsequent Delivery of Comfort Letters. Each time that (i)
the Operating Partnership shall file a Form 10-K or a Form 10-Q with the
Commission, unless otherwise waived by the Agents, (ii) the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by an
amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the variable
terms of the Notes, the filing of a Form 10-K or Form 10-Q with the Commission
or relating solely to the offering of securities other than the Notes) if
requested in writing by the Agent or Agents or (iii) (if requested in writing
by the Agent or Agents) the Operating Partnership sells Notes to one or more
Agents as principal, the Operating Partnership shall cause Price Waterhouse
L.L.P. or such other accounting firm that has certified the financial
statements and supporting schedules included in or incorporated by reference
into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus forthwith to furnish to the
Agent(s) a letter, dated the date of filing with the Commission or the date of
effectiveness of such amendment or supplement, as applicable, or the date of
such sale, as the case may be, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Agent(s),
of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Sections 6(f) and (g) hereof but
modified to relate to the Registration Statement and Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to the date of such letter.

SECTION 9.        Indemnification.

         (a)      Indemnification of the Agents. The Operating Partnership
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Agent and each person, if any, who
controls such Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act and any director, officer, employee or affiliate thereof, as
follows:


                                      31
<PAGE>   32

                  (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement
         or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
         Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule
         430A information deemed to be a part thereof, if applicable, or the
         omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to
         be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
         misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
         statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus or
         the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the
         omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
         order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

                  (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount
         paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or
         proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
         threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
         statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
         omission, provided that (subject to Section 9(d) hereof) any such
         settlement is effected with the written consent of the Operating
         Partnership; and

                  (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
         (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by such
         Agent), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
         against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
         governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
         whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any
         such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such
         expense is not paid under subparagraph (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity shall not apply to any loss, liability,
claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Operating Partnership by
the Agents expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), including the Rule 430A information deemed to be a part thereof, if
applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto).

         (b)      Indemnification of Operating Partnership, Directors and 
Officers. Each Agent severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Operating Partnership, its directors, officers, employees and affiliates, and
each person, if any, who controls the Operating Partnership within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all
loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained
in Section 9(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements
or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A
information deemed to be a part thereof, if applicable, or any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Operating Partnership by the Agents expressly for use in the



                                      32
<PAGE>   33

Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

         (c)      Actions Against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party
shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying
party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be
sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not
relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it
is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of
this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 9(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the
Operating Partnership. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense
in the defense of such action; provided, however, that counsel to the
indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party)
also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying
parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition
to any one local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified
parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related
actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent
of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by
any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought
under this Section 9 or 10 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are
actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from
all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or
claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

         (d)      Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any
time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the
nature contemplated by Section 9(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if
(i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall
have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to
such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not
have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to
the date of such settlement.

SECTION 10.  Contribution.

         If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 hereof is for any
reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in
respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount
of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Operating Partnership, on the one
hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, from the offering of the
Notes that were the subject of the claim for indemnification or (ii) if


                                      33
<PAGE>   34

the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Operating
Partnership, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand,
in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.

         The relative benefits received by the Operating Partnership, on the
one hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, in connection with
the offering of the Notes that were the subject of the claim for
indemnification shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the
total net proceeds from the offering of such Notes (before deducting expenses)
received by the Operating Partnership and the total discount or commission
received by each applicable Agent, as the case may be, bears to the aggregate
initial offering price of such Notes.

         The relative fault of the Operating Partnership, on the one hand, and
the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates
to information supplied by the Operating Partnership or by the applicable
Agent(s) and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

         The Operating Partnership and the Agents agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined
by pro rata allocation (even if the applicable Agent(s) were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
10. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 10 shall
be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any
applicable untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

         Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Agent shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
discount or commission received by such Agent in connection with the offering
of the Notes that were the subject of the claim for indemnification exceeds the
amount of any damages which such Agent has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of any applicable untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission.

         No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

         In addition, in connection with an offering of Notes purchased from
the Operating Partnership by two or more Agents as principal, the respective
obligations of such Agents to contribute pursuant to this Section 10 are
several, and not joint, in proportion to the aggregate


                                      34
<PAGE>   35

principal amount of Notes that each such Agent has agreed to purchase from the
Operating Partnership.

         For purposes of this Section 10, each person, if any, who controls an
Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the
1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Agent, and each
person, if any, who controls the Operating Partnership within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same
rights to contribution as the Operating Partnership.

SECTION 11.       Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive
                  Delivery.

         All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this
Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or the Operating
Partnership submitted pursuant hereto or thereto shall remain operative and in
full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or
investigation made by or on behalf of any of the Agents or any controlling
person of an Agent, or by or on behalf of the Company and the Operating
Partnership, and shall survive each delivery of and payment for the Notes.

SECTION 12.       Termination.

         (a)      Termination of this Agreement. This Agreement (excluding any
agreement by one or more Agents to purchase Notes from the Operating
Partnership as principal) may be terminated for any reason, at any time by
either the Operating Partnership or an Agent, as to itself, upon the giving of
30 days' prior written notice of such termination to the other party hereto,
but without prejudice to any rights, obligations or liabilities of any party
hereto accrued or incurred prior to such termination.

         (b)      Termination of Agreement to Purchase Notes as Principal. The
applicable Agent(s) may terminate any agreement by such Agent(s) to purchase
Notes from the Operating Partnership as principal, immediately upon notice to
the Operating Partnership, at any time prior to the Settlement Date relating
thereto, if (i) there has been, since the date of such agreement or since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs, assets or business prospects of the Company, the
Operating Partnership and their Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) there has
occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United
States or, if the Notes are denominated or payable in, or indexed to, one or
more foreign or composite currencies, in the international financial markets,
or any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or
crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national
or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the
effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of such Agent(s),
impracticable to market such Notes or enforce contracts for the sale of such
Notes, or (iii) trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or
limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or if trading
generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange has
been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been
fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by


                                      35
<PAGE>   36

either of said exchanges or by order of the Commission or any other
governmental authority, or (iv) a banking moratorium has been declared by
either Federal or New York authorities or if the Notes are denominated or
payable in, or indexed to, one or more foreign or composite currencies, by the
relevant authorities in the related country or countries, or (v) the rating
assigned by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization to the
Program or any Debt Securities (including the Notes) of the Operating
Partnership as of the date of such agreement shall have been lowered since such
date or if any such rating organization shall have publicly announced that it
has placed any Preferred Stock of the Company, the Program or any such debt
securities of the Operating Partnership on what is commonly termed a "watch
list" for possible downgrading.

         (c)      General. In the event of any such termination, such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except
that (i) the Agents shall be entitled to any commissions earned in accordance
with the third paragraph of Section 3(b) hereof, (ii) if at the time of
termination (a) any Agent shall own any Notes purchased by it from the
Operating Partnership as principal or (b) an offer to purchase any of the Notes
has been accepted by the Operating Partnership but the time of delivery to the
purchaser or his agent of such Notes relating thereto has not occurred, the
covenants set forth in Sections 4 and 8 hereof shall remain in effect until the
earlier of (A) such Notes are so resold or delivered or (B) 180 days, as the
case may be, and (iii) the covenant set forth in Section 4(i) hereof, the
provisions of Section 5 hereof, the indemnity and contribution agreements set
forth in Sections 9 and 10 hereof, and the provisions of Sections 11, 15 and 16
hereof shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 13.       Default by One or More of the Agents.

         If the Operating Partnership and two or more Agents enter into an
agreement pursuant to which such Agents agree to purchase Notes from the
Operating Partnership as principal and one or more of such Agents shall fail at
the Settlement Date to purchase the Notes which it or they are obligated to
purchase (the "Defaulted Notes"), then the nondefaulting Agents shall have the
right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one of them or one
or more other Agents to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted
Notes in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set
forth; provided, however, that if such arrangements shall not have been
completed within such 24-hour period, then:

                  (i)      if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Notes
         does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be
         so purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date, the
         nondefaulting Agents shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to
         purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their
         respective initial underwriting obligations bear to the underwriting
         obligations of all nondefaulting Agents, or

                  (ii)     if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Notes
         exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be so
         purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date, such agreement
         shall terminate without liability on the part of any nondefaulting
         Agent.


                                      36
<PAGE>   37

No action taken pursuant to this paragraph shall relieve any defaulting Agent
from liability in respect of its default.

         In the event of any such default which does not result in a
termination of such agreement, either the nondefaulting Agents or the Operating
Partnership shall have the right to postpone the Settlement Date for a period
not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements.

SECTION 14.       Notices.

         All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and 
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any
standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Agents shall be directed to
Merrill Lynch at Merrill Lynch World Headquarters, World Financial Center,
North Tower - 10th Floor, New York, New York 10281- 1310, attention: MTN
Product Management, and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street,
Medium-Term Note Desk - 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10260 and notices to the
Company and the Operating Partnership shall be directed to them at 3350
Cumberland Circle, N.W., Suite 2200, Atlanta, Georgia 30339, attention: John T.
Glover, President.

SECTION 15.       Parties.

         This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
Agents and the Operating Partnership and their respective successors. Nothing
expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to
give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their
respective successors and the controlling persons, officers and directors
referred to in Sections 9 and 10 hereof and their heirs and legal
representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and
all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, and
said controlling persons, officers and directors and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation.
No purchaser of Notes from any Agent shall be deemed to be a successor by
reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 16.       GOVERNING LAW; FORUM.

         THIS AGREEMENT AND ALL THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES. ANY SUIT, ACTION OR
PROCEEDING BROUGHT BY THE OPERATING PARTNERSHIP AGAINST ANY AGENT IN CONNECTION
WITH OR ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT SOLELY IN THE STATE OR
FEDERAL COURT


                                      37
<PAGE>   38

OF APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION LOCATED IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, THE CITY OF
NEW YORK.

SECTION 17.       Effect of Headings.

         The Article and Section headings herein are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 18.       Counterparts.

         This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if
executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts hereof shall
constitute a single instrument.



                                      38
<PAGE>   39

         If the foregoing is in accordance with the Agents' understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to the Operating Partnership a
counterpart hereof, whereupon this Distribution Agreement, along with all
counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Agents and the
Operating Partnership in accordance with its terms.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    POST APARTMENT HOMES, L.P.

                                    By: Post Properties, Inc., its
                                          general partner

                                             By: /s/ John T. Glover
                                                --------------------------
                                                Name:  John T. Glover
                                                Title: Chief Operating Officer

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
  AS OF THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
            INCORPORATED

By: /s/ Scott Primrose
   -----------------------------------
      Authorized Signatory

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

By: /s/ Keysha Bailey
   -----------------------------------
      Authorized Signatory



                                      39
<PAGE>   40
                                                                      EXHIBIT A

         The following terms, if applicable, shall be agreed to by one or more
Agents and the Operating Partnership in connection with each sale of Notes:

         Principal Amount: $_______
                  (or principal amount of foreign currency or composite
                   currency)
         Interest Rate or Formula:
                  If Fixed Rate Note,
                     Interest Rate:
                     Interest Payment Dates:
                  If Floating Rate Note,
                     Interest Rate Basis(es):
                                If LIBOR,
                                    o LIBOR Reuters Page:
                                    o LIBOR Telerate Page:
                                    Designated LIBOR Currency:
                                If CMT Rate,
                                    Designated CMT Telerate Page:
                                           [ ] Weekly Average
                                           [ ] Monthly Average
                                    Designated CMT Maturity Index:
                     Index Maturity:
                     Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any:
                     Initial Interest Rate, if any:
                     Initial Interest Reset Date:
                     Interest Reset Dates:
                     Interest Payment Dates:
                     Default Rate:
                     Maximum Interest Rate, if any:
                     Minimum Interest Rate, if any:
                     Fixed Rate Commencement Date, if any:
                     Fixed Interest Rate, if any:
                     Day Count Convention:
                     Calculation Agent:
         Redemption Provisions:
                  Initial Redemption Date:
                  Initial Redemption Percentage:
                  Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction, if any:
         Repayment Provisions:
                  Optional Repayment Date(s):
         Original Issue Date:
         Stated Maturity Date:
         Specified Currency:
         Exchange Rate Agent:
         Authorized Denomination:
         Purchase Price:  ___%, plus accrued interest, if any, from ___________



<PAGE>   41

         Price to Public:  ___%, plus accrued interest, if any, from ___________
         Issue Price:
         Settlement Date and Time:
         Additional/Other Terms:

Also, in connection with the purchase of Notes from the Operating Partnership
by one or more Agents as principal, agreement as to whether the following will
be required:

         Officers' Certificate pursuant to Section 8(b) of the Distribution
         Agreement. Legal Opinions pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Distribution
         Agreement. Comfort Letter pursuant to Section 8(d) of the Distribution
         Agreement. Stand-off Agreement pursuant to Section 4(k) of the
         Distribution Agreement.


<PAGE>   42






                                   SCHEDULE A

         As compensation for the services of the Agents hereunder, the
Operating Partnership shall pay the applicable Agent, on a discount basis, a
commission for the sale of each Note equal to the principal amount of such Note
multiplied by the appropriate percentage set forth below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            PERCENT OF
MATURITY RANGES                                         PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
- ---------------                                         ----------------
<S>                                                     <C>
From 9 months to less than 1 year ....................       .125%

From 1 year to less than 18 months ...................       .150

From 18 months to less than 2 years ..................       .200

From 2 years to less than 3 years ....................       .250

From 3 years to less than 4 years ....................       .350

From 4 years to less than 5 years ....................       .450

From 5 years to less than 6 years ....................       .500

From 6 years to less than 7 years ....................       .550

From 7 years to less than 10 years ...................       .600

From 10 years to less than 15 years ..................       .625

From 15 years to less than 20 years ..................       .700

From 20 years to 30 years ............................       .750

Greater than 30 years ................................       *
</TABLE>

- ----------------------
* As agreed to by the Operating Partnership and the applicable Agent at the time
  of the sale.


<PAGE>   43




                                                                      EXHIBIT B

                           POST APARTMENT HOMES, L.P.

                           ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

               FOR FIXED RATE AND FLOATING RATE MEDIUM-TERM NOTES
                   DUE NINE MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE
                         (Dated as of October 20, 1997)

      Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More from Date of Issue (the
"Notes") are to be offered on a continuing basis by Post Apartment Homes, L.P.,
a Georgia limited partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), to or through
Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (each, an "Agent" and, collectively, the "Agents")
pursuant to a Distribution Agreement, dated October 20, 1997 (the "Distribution
Agreement"), by and among the Operating Partnership and the Agents. The
Distribution Agreement provides both for the sale of Notes by the Operating
Partnership to one or more of the Agents as principal for resale to investors
and other purchasers and for the sale of Notes by the Operating Partnership
directly to investors (as may from time to time be agreed to by the Operating
Partnership and the related Agent or Agents), in which case each such Agent
will act as an agent of the Operating Partnership in soliciting offers to
purchase the Notes.

      Unless otherwise agreed by the related Agent or Agents and the Operating
Partnership, Notes will be purchased by the related Agent or Agents as
principal. Such purchases will be made in accordance with terms agreed upon by
the related Agent or Agents and the Operating Partnership (which terms shall be
agreed upon orally, with written confirmation prepared promptly by the related
Agent or Agents and mailed promptly to the Operating Partnership). If agreed
upon by any Agent or Agents and the Operating Partnership, the Agent or Agents,
acting solely as agent or agents for the Operating Partnership and not as
principal, will use reasonable efforts to solicit offers to purchase the Notes.
Only those provisions in these Administrative Procedures that are applicable to
the particular role to be performed by the related Agent or Agents shall apply
to the offer and sale of the relevant Notes.

      The Notes will be issued as a series of debt securities under an
Indenture, dated as of September 25, 1996, as amended, supplemented or modified
from time to time (the "Indenture"), between the Operating Partnership and
SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, as trustee (together with any successor in such
capacity, the "Trustee"). Post Properties, Inc., a Georgia corporation (the
"Company") and the Operating Partnership have filed a Registration Statement
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") registering,
among other things, debt securities of the Operating Partnership (which
includes the Notes) (the "Registration Statement"). The most recent base
prospectus deemed part of the Registration Statement, as supplemented with
respect to the Notes, is herein referred to as "Prospectus." The most recent
supplement to the Prospectus setting forth the purchase price, interest rate or
formula, maturity date and other terms of the Notes (as applicable) is herein
referred to as the "Pricing Supplement."

      The Notes will either be issued (a) in book-entry form and represented by
one or more fully registered global Notes (each, a "Global Note") delivered to
the Trustee, as custodian for The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), and
recorded in the book-entry system maintained by DTC, or (b) in certificated
form (each, a "Certificated Note") delivered to the investor or other purchaser
thereof or a person designated by such investor or other purchaser.

      General procedures relating to the issuance of all Notes are set forth in
Part I hereof. Additionally, Notes issued in book-entry form will be issued in
accordance with the procedures set forth in Part II hereof and Certificated
Notes will be issued in accordance with the procedures set forth in Part III
hereof. Capitalized terms

<PAGE>   44

used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto
in the Indenture or the Notes, as the case may be.

                  PART I:           PROCEDURES OF GENERAL
                                        APPLICABILITY

Date of Issuance/
Authentication:                         Each Note will be dated as of the date
                                        of its authentication by the Trustee.
                                        Each Note shall also bear an original
                                        issue date (each, an "Original Issue
                                        Date"). The Original Issue Date shall
                                        remain the same for all Notes
                                        subsequently issued upon transfer,
                                        exchange or substitution of an original
                                        Note regardless of their dates of
                                        authentication.

    Maturities:                         Each Note will mature on a date nine
                                        months or more from its Original Issue
                                        Date (the "Stated Maturity Date")
                                        selected by the investor or other
                                        purchaser and agreed to by the
                                        Operating Partnership.

    Registration:                       Unless otherwise specified in the
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, Notes 
                                        will be issued only in fully registered
                                        form.

    Denominations:                      Unless otherwise specified in the
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, the
                                        Notes will be issued in denominations of
                                        $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.

    Interest Rate Bases:                Unless otherwise specified in the 
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, the
                                        Notes will bear interest at (A) fixed
                                        rates ("Fixed Rate Notes") or (B)
                                        floating rates ("Floating Rate Notes")
                                        determined by reference to one or more
                                        Interest Rate Bases or formulas, as     
                                        adjusted by the Spread and/or Spread
                                        Multiplier, if any, applicable to such
                                        Floating Rate Notes.

    Redemption/Repayment:               The Notes will be subject to redemption
                                        by the Operating Partnership in
                                        accordance with the terms of the Notes,
                                        which will be fixed at the time of sale
                                        and set forth in the applicable Note
                                        and Pricing Supplement. If no Initial
                                        Redemption Date is specified on the
                                        face of a Note, such Note will not be
                                        redeemable prior to its Stated Maturity
                                        Date.

                                        The Notes will be subject to repayment
                                        at the option of the Holders thereof in
                                        accordance with the terms of the Notes,
                                        which will be fixed at the time of sale
                                        and set forth in the applicable Note
                                        and Pricing Supplement. If no Optional
                                        Repayment Date is specified on the face
                                        of a Note, such Note will not be
                                        repayable at the option of the Holder
                                        prior to its Stated Maturity Date.

    Calculation of Interest:            Unless otherwise specified in the 
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, interest
                                        on each Fixed Rate Note (including
                                        payments for partial periods) will be
                                        calculated and paid on the basis of a
                                        360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
<PAGE>   45

                                        The interest rate on each Floating Rate
                                        Note will be calculated by reference to
                                        the specified Interest Rate Basis or
                                        Bases plus or minus the applicable
                                        Spread, if any, and/or multiplied by
                                        the applicable Spread Multiplier, if
                                        any.

                                        Unless otherwise specified in the
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, interest
                                        on each Floating Rate Note will be
                                        calculated by multiplying its principal
                                        amount by an accrued interest factor.
                                        Such accrued interest factor is
                                        computed by adding the interest factor
                                        calculated for each day in the period
                                        for which accrued interest is being
                                        calculated. Unless otherwise specified
                                        in the applicable Pricing Supplement,
                                        the interest factor for each such day
                                        is computed by dividing the interest
                                        rate applicable to such day by 360 if
                                        the CD Rate, Commercial Paper Rate,
                                        Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate,
                                        Federal Funds Rate, LIBOR or Prime Rate
                                        is an applicable Interest Rate Basis,
                                        or by the actual number of days in the
                                        year if the CMT Rate or Treasury Rate
                                        is an applicable Interest Rate Basis.
                                        The interest factor for Notes for which
                                        the interest rate is calculated with
                                        reference to two or more Interest Rate
                                        Bases will be calculated in each period
                                        in the same manner as if only the
                                        applicable Interest Rate Basis
                                        specified in the applicable Pricing
                                        Supplement applied.

Interest:                               General. Each Note will bear interest in
                                        accordance with its terms. Unless
                                        otherwise specified in the applicable
                                        Pricing Supplement, interest on each
                                        Note will accrue from and including the
                                        Original Issue Date of such Note for
                                        the first interest period or from the
                                        most recent Interest Payment Date (as
                                        defined below) to which interest has
                                        been paid or duly provided for all
                                        subsequent interest periods to but
                                        excluding the applicable Interest
                                        Payment Date or the Stated Maturity Date
                                        or date of earlier redemption, repayment
                                        or acceleration of maturity or if the
                                        maturity of the Note is extended, the
                                        new date of maturity specified in a
                                        notice of such exercise, as the case
                                        may be (the Stated Maturity Date or such
                                        earlier or later date, as the case may
                                        be, if referred to herein as the
                                        "Maturity Date" with respect to the
                                        principal repayable on such date).

                                        If an Interest Payment Date or the
                                        Maturity Date with respect to any Fixed
                                        Rate Note falls on a day that is not a
                                        Business Day (as defined in the
                                        Prospectus), the required payment to be
                                        made on such day need not be made on
                                        such day, but may be made on the next
                                        succeeding Business Day with the same
                                        force and effect as if made on such
                                        day, and no interest shall accrue on
                                        such payment for the period from and
                                        after such day to the next succeeding
                                        Business Day. If an Interest Payment
                                        Date other than the Maturity Date with
                                        respect to any Floating Rate Note would
                                        otherwise fall on a day that is not a
                                        Business Day, such Interest Payment
                                        Date will be postponed to the next
                                        succeeding Business Day, except that in
                                        the case of a Note for which LIBOR is
                                        an applicable Interest Rate Basis, if
                                        such Business Day falls in the next
                                        succeeding calendar month, such
                                        Interest Payment Date will be the
                                        immediately preceding Business Day. If
                                        the Maturity Date with respect to any
                                        Floating Rate Note falls on a day that
                                        is not a Business Day, the required
                                        payment to be made on such day need not
                                        be made on such day, but may be made on
                                        the next succeeding Business 
<PAGE>   46

                                        Day with the same force and effect as if
                                        made on such day, and no interest shall
                                        accrue on such payment for the period
                                        from and after the Maturity Date to the
                                        next succeeding Business Day.

                                        Regular Record Dates. Unless otherwise
                                        specified in the applicable Pricing
                                        Supplement, the "Regular Record Date"
                                        for a Note shall be the date 15
                                        calendar days (whether or not a
                                        Business Day) preceding the applicable
                                        Interest Payment Date.

                                        Interest Payment Dates. Interest
                                        payments will be made on each Interest
                                        Payment Date commencing with the first
                                        Interest Payment Date following the
                                        Original Issue Date; provided, however,
                                        the first payment of interest on any
                                        Note originally issued between a
                                        Regular Record Date and an Interest
                                        Payment Date will occur on the Interest
                                        Payment Date immediately following the
                                        next succeeding Regular Record Date.

                                        Unless otherwise specified in the
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, interest
                                        payments on Fixed Rate Notes will be
                                        made semiannually in arrears on May 1
                                        and November 1 of each year and on the
                                        Maturity Date, while interest payments
                                        on Floating Rate Notes will be made as
                                        specified in the applicable Pricing
                                        Supplement.

Acceptance and
Rejection of Offers
from Solicitation
as Agents:                              If agreed upon by any Agent and the
                                        Operating Partnership, then such Agent
                                        acting solely as agent for the
                                        Operating Partnership and not as
                                        principal will solicit purchases of the
                                        Notes. Each Agent will communicate to
                                        the Operating Partnership, orally or in
                                        writing, each reasonable offer to
                                        purchase Notes solicited by such Agent
                                        on an agency basis, other than those
                                        offers rejected by such Agent. Each
                                        Agent has the right, in its discretion
                                        reasonably exercised, to reject any
                                        proposed purchase of Notes, as a whole
                                        or in part, and any such rejection
                                        shall not be a breach of such Agent's
                                        agreement contained in the Distribution
                                        Agreement. The Operating Partnership
                                        has the sole right to accept or reject
                                        any proposed purchase of Notes, in
                                        whole or in part, and any such
                                        rejection shall not constitute a breach
                                        of the Operating Partnership's
                                        agreement contained in the Distribution
                                        Agreement. Each Agent has agreed to
                                        make reasonable efforts to assist the
                                        Operating Partnership in obtaining
                                        performance by each purchaser whose
                                        offer to purchase Notes has been
                                        solicited by such Agent and accepted by
                                        the Operating Partnership.

Preparation of
Pricing Supplement:                     If any offer to purchase a Note is
                                        accepted by the Operating Partnership,
                                        the Operating Partnership will promptly
                                        prepare a Pricing Supplement reflecting
                                        the terms of such Note. Information to
                                        be included in the Pricing Supplement
                                        shall include:

                                        1.     the name of the Operating 
                                               Partnership;
<PAGE>   47

                                        2.     the title of the Notes;

                                        3.     the date of the Pricing
                                               Supplement and the date of the
                                               Prospectus to which the Pricing
                                               Supplement relates;

                                        4.     the name of the Offering Agent
                                               (as defined below);

                                        5.     whether such Notes are being
                                               sold to the Offering Agent as
                                               principal or to an investor or
                                               other purchaser through the
                                               Offering Agent acting as agent
                                               for the Operating Partnership;

                                        6.     with respect to Notes sold to
                                               the Offering Agent as principal,
                                               whether such Notes will be
                                               resold by the Offering Agent to
                                               investors and other purchasers
                                               at (i) a fixed public offering
                                               price of a specified percentage
                                               of their principal amount or
                                               (ii) at varying prices related
                                               to prevailing market prices at
                                               the time of resale to be
                                               determined by the Offering
                                               Agent;

                                        7.     with respect to Notes sold to an
                                               investor or other purchaser
                                               through the Offering Agent
                                               acting as agent for the
                                               Operating Partnership, whether
                                               such Notes will be sold at (i)
                                               100% of their principal amount
                                               or (ii) a specified percentage
                                               of their principal amount;

                                        8.     the Offering Agent's discount
                                               or commission;

                                        9.     Net proceeds to the Operating
                                               Partnership;

                                       10.     the Principal Amount, Specified
                                               Currency, Original Issue Date,
                                               Stated Maturity Date, Interest
                                               Payment Date(s), Authorized
                                               Denomination, Initial
                                               Redemption Date, if any,
                                               Initial Redemption Percentage,
                                               if any, Annual Redemption
                                               Percentage Reduction, if any,
                                               Optional Repayment Date(s), if
                                               any, Exchange Rate Agent, if
                                               any, and, in the case of Fixed
                                               Rate Notes, the Interest Rate,
                                               and, in the case of Floating
                                               Rate Notes, the Interest
                                               Category, the Interest Rate
                                               Basis or Bases, Day Count
                                               Convention, Index Maturity (if
                                               applicable), Initial Interest
                                               Rate, if any, Maximum Interest
                                               Rate, if any, Minimum Interest
                                               Rate, if any, Initial Interest
                                               Reset Date, Interest Reset
                                               Dates, Spread and/or Spread
                                               Multiplier, if any, and
                                               Calculation Agent, and, in the
                                               case of Discount Notes, the
                                               Issue Price; and

                                       11.     any other additional provisions
                                               of the Notes material to
                                               investors or other purchasers of
                                               the Notes not otherwise specified
                                               in the Prospectus.

                                       The Operating Partnership shall send
                                       such Pricing Supplement by telecopy or
                                       overnight express (for delivery by the
                                       close of business on the applicable
                                       trade date, but in no event later than
                                       11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
                                       Business Day following the applicable
                                       trade date) to the Agent which made or
                                       presented the offer to purchase the
                                       applicable Note (in such

                                       
<PAGE>   48
                                       capacity, the "Offering Agent") and the
                                       Trustee at the following applicable
                                       address: if to Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
                                       Fenner & Smith Incorporated, to:
                                       Tritech Services, 40 Colonial Drive,
                                       Piscataway, New Jersey 08854,
                                       Attention: Nachman Kimerling/Final
                                       Private Placement Memorandum Unit,
                                       (908) 885-2768, telecopier: (908)
                                       885-2774/5/6, with a copy of such
                                       Pricing Supplement to Merrill Lynch &
                                       Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
                                       Smith Incorporated, World Financial
                                       Center, North Tower, 10th Floor, New
                                       York, New York, 10281-1310, Attention:
                                       MTN Product Management, (212) 449-7476,
                                       telecopier: (212) 449-2234; if to J.P.
                                       Morgan Securities Inc., Medium Term
                                       Note Desk - 3rd Floor, 60 Wall Street,
                                       New York, New York 10260, (212)
                                       648-0591, telecopier (212) 648-5907 and
                                       if to the Trustee, to SunTrust Bank,
                                       Atlanta, 58 Edgewood Avenue, Suite 400,
                                       Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Attention:
                                       Bryan Echols, telecopier: (404)
                                       322-3966. A copy of such Pricing
                                       Supplement shall also be sent to Hogan
                                       & Hartson L.L.P., Columbia Square, 555
                                       Thirteenth Street, N.W., Washington,
                                       D.C. 20004, Attention:
                                       J. Warren Gorrell, Jr.

                                       In each instance that a Pricing
                                       Supplement is prepared, the Offering
                                       Agent will provide a copy of such
                                       Pricing Supplement to each investor or
                                       purchaser of the relevant Notes or its
                                       agent. Pursuant to Rule 434 ("Rule
                                       434") of the Securities Act of 1933, as
                                       amended, the Pricing Supplement may be
                                       delivered separately from the
                                       Prospectus. Outdated Pricing
                                       Supplements (other than those retained
                                       for files) will be destroyed.

    Settlement:                        The receipt of immediately available
                                       funds by the Operating Partnership in
                                       payment for a Note and the
                                       authentication and delivery of such
                                       Note shall, with respect to such Note,
                                       constitute "settlement". Offers
                                       accepted by the Operating Partnership
                                       will be settled in three Business Days,
                                       or at such time as the purchaser, the
                                       Offering Agent and the Operating
                                       Partnership shall agree, pursuant to
                                       the timetable for settlement set forth
                                       in Parts II and III hereof under
                                       "Settlement Procedure Timetable" with
                                       respect to Global Notes and
                                       Certificated Notes, respectively (each
                                       such date fixed for settlement is
                                       hereinafter referred to as a
                                       "Settlement Date"). If procedures A and
                                       B of the applicable Settlement
                                       Procedures with respect to a particular
                                       offer are not completed on or before
                                       the time set forth under the applicable
                                       "Settlement Procedures Timetable," such
                                       offer shall not be settled until the
                                       Business Day following the completion
                                       of settlement procedures A and B or
                                       such later date as the purchaser and
                                       the Operating Partnership shall agree.

                                       The foregoing settlement procedures may
                                       be modified with respect to any
                                       purchase of Notes by an Agent as
                                       principal if so agreed by the Operating
                                       Partnership and such Agent.

    Procedure for Changing
    Rates or Other
    Variable Terms:                     When a decision has been reached to 
                                        change the interest rate or any other
                                        variable term on any Notes being sold
                                        by the Operating Partnership, the
                                                                              
<PAGE>   49

                                        Operating Partnership will promptly
                                        advise the Agents and the Trustee by
                                        telephone and the Agents will forthwith
                                        suspend solicitation of offers to
                                        purchase such Notes. The Agents will
                                        telephone the Operating Partnership
                                        with recommendations as to the changed
                                        interest rates or other variable terms.
                                        At such time as the Operating
                                        Partnership notifies the Agents and the
                                        Trustee of the new interest rates or
                                        other variable terms, the Agents may
                                        resume solicitation of offers to
                                        purchase such Notes. Until such time,
                                        only "indications of interest" may be
                                        recorded. Immediately after acceptance
                                        by the Operating Partnership of an
                                        offer to purchase Notes at a new
                                        interest rate or new variable term, the
                                        Operating Partnership, the Offering
                                        Agent and the Trustee shall follow the
                                        procedures set forth under the
                                        applicable "Settlement Procedures."


<PAGE>   50



    Suspension of
    Solicitation;
    Amendment or
    Supplement:                         The Operating Partnership may instruct
                                        the Agents to suspend solicitation of
                                        offers to purchase Notes at any time.
                                        Upon receipt of such instructions, the
                                        Agents will forthwith suspend
                                        solicitation of offers to purchase from
                                        the Operating Partnership until such
                                        time as the Operating Partnership has
                                        advised the Agents that solicitation of
                                        offers to purchase may be resumed. Any
                                        notice of an amendment or supplement to
                                        the Registration Statement or the
                                        Prospectus required to be given by the
                                        Operating Partnership to the Agents
                                        pursuant to the Distribution Agreement
                                        shall be given as so required and any
                                        amendment or supplement to the
                                        Registration Statement or the
                                        Prospectus required to be delivered or
                                        mailed to the Agents pursuant to the
                                        Distribution Agreement shall be
                                        delivered or mailed as so required in
                                        quantities which such parties may
                                        reasonably request at the following
                                        respective addresses: if to Merrill
                                        Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                                        Incorporated, World Financial Center,
                                        North Tower, 10th Floor, New York, New
                                        York 10281-1310, Attention: MTN Product
                                        Management, (212) 449-7476, telecopier:
                                        (212) 449-2234; if to J.P. Morgan
                                        Securities Inc., Medium Term Note Desk
                                        - 3rd Floor, 60 Wall Street, New York,
                                        New York 10260, (212) 648-0591,
                                        telecopier (212) 648-5907 and if to the
                                        Trustee, to: SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, 58
                                        Edgewood Avenue, Suite 400, Atlanta,
                                        Georgia 30303, Attention: Bryan Echols,
                                        telecopier: (404) 322-3966. One copy of
                                        such amendment or supplement shall be
                                        sent to Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.,
                                        Columbia Square, 555 Thirteenth Street,
                                        N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004,
                                        Attention: J. Warren Gorrell, Jr.

                                        In the event that at the time the
                                        solicitation of offers to purchase from
                                        the Operating Partnership is suspended
                                        (other than to establish or change
                                        interest rates or formulas, maturities,
                                        prices or other similar variable terms
                                        with respect to the Notes) there shall
                                        be any offers to purchase Notes that
                                        have been accepted by the Operating
                                        Partnership which have not been
                                        settled, the Operating Partnership will
                                        promptly advise the Offering Agent and
                                        the Trustee whether such offers may be
                                        settled and whether copies of the
                                        Prospectus as theretofore amended
                                        and/or supplemented as in effect at the
                                        time of the suspension may be delivered
                                        in connection with the settlement of
                                        such offers. The Operating Partnership
                                        will have the sole responsibility for
                                        such decision and for any arrangements
                                        which may be made in the event that the
                                        Operating Partnership determines that
                                        such offers may not be settled or that
                                        copies of such Prospectus may not be so
                                        delivered.

    Delivery of Prospectus
    and applicable
    Pricing Supplement:                 A copy of the most recent Prospectus and
                                        the applicable Pricing Supplement,
                                        which pursuant to Rule 434 may be
                                        delivered separately from

<PAGE>   51
                                        the Prospectus, must accompany or
                                        precede the earlier of (a) the written
                                        confirmation of a sale sent to an
                                        investor or other purchaser or its
                                        agent and (b) the delivery of Notes to
                                        an investor or other purchaser or its
                                        agent.

    Authenticity of
    Signatures:                         The Agents will have no obligation or
                                        liability to the Operating Partnership
                                        or the Trustee in respect of the
                                        authenticity of the signature of any
                                        officer, employee or agent of the
                                        Operating Partnership or the Trustee on
                                        any Note.

    Documents Incorporated
    by Reference:                       The Operating Partnership shall supply
                                        the Agents with an adequate supply of
                                        all documents incorporated by reference
                                        in the Registration Statement and the
                                        Prospectus.


                       PART II:          PROCEDURES FOR NOTES ISSUED
                                             IN BOOK-ENTRY FORM

      In connection with the qualification of Notes issued in book-entry form
for eligibility in the book-entry system maintained by DTC, the Trustee will
perform the custodial, document control and administrative functions described
below, in accordance with its respective obligations under a Letter of
Representations from the Operating Partnership and The First National Bank of
Chicago, as Paying Agent of the Trustee to DTC, dated January 14, 1997, and a
Certificate Agreement, dated May 26, 1989, between The First National Bank of
Chicago, as Paying Agent of the Trustee and DTC, as amended (the "Certificate
Agreement"), and its obligations as a participant in DTC, including DTC's
Same-Day Funds Settlement System ("SDFS").

    Issuance:                           All Fixed Rate Notes issued in book-
                                        entry form having the same Original
                                        Issue Date, Specified Currency,
                                        Interest Rate, Interest Payment Dates,
                                        redemption and/or repayment terms, if
                                        any, and Stated Maturity Date
                                        (collectively, the "Fixed Rate Terms")
                                        will be represented initially by one or
                                        more Global Notes; and all Floating
                                        Rate Notes issued in book-entry form
                                        having the same Original Issue Date,
                                        Specified Currency, Interest Category,
                                        formula for the calculation of interest
                                        (including the Interest Rate Basis or
                                        Bases, which may be the CD Rate, the
                                        CMT Rate, the Commercial Paper Rate,
                                        the Eleventh District Cost of Funds
                                        Rate, the Federal Funds Rate, LIBOR,
                                        the Prime Rate or the Treasury Rate or
                                        any other interest rate basis or
                                        formula, and Spread and/or Spread
                                        Multiplier, if any), Day Count
                                        Convention, Initial Interest Rate,
                                        Index Maturity (if applicable), Minimum
                                        Interest Rate, if any, Maximum Interest
                                        Rate, if any, redemption and/or
                                        repayment terms, if any, Interest
                                        Payment Dates, Initial Interest Reset
                                        Date, Interest Reset Dates and Stated
                                        Maturity Date (collectively, the
                                        "Floating Rate Terms") will be
                                        represented initially by one or more
                                        Global Notes.

                                        For other variable terms with respect
                                        to the Fixed Rate Notes and Floating
                                        Rate Notes, see the Prospectus and the
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement.

                                        Owners of beneficial interests in
                                        Global Notes will be entitled to
                                        physical delivery of Certificated Notes
                                        equal in principal amount to their
                                        respective beneficial interests only
                                        upon certain limited circumstances
                                        described in the Prospectus.
<PAGE>   52

    Identification:                     The Operating Partnership has arranged
                                        with the CUSIP Service Bureau of
                                        Standard & Poor's Corporation (the
                                        "CUSIP Service Bureau") for the
                                        reservation of one series of CUSIP
                                        numbers, which series consists of
                                        approximately 900 CUSIP numbers which
                                        have been reserved for and relate to
                                        Global Notes and the Operating
                                        Partnership has delivered to each of
                                        the Trustee and DTC such list of such
                                        CUSIP numbers. The Operating
                                        Partnership will assign CUSIP numbers
                                        to Global Notes as described below
                                        under Settlement Procedure B. DTC will
                                        notify the CUSIP Service Bureau
                                        periodically of the CUSIP numbers that
                                        the Operating Partnership has assigned
                                        to Global Notes. The Trustee will
                                        notify the Operating Partnership at any
                                        time when fewer than 100 of the
                                        reserved CUSIP numbers remain
                                        unassigned to Global Notes, and, if it
                                        deems necessary, the Operating
                                        Partnership will reserve and obtain
                                        additional CUSIP numbers for assignment
                                        to Global Notes. Upon obtaining such
                                        additional CUSIP numbers, the Operating
                                        Partnership will deliver a list of such
                                        additional numbers to the Trustee and
                                        DTC. Notes issued in book-entry form in
                                        excess of $200,000,000 (or the
                                        equivalent thereof in one or more
                                        foreign or composite currencies) in
                                        aggregate principal amount and
                                        otherwise required to be represented by
                                        the same Global Note will instead by
                                        represented by two or more Global Notes
                                        which shall all be assigned the same
                                        CUSIP number.

    Registration:                       Unless otherwise specified by DTC, each
                                        Global Note will be registered in the
                                        name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC,
                                        on the register maintained by the
                                        Trustee under the Indenture. The
                                        beneficial owner of a Note issued in
                                        book-entry form (i.e., an owner of a
                                        beneficial interest in a Global ----
                                        Note) (or one or more indirect
                                        participants in DTC designated by such
                                        owner) will designate one or more
                                        participants in DTC (with respect to
                                        such Note issued in book-entry form,
                                        the "Participants") to act as agent for
                                        such beneficial owner in connection
                                        with the book-entry system maintained
                                        by DTC, and DTC will record in
                                        book-entry form, in accordance with
                                        instructions provided by such
                                        Participants, a credit balance with
                                        respect to such Note issued in
                                        book-entry form in the account of such
                                        Participants. The ownership interest of
                                        such beneficial owner in such Note
                                        issued in book-entry form will be
                                        recorded through the records of such
                                        Participants or through the separate
                                        records of such Participants and one or
                                        more indirect participants in DTC.

    Transfers:                          Transfers of beneficial ownership
                                        interests in a Global Note will be
                                        accomplished by book entries made by
                                        DTC and, in turn, by Participants (and
                                        in certain cases, one or more indirect
                                        participants in DTC) acting on behalf
                                        of beneficial transferors and
                                        transferees of such Global Note.

    Exchanges:                          The Trustee may deliver to DTC and the
                                        CUSIP Service Bureau at any time a
                                        written notice specifying (a) the CUSIP
                                        numbers of two or more Global Notes
                                        outstanding on such date that represent
                                        Global Notes having the same Fixed Rate
                                        Terms or Floating Rate Terms, as the
                                        case may be (other than Original Issue
                                        Dates), and for which interest has been
                                        paid to the same date; (b) a date,
                                        occurring at least 30 days after such
                                        written notice is

<PAGE>   53

                                        delivered and at least 30 days before
                                        the next Interest Payment Date for the
                                        related Notes issued in book-entry
                                        form, on which such Global Notes shall
                                        be exchanged for a single replacement
                                        Global Note; and (c) a new CUSIP
                                        number, obtained from the Operating
                                        Partnership, to be assigned to such
                                        replacement Global Note. Upon receipt
                                        of such a notice, DTC will send to its
                                        Participants (including the Trustee) a
                                        written reorganization notice to the
                                        effect that such exchange will occur on
                                        such date. Prior to the specified
                                        exchange date, the Trustee will deliver
                                        to the CUSIP Service Bureau written
                                        notice setting forth such exchange date
                                        and the new CUSIP number and stating
                                        that, as of such exchange date, the
                                        CUSIP numbers of the Global Notes to be
                                        exchanged will no longer be valid. On
                                        the specified exchange date, the
                                        Trustee will exchange such Global Notes
                                        for a single Global Note bearing the
                                        new CUSIP number and the CUSIP numbers
                                        of the exchanged Notes will, in
                                        accordance with CUSIP Service Bureau
                                        procedures, be canceled and immediately
                                        reassigned. Notwithstanding the
                                        foregoing, if the Global Notes to be
                                        exchanged exceed $200,000,000 (or the
                                        equivalent thereof in one or more
                                        foreign or composite currencies ) in
                                        aggregate principal amount, one
                                        replacement Note will be authenticated
                                        and issued to represent each
                                        $200,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof
                                        in one or more foreign or composite
                                        currencies) in aggregate principal
                                        amount of the exchanged Global Notes
                                        and an additional Global Note or Notes
                                        will be authenticated and issued to
                                        represent any remaining principal
                                        amount of such Global Notes (See
                                        "Denominations" below).

    Denominations:                      Unless otherwise specified in the 
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, Notes
                                        issued in book-entry form will be
                                        issued in denominations of $1,000 and
                                        integral multiples thereof. Each Global
                                        Note will be denominated in an
                                        aggregate principal amount not in
                                        excess of $200,000,000 (or the
                                        equivalent thereof in one or more
                                        foreign or composite currencies). If
                                        one or more Notes are issued in
                                        book-entry form having an aggregate
                                        principal amount in excess of
                                        $200,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof
                                        in one or more foreign or composite
                                        currencies) and would, but for the
                                        preceding sentence, be represented by a
                                        single Global Note, then one Global
                                        Note will be issued to represent each
                                        $200,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof
                                        in one or more foreign or composite
                                        currencies) in aggregate principal
                                        amount of such Notes issued in
                                        book-entry form and an additional
                                        Global Note will be issued to represent
                                        any remaining aggregate principal
                                        amount of such Notes issued in
                                        book-entry form. In such a case, each
                                        of the Global Notes representing Notes
                                        issued in book-entry form shall be
                                        assigned the same CUSIP number.

    Payments of Principal
    and Interest:                       Payments of Interest Only.  Promptly 
                                        after each Regular Record Date, the
                                        Trustee will deliver to the Operating
                                        Partnership and DTC a written notice
                                        specifying by CUSIP number the amount
                                        of interest to be paid on each Global
                                        Note on the following Interest Payment
                                        Date (other than an Interest Payment
                                        Date coinciding with the Maturity Date)
                                        and the total of such amounts. DTC will
                                        confirm the amount payable on each
                                        Global Note on such Interest Payment
                                        Date by reference to the daily bond
                                        reports published by Standard & Poor's
                                        Corporation. On such Interest Payment
                                        Date, the

<PAGE>   54


                                        Operating Partnership will pay to the
                                        Trustee in immediately available funds
                                        an amount sufficient to pay the
                                        interest then due and owing on the
                                        Global Notes, and upon receipt of such
                                        funds from the Operating Partnership,
                                        the Trustee in turn will pay to DTC
                                        such total amount of interest due on
                                        such Global Notes (other than on the
                                        Maturity Date) which is payable in U.S.
                                        dollars, at the times and in the manner
                                        set forth below under "Manner of
                                        Payment." The Trustee shall make
                                        payment of that amount of interest due
                                        and owing on any Global Notes that
                                        Participants have elected to receive in
                                        foreign or composite currencies
                                        directly to such Participants.

                                        Notice of Interest Rates. Promptly
                                        after each Interest Determination Date
                                        or Calculation Date, as the case may
                                        be, for Floating Rate Notes issued in
                                        book-entry form, the Trustee will
                                        notify each of Moody's Investors
                                        Service, Inc. and Standard & Poor's
                                        Corporation of the interest rates
                                        determined as of such Interest
                                        Determination Date.

                                        Payments at Maturity. On or about the
                                        first Business Day of each month, the
                                        Trustee will deliver to the Operating
                                        Partnership and DTC a written list of
                                        principal, premium, if any, and
                                        interest to be paid on each Global Note
                                        maturing or otherwise becoming due in
                                        the following month. The Trustee, the
                                        Operating Partnership and DTC will
                                        confirm the amounts of such principal,
                                        premium, if any, and interest payments
                                        with respect to each such Global Note
                                        on or about the fifth Business Day
                                        preceding the Maturity Date of such
                                        Global Note. On the Maturity Date, the
                                        Operating Partnership will pay to the
                                        Trustee in immediately available funds
                                        an amount sufficient to make the
                                        required payments, and upon receipt of
                                        such funds the Trustee in turn will pay
                                        to DTC the principal amount of Global
                                        Notes, together with premium, if any,
                                        and interest due on the Maturity Date,
                                        which are payable in U.S. dollars, at
                                        the times and in the manner set forth
                                        below under "Manner of Payment." The
                                        Trustee shall make payment of the
                                        principal, premium, if any, and
                                        interest to be paid on the Maturity
                                        Date of each Global Note that
                                        Participants have elected to receive in
                                        foreign or composite currencies
                                        directly to such Participants. Promptly
                                        after (i) payment to DTC of the
                                        principal, premium, if any, and
                                        interest due on the Maturity Date of a
                                        Global Note payable in U.S. dollars and
                                        (ii) payment of the principal, premium,
                                        if any, and interest due on the
                                        Maturity Date of a Global Note to those
                                        Participants who have elected to
                                        receive such payments in foreign or
                                        composite currencies, the Trustee will
                                        cancel such Global Note and deliver it
                                        to the Operating Partnership with an
                                        appropriate debit advice. On the first
                                        Business Day of each month, the Trustee
                                        will deliver to the Operating
                                        Partnership a written statement
                                        indicating the total principal amount
                                        of outstanding Global Notes as of the
                                        close of business on the immediately
                                        preceding Business Day.

                                        Manner of Payment. The total amount of
                                        any principal, premium, if any, and
                                        interest due on Global Notes on any
                                        Interest Payment Date or the Maturity
                                        Date, as the case may be, which is
                                        payable in U.S. dollars shall be paid
                                        by the Operating Partnership to the
                                        Trustee in funds available for use by
                                        the Trustee no later than 10:00 a.m.,
                                        New York City time, on such date.

<PAGE>   55

                                        The Operating Partnership will make
                                        such payment on such Global Notes to an
                                        account specified by the Trustee. Upon
                                        receipt of such funds, the Trustee will
                                        pay by separate wire transfer (using
                                        Fedwire message entry instructions in a
                                        form previously specified by DTC) to an
                                        account at the Federal Reserve Bank of
                                        New York previously specified by DTC,
                                        in funds available for immediate use by
                                        DTC, each payment in U.S. dollars of
                                        principal, premium, if any, and
                                        interest due on Global Notes on such
                                        date. Thereafter on such date, DTC will
                                        pay, in accordance with its SDFS
                                        operating procedures then in effect,
                                        such amounts in funds available for
                                        immediate use to the respective
                                        Participants in whose names the
                                        beneficial interests in such Global
                                        Notes are recorded in the book-entry
                                        system maintained by DTC. Neither the
                                        Operating Partnership nor the Trustee
                                        shall have any responsibility or
                                        liability for the payment in U.S.
                                        dollars by DTC of the principal of, or
                                        premium, if any, or interest on, the
                                        Global Notes. The Trustee shall make
                                        all payments of principal, premium, if
                                        any, and interest on each Global Note
                                        that Participants have elected to
                                        receive in foreign or composite
                                        currencies directly to such
                                        Participants.

                                        Withholding Taxes. The amount of any
                                        taxes required under applicable law to
                                        be withheld from any interest payment
                                        on a Global Note will be determined and
                                        withheld by the Participant, indirect
                                        participant in DTC or other Person
                                        responsible for forwarding payments and
                                        materials directly to the beneficial
                                        owner of such Global Note.

    Settlement
    Procedures:                         Settlement Procedures with regard to
                                        each Note in book-entry form sold by an
                                        Agent, as agent of the Operating
                                        Partnership, or purchased by an Agent,
                                        as principal, will be as follows:

                                        A.  The Offering Agent will advise the
                                            Operating Partnership by telephone,
                                            confirmed by facsimile, of the
                                            following settlement information:

                                            1.     Principal Amount, Authorized
                                                   Denomination and Specified
                                                   Currency.

                                            2.     Exchange Rate Agent, if any.

                                            3.     (a) Fixed Rate Notes:

                                                       (i)   Interest Rate.

                                                       (ii)  Interest Payment
                                                             Dates.

                                                   (b) Floating Rate Notes:

                                                       (i)   Interest Category.

                                                       (ii)  Interest Rate Basis
                                                             or Bases.

                                                       (iii) Initial Interest
                                                             Rate.
<PAGE>   56

                                                        (iv)  Spread and/or
                                                              Spread Multiplier,
                                                              if any.

                                                        (v)    Initial Interest
                                                               Reset Date or
                                                               Interest Reset
                                                               Dates.

                                                        (vi)   Interest Payment
                                                               Dates.

                                                        (vii)  Index Maturity,
                                                               if any.

                                                        (viii) Maximum and/or
                                                               Minimum Interest
                                                               Rates, if any.

                                                        (ix)   Day Count
                                                               Convention.

                                                        (x)    Calculation
                                                               Agent.

                                                   (c)  Discount Notes:

                                                        (i)    Issue Price

                                            4.     Price to public of such Note
                                                   or whether such Note is
                                                   being offered at varying
                                                   prices relating to
                                                   prevailing market prices at
                                                   time of resale as determined
                                                   by the Offering Agent.

                                            5.     Trade Date.

                                            6.     Settlement Date (Original
                                                   Issue Date).

                                            7.     Stated Maturity Date.

                                            8.     Whether the Operating 
                                                   Partnership has the option to
                                                   extend the Stated Maturity
                                                   Date of the Note, and, if so
                                                   the final Maturity Date.

                                            9.     Redemption provisions, if
                                                   any.

                                            10.    Repayment provisions, if any.

                                            11.    Net proceeds to the Operating
                                                   Partnership.

                                            12.    The Offering Agent's discount
                                                   or commission.

                                            13.    Whether such Note is being
                                                   sold to the Offering Agent
                                                   as principal or to an
                                                   investor or other
                                                   purchaser through the
                                                   Offering Agent acting as
                                                   agent for the Operating
                                                   Partnership.

                                            14.    Such other information 
                                                   specified with respect to
                                                   such Note (whether by
                                                   Addendum or otherwise).
<PAGE>   57

                                        B.  The Operating Partnership will
                                            assign a CUSIP number to the Global
                                            Note representing such Note and
                                            then advise the Trustee by
                                            facsimile transmission or other
                                            electronic transmission of the
                                            above settlement information
                                            received from the Offering Agent,
                                            such CUSIP number and the name of
                                            the Offering Agent. The Operating
                                            Partnership will also advise the
                                            Offering Agent of the CUSIP number
                                            assigned to the Global Note.

                                        C.  The Trustee will communicate to DTC
                                            and the Offering Agent through
                                            DTC's Participant Terminal System a
                                            pending deposit message specifying
                                            the following settlement
                                            information:

                                            1.  The information set forth
                                                in the Settlement Procedure A.

                                            2.  Identification numbers of the 
                                                participant accounts maintained
                                                by DTC on behalf of the Trustee
                                                and the Offering
                                                Agent.

                                            3.  Identification of the Global
                                                Note as a Fixed Rate Global Note
                                                or Floating Rate Global Note.

                                            4.  Initial Interest Payment
                                                Date for such Note, number of 
                                                days by which such date succeeds
                                                the related record date for DTC
                                                purposes (or, in the case of
                                                Floating Rate Notes which reset
                                                daily or weekly, the date five
                                                calendar days preceding the
                                                Interest Payment Date) and, if
                                                then calculable, the amount of
                                                interest payable on such
                                                Interest Payment Date (which
                                                amount shall have been confirmed
                                                by the Trustee).

                                            5.  CUSIP number of the Global Note
                                                representing such Note.

                                            6.  Whether such Global Note
                                                represents any other Notes
                                                issued or to be issued in
                                                book-entry form.

                                        DTC will arrange for each pending
                                        deposit message described above to be
                                        transmitted to Standard & Poor's
                                        Corporation, which will use the
                                        information in the message to include
                                        certain terms of the related Global
                                        Note in the appropriate daily bond
                                        report published by Standard & Poor's
                                        Corporation.

                                        D.  The Trustee will complete and
                                            authenticate the Global Note
                                            representing such Note.

                                        E.  DTC will credit such Note to the
                                            participant account of the Trustee
                                            maintained by DTC.

                                        F.  The Trustee will enter an SDFS
                                            deliver order through DTC's
                                            Participant Terminal System
                                            instructing DTC (i) to debit such
                                            Note to the Trustee's participant
                                            account and credit such Note to the
                                            participant account of the Offering 
                                            Agent maintained by DTC and (ii) to
                                            debit the settlement account of the
                                            Offering Agent and credit the
                                            settlement

<PAGE>   58

                                        account of the Trustee maintained by
                                        DTC, in an amount equal to the price of
                                        such Note less such Offering Agent's
                                        discount or underwriting commission, as
                                        applicable. Any entry of such a deliver
                                        order shall be deemed to constitute a
                                        representation and warranty by the
                                        Trustee to DTC that (i) the Global Note
                                        representing such Note has been issued
                                        and authenticated and (ii) the Trustee
                                        is holding such Global Note pursuant to
                                        the Certificate Agreement.

                              G.        In the case of Notes in book-entry form
                                        sold through the Offering Agent, as
                                        agent, the Offering Agent will enter an
                                        SDFS deliver order through DTC's
                                        Participant Terminal System instructing
                                        DTC (i) to debit such Note to the
                                        Offering Agent's participant account
                                        and credit such Note to the participant
                                        account of the Participants maintained
                                        by DTC and (ii) to debit the settlement
                                        accounts of such Participants and
                                        credit the settlement account of the
                                        Offering Agent maintained by DTC in an
                                        amount equal to the initial public
                                        offering price of such Note.

                              H.        Transfers of funds in accordance with
                                        SDFS deliver orders described in
                                        Settlement Procedures F and G will be
                                        settled in accordance with SDFS
                                        operating procedures in effect on the
                                        Settlement Date.

                              I.        Upon receipt, the Trustee will pay the
                                        Operating Partnership, by wire transfer
                                        of immediately available funds to an
                                        account specified by the Operating
                                        Partnership to the Trustee from time to
                                        time, the amount transferred to the
                                        Trustee in accordance with Settlement
                                        Procedure F.

                              J.        The Trustee will send a copy of the
                                        Global Note by first class mail to the
                                        Operating Partnership and, at the
                                        request of the Operating Partnership, a
                                        statement setting forth the principal
                                        amount of Notes Outstanding as of the
                                        related Settlement Date after giving
                                        effect to such transaction and all
                                        other offers to purchase Notes of which
                                        the Operating Partnership has advised
                                        the Trustee but which have not yet been
                                        settled.

                              K.        If such Note was sold through the
                                        Offering Agent, as agent, the Offering
                                        Agent will confirm the purchase of such
                                        Note to the investor or other purchaser
                                        either by transmitting to the
                                        Participant with respect to such Note a
                                        confirmation order through DTC's
                                        Participant Terminal System or by
                                        mailing a written confirmation to such
                                        investor or other purchaser.

    Settlement Procedures
    Timetable:                          For offers to purchase Notes accepted
                                        by the Operating Partnership,
                                        Settlement Procedures A through K set
                                        forth above shall be completed as soon
                                        as possible following the trade but not
                                        later than the respective times (New
                                        York City time) set forth below:
<PAGE>   59

                                    SETTLEMENT
                                    PROCEDURE               TIME

                                        A         11:00 a.m. on the trade date
                                                  or within one hour following
                                                  the trade

                                        B         12:00 noon on the trade date
                                                  or within one hour following
                                                  the trade

                                        C         No later than the close of
                                                  business on the trade date

                                        D         9:00 a.m. on Settlement Date

                                        E         10:00 a.m. on Settlement Date

                                        F-G       No later than 2:00 p.m. on
                                                  Settlement Date

                                        H         4:00 p.m. on Settlement Date
                                                  I-K 5:00 p.m. on Settlement
                                                  Date

                                        Settlement Procedure H is subject to
                                        extension in accordance with any
                                        extension of Fedwire closing deadlines
                                        and in the other events specified in
                                        the SDFS operating procedures in effect
                                        on the Settlement Date.

                                        If settlement of a Note issued in
                                        book-entry form is rescheduled or
                                        canceled, the Trustee will deliver to
                                        DTC, through DTC's Participant Terminal
                                        System, a cancellation message to such
                                        effect by no later than 2:00 p.m., New
                                        York City time, on the Business Day
                                        immediately preceding the scheduled
                                        Settlement Date.

    Failure to Settle:                  If the Trustee fails to enter an SDFS
                                        deliver order with respect to a Note
                                        issued in book-entry form pursuant to
                                        Settlement Procedure F, the Trustee may
                                        deliver to DTC, through DTC's
                                        Participant Terminal System, as soon as
                                        practicable a withdrawal message
                                        instructing DTC to debit such Note to
                                        the participant account of the Trustee
                                        maintained at DTC. DTC will process the
                                        withdrawal message, provided that such
                                        participant account contains a
                                        principal amount of the Global Note
                                        representing such Note that is at least
                                        equal to the principal amount to be
                                        debited. If withdrawal messages are
                                        processed with respect to all the Notes
                                        represented by a Global Note, the
                                        Trustee will mark such Global Note
                                        "canceled," make appropriate entries in
                                        its records and send certification of
                                        destruction of such canceled Global
                                        Note to the Operating Partnership. The
                                        CUSIP number assigned to such Global
                                        Note shall, in accordance with CUSIP
                                        Service Bureau procedures, be canceled
                                        and not immediately reassigned. If
                                        withdrawal messages are processed with
                                        respect to a portion of the Notes
                                        represented by a Global Note, the
                                        Trustee will exchange such Global Note
                                        for two Global Notes, one of which
                                        shall represent the Global Notes for
                                        which withdrawal messages are processed
                                        and shall be canceled immediately after
                                        issuance and the other of which shall
                                        represent the other Notes previously
                                        represented by the surrendered Global
                                        Note and shall bear the CUSIP number of
                                        the surrendered Global Note.

                                        In the case of any Note in book-entry
                                        form sold through the Offering Agent,
                                        as agent, if the purchase price for any
                                        such Note is not timely paid to the
                                        Participants with respect thereto by
                                        the beneficial investor or other
                                        purchaser thereof (or a person,
                                        including an indirect participant in
                                        DTC,

<PAGE>   60

                                        acting on behalf of such investor or
                                        other purchaser), such Participants
                                        and, in turn, the related Offering
                                        Agent may enter SDFS deliver orders
                                        through DTC's Participant Terminal
                                        System reversing the orders entered
                                        pursuant to Settlement Procedures F and
                                        G, respectively. Thereafter, the
                                        Trustee will deliver the withdrawal
                                        message and take the related actions
                                        described in the preceding paragraph.
                                        If such failure shall have occurred for
                                        any reason other than default by the
                                        Offering Agent to perform its
                                        obligations hereunder or under the
                                        Distribution Agreement, the Operating
                                        Partnership will reimburse such
                                        Offering Agent on an equitable basis
                                        for its loss of the use of funds during
                                        the period when the funds were credited
                                        to the account of the Operating
                                        Partnership.

                                        Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon any
                                        failure to settle with respect to a
                                        Note in book-entry form, DTC may take
                                        any actions in accordance with its SDFS
                                        operating procedures then in effect. In
                                        the event of a failure to settle with
                                        respect to a Note that was to have been
                                        represented by a Global Note also
                                        representing other Notes, the Trustee
                                        will provide, in accordance with
                                        Settlement Procedure D, for the
                                        authentication and issuance of a Global
                                        Note representing such remaining Notes
                                        and will make appropriate entries in
                                        its records.


<PAGE>   61



                  PART III: PROCEDURES FOR CERTIFICATED NOTES

    Denominations:                      Unless otherwise specified in the 
                                        applicable Pricing Supplement, the
                                        Certificated Notes will be issued in
                                        denominations of $1,000 and integral
                                        multiples thereof.

    Payments of Principal,
    Premium, if any,
    and Interest:                       Upon presentment and delivery of the 
                                        Certificated Note, the Trustee upon
                                        receipt of immediately available funds
                                        from the Operating Partnership will pay
                                        the principal of, and premium, if any,
                                        and interest on, each Certificated Note
                                        on the Maturity Date in immediately
                                        available funds. All interest payments
                                        on a Certificated Note, other than
                                        interest due on the Maturity Date, will
                                        be made by check mailed to the address
                                        of the person entitled thereto as such
                                        address shall appear in the Security
                                        Register; provided, however, that
                                        Holders of $10,000,000 (or, if the
                                        applicable Specified Currency is other
                                        than United States dollars, the
                                        equivalent thereof in such Specified
                                        Currency) or more in aggregate
                                        principal amount of Certificated Notes
                                        (whether having identical or different
                                        terms and provisions) shall be entitled
                                        to receive such interest payments by
                                        wire transfer of immediately available
                                        funds if appropriate wire transfer
                                        instructions have been received in
                                        writing by the Trustee not less than 15
                                        calendar days prior to the applicable
                                        Interest Payment Date.

                                        The Trustee will provide monthly to the
                                        Operating Partnership a list of the
                                        principal, premium, if any, and
                                        interest to be paid on Certificated
                                        Notes maturing in the next succeeding
                                        month. The Trustee will be responsible
                                        for withholding taxes on interest paid
                                        as required by applicable law.

                                        Certificated Notes presented to the
                                        Trustee on the Maturity Date for
                                        payment will be canceled by the
                                        Trustee. All canceled Certificated
                                        Notes held by the Trustee shall be
                                        destroyed, and the Trustee shall
                                        furnish to the Operating Partnership a
                                        certificate with respect to such
                                        destruction.

    Settlement
    Procedures:                         Settlement Procedures with regard to
                                        each Certificated Note purchased by an
                                        Agent, as principal, or through an
                                        Agent, as agent, shall be as
                                        follows:

                                        A.  The Offering Agent will advise the

                                            Operating Partnership by telephone
                                            of the following Settlement
                                            information with regard to each
                                            Certificated Note:

                                            1.  Exact name in which the 
                                                Certificated Note(s) is to be
                                                registered (the "Registered 
                                                Owner").
<PAGE>   62

                                        2.        Exact address or addresses of
                                                  the Registered Owner for
                                                  delivery, notices and
                                                  payments of principal,
                                                  premium, if any, and
                                                  interest.

                                        3.        Taxpayer identification
                                                  number of the Registered
                                                  Owner.

                                        4.        Principal Amount, Authorized
                                                  Denomination and Specified
                                                  Currency.

                                        5.        Exchange Rate Agent, if any.

                                        6.        (a) Fixed Rate Notes:

                                                      (i)   Interest Rate.

                                                      (ii)  Interest Payment
                                                            Dates.

                                                      (iii) Whether such Note is
                                                            being issued with
                                                            Original Issue 
                                                            Discount and, if so,
                                                            the terms thereof.

                                                  (b) Floating Rate Notes:

                                                      (i)   Interest Category.

                                                      (ii)  Interest Rate Basis
                                                            or Bases.

                                                      (iii) Initial Interest
                                                            Rate.

                                                      (iv)  Spread and/or Spread
                                                            Multiplier, if any.
                                                             
                                                      (v)   Initial Interest
                                                            Reset Date and 
                                                            Interest Reset
                                                            Dates.

                                                      (vi)  Interest Payment 
                                                            Dates.

                                                      (vii) Index Maturity,
                                                            if any.

                                                      (viii)Maximum and/or
                                                            Minimum Interest
                                                            Rates, if any.

                                                      (ix)  Day Count
                                                            Convention.

                                                      (x)   Calculation Agent.

                                        7.        Price to public of such Note
                                                  or whether such Note is being
                                                  offered at varying prices
                                                  relating to prevailing market
                                                  prices at time of resale as
                                                  determined by the Offering
                                                  Agent.

                                        8.        Trade Date.

                                        9.        Settlement Date (Original
                                                  Issue Date).
<PAGE>   63

                                        10.       Stated Maturity Date.

                                        11.       Whether the Operating
                                                  Partnership has the option to
                                                  extend the Stated Maturity
                                                  Date of the Note, and, if so
                                                  the final Maturity Date.

                                        12.       Redemption provisions, if
                                                  any.

                                        13.       Repayment provisions, if any.

                                        14.       Net proceeds to the Operating
                                                  Partnership.

                                        15.       The Offering Agent's discount
                                                  or commission.

                                        16.       Whether such Note is being
                                                  sold to the Offering Agent as
                                                  principal or to a n investor
                                                  or other purchaser through
                                                  the Offering Agent acting as
                                                  agent for the Operating
                                                  Partnership.

                                        17.       Such other information
                                                  specified with respect to
                                                  such Note (whether by
                                                  Addendum or otherwise).

                              B.        After receiving such settlement
                                        information from the Offering Agent,
                                        the Operating Partnership will advise
                                        the Trustee of the above settlement
                                        information by facsimile transmission
                                        confirmed by telephone. The Operating
                                        Partnership will cause the Trustee to
                                        issue, authenticate and deliver the
                                        Certificated Note.

                              C.        The Trustee will complete the
                                        Certificated Note in the form approved
                                        by the Operating Partnership and the
                                        Offering Agent, and will make three
                                        copies thereof (herein called "Stub 1",
                                        "Stub 2" and "Stub 3"):

                                        1.        Certificated Note with the
                                                  Offering Agent's
                                                  confirmation, if traded on a
                                                  principal basis, or the
                                                  Offering Agent's customer
                                                  confirmation, if traded on an
                                                  agency basis.

                                        2.        Stub 1 for Trustee.

                                        3.        Stub 2 for Offering Agent.

                                        4.        Stub 3 for the Operating
                                                  Partnership.

                              D.        With respect to each trade, the Trustee
                                        will deliver the Certificated Note and
                                        Stub 2 thereof to the Offering Agent at
                                        the following applicable address: if to
                                        Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                                        Incorporated, Merrill Lynch Money
                                        Markets Clearance, 55 Water Street,
                                        Concourse Level, N.S.C.C. Window, New
                                        York, New York 10041, Attention: Al
                                        Mitchell, (212) 558-2405, telecopier:
                                        (212) 558-2457; 
<PAGE>   64
                                        if to J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.,
                                        NSCC-NY Window, 55 Water Street -
                                        Concourse Level, New York, New York
                                        10041 Attn: Bill Davis. The Trustee
                                        will keep Stub 1. The Offering Agent
                                        will acknowledge receipt of the
                                        Certificated Note through a broker's
                                        receipt and will keep Stub 2. Delivery
                                        of the Certificated Note will be made
                                        only against such acknowledgment of
                                        receipt. Upon determination that the
                                        Certificated Note has been authorized,
                                        delivered and completed as
                                        aforementioned, the Offering Agent will
                                        wire the net proceeds of the
                                        Certificated Note after deduction of
                                        its applicable commission to the
                                        Operating Partnership pursuant to
                                        standard wire instructions given by the
                                        Operating Partnership.

                              E.        In the case of a Certificated Note sold
                                        through the Offering Agent, as agent,
                                        the Offering Agent will deliver such
                                        Certificated Note (with the
                                        confirmation) to the purchaser against
                                        payment in immediately available funds.

                              F.        The Trustee will send Stub 3 to the
                                        Operating Partnership.

    Settlement
    Procedures
    Timetable:                          For offers to purchase Certificated
                                        Notes accepted by the Operating
                                        Partnership, Settlement Procedures A
                                        through F set forth above shall be
                                        completed as soon as possible following
                                        the trade but not later than the
                                        respective times (New York City time)
                                        set forth below:

                                        SETTLEMENT
                                        PROCEDURE                TIME

                                        A         11:00 a.m. on the trade date
                                                  or within one hour following
                                                  the trade

                                        B         12:00 noon on the trade date
                                                  or within one hour following
                                                  the trade

                                        C-D       2:15 p.m. on Settlement Date

                                        E         3:00 p.m. on Settlement Date

                                        F         5:00 p.m. on Settlement Date

    Failure to Settle:                  In the case of Certificated Notes sold
                                        through the Offering Agent, as agent,
                                        if an investor or other purchaser of a
                                        Certificated Note from the Operating
                                        Partnership shall either fail to accept
                                        delivery of or fail to make payment for
                                        such Certificated Note on the date
                                        fixed for settlement, the Offering
                                        Agent will forthwith notify the Trustee
                                        and the Operating Partnership by
                                        telephone, confirmed in writing, and
                                        return such Certificated Note to the
                                        Trustee.

                                        The Trustee, upon receipt of such
                                        Certificated Note from the Offering
                                        Agent, will immediately advise the
                                        Operating Partnership and the Operating
                                        Partnership will promptly arrange to
                                        credit the account of the Offering
                                        Agent in an amount of immediately
                                        available funds equal to the

<PAGE>   65

                                        amount previously paid to the Operating
                                        Partnership by such Offering Agent in
                                        settlement for such Certificated Note.
                                        Such credits will be made on the
                                        Settlement Date if possible, and in any
                                        event not later than the Business Day
                                        following the Settlement Date; provided
                                        that the Operating Partnership has
                                        received notice on the same day. If
                                        such failure shall have occurred for
                                        any reason other than default by the
                                        Offering Agent to perform its
                                        obligations hereunder or under the
                                        Distribution Agreement, the Operating
                                        Partnership will reimburse such
                                        Offering Agent on an equitable basis
                                        for its loss of the use of funds during
                                        the period when the funds were credited
                                        to the account of the Operating
                                        Partnership. Immediately upon receipt
                                        of the Certificated Note in respect of
                                        which the failure occurred, the Trustee
                                        will cancel and destroy such
                                        Certificated Note, make appropriate
                                        entries in its records to reflect the
                                        fact that such Certificated Note was
                                        never issued, and accordingly notify in
                                        writing the Operating Partnership.


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 5(a)


                         [KING & SPALDING LETTERHEAD]



Post Apartment Homes, L.P.
3350 Cumberland Circle
Suite 2200
Atlanta, Georgia 30339

         Re:      Post Apartment Homes, L.P. -- $344,000,000 Aggregate Principal
                  Amount of Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More from Date
                  of Issue

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  We have acted as counsel for Post Apartment Homes, L.P., a 
Georgia limited partnership (the "Operating Partnership,") in connection
with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of
$344,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or
More from Date of Issue (the "Notes") pursuant to a Prospectus Supplement dated
October 20, 1997 (the "Notes Prospectus Supplement").

                  In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied
upon such records, documents, certificates and other instruments as in our
judgment are necessary or appropriate to form the basis for the opinions
hereinafter set forth. In all such examinations, we have assumed the
genuineness of signatures on original documents and the conformity to such
original documents of all copies submitted to us as certified, conformed or
photographic copies, and as to certificates of public officials, we have
assumed the same to have been properly given and to be accurate. As to matters
of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon statements and
representations of representatives of the Company and of public officials.

                  We have assumed that the execution and delivery of, and the
performance of all obligations under, an indenture (the "Indenture") dated as
of September 25, 1996 between the Operating Partnership and SunTrust Bank,
Atlanta, as the trustee (the "Trustee") will be duly authorized by all
requisite action by the Trustee, and that the Indenture was duly executed and
delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Trustee, enforceable
against the Trustee in accordance with its terms.

                  This opinion is limited in all respects to the federal laws
of the United States of America and the laws of the States of Georgia and New
York, and no opinion is expressed with respect to the laws of any other
jurisdiction or any effect which such laws may have on the
<PAGE>   2
Post Apartment Homes, L.P.
October 20, 1997
Page 2


opinions expressed herein. This opinion is limited to the matters stated
herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters
expressly stated herein.

                  Based upon the foregoing, and the other limitations and
qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

         (i)      The Operating Partnership is a validly existing limited
partnership under the laws of the State of Georgia;

         (ii)     Upon the issuance and sale thereof as described in the Notes
Prospectus Supplement and, when executed by the Operating Partnership and duly
authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the
Notes will be (x) valid and binding obligations of the Operating Partnership,
enforceable against the Operating Partnership in accordance with their terms
and (y) entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

         The opinions set forth above are subject, as to enforcement, to (i)
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, and
(ii) general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is
considered in a proceeding in equity or law).

                  This opinion is given as of the date hereof, and we assume no
obligation to advise you after the date hereof of facts or circumstances that
come to our attention or changes in law that occur which could affect the
opinions contained herein. This letter is being rendered solely for the benefit
of the Operating Partnership in connection with the matters expressed herein.
This opinion may not be furnished to or relied upon by any person or entity for
any purpose without our prior written consent.

                  We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit
to the Current Report on Form 8-K and to the reference to us under the caption
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus Supplement dated October 20, 1997.


                           Very truly yours,

                           KING & SPALDING

<PAGE>   1

                               October 20, 1997




Post Apartment Homes, L.P.
3350 Cumberland Circle
Suite 2200
Atlanta, Georgia 30339

        Re:  Post Apartment Homes, L.P. -- $344,000,000 Aggregate Principal
                      Amount of Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More from 
                      Date of Issue

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We have acted as counsel to Post Apartment Homes, L.P., a Georgia
limited partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), in connection with the
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of $344,000,000
aggregate principal amount of Medium-Term Notes due Nine Months or More from
Date of Issue (the "Notes") pursuant to a Prospectus Supplement dated October
20, 1997 (the "Notes Prospectus Supplement"). You have requested our opinion as
to the accuracy of the information contained in the Notes Prospectus Supplement
under the heading "Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations."

        Unless otherwise indicated, all terms used herein with initial capital
letters shall have the same meaning as in the Notes Prospectus Supplement.

        In rendering the opinion expressed herein, we have examined such
documents as we have deemed appropriate. In our examination of documents, we
have assumed, with your consent, that all documents submitted to us are
authentic originals, or if submitted as photocopies or telecopies, that they
faithfully reproduce the originals thereof, that all such documents have been
or will be duly executed to the extent required, that all representations and
statements set forth in such documents are true and correct, and that all
obligations imposed by any such documents on the parties thereto have been or
will be performed or satisfied in accordance with their terms. We have also
obtained such additional information and representations as we have deemed
relevant and necessary through consultation with officers of the Company.

        Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the
information in the Notes Prospectus Supplement under the heading "Certain
United States Federal Income Tax Considerations" constitutes, in all material
respects, a fair and accurate summary of the material
<PAGE>   2
October 20, 1997
Page 2



United States federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and
disposition of the Notes under current law.

     The opinion expressed herein is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, current
administrative positions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, and existing
judicial decisions, any of which could be changed at any time, possibly on a
retroactive basis.  Any such changes could adversely affect the opinion
rendered herein and the tax consequences to the Operating Partnership and the
investors in the Notes.  In addition, as noted above, our opinion is based
solely on the documents that we have examined, the additional information that
we have obtained, and the representations that have been made to us, and cannot
be relied upon if any of the facts contained in such documents or in such
additional information is, or later becomes, inaccurate or if any of the
representations made to us is, or later becomes, inaccurate.  We are not,
however, aware of any facts or circumstances contrary to or inconsistent with
the information, assumptions, and representations upon which we have relied for
purposes of this opinion.

     Finally, our opinion is limited to the tax matters specifically covered
thereby, and we have not been asked to address, nor have we addressed, any
other tax consequences of an investment in the Notes.

                                                Very truly yours,



                                                King & Spalding
                                                

<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(a)


                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" and to the
incorporation by reference in (i) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No.
333-3555) of Post Properties, Inc. and Post Apartment Homes, L.P.; and (ii) the
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-36595) of Post Properties, Inc. and
Post Apartment Homes, L.P. of our report dated January 28, 1997, except for
Note 15, as to which the date is March 7, 1997, with respect to the
consolidated financial statements of Columbus Realty Trust as of December 31,
1996 and 1995 and for the three years ended December 31, 1996, included in Post
Apartment Homes, L.P.'s Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 17, 1997
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.




                                        ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Dallas, Texas
October 15, 1997


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