CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII
SC 14D1, 1997-08-28
REAL ESTATE
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<PAGE>

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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

                                 SCHEDULE 14D-1
              TENDER OFFER STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(d)(1)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                      AND
                                SCHEDULE 13D/A
                   UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                               (AMENDMENT NO. 4)

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

                          CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII
                           (Name of Subject Company)

                             IPLP ACQUISITION I LLC
                           INSIGNIA PROPERTIES, L.P.
                           INSIGNIA PROPERTIES TRUST
                         INSIGNIA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
                                   (Bidders)

                     UNITS OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP INTEREST
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                      NONE
                     (Cusip Number of Class of Securities)

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

                                JEFFREY P. COHEN
                             SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
                         INSIGNIA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
                          375 PARK AVENUE, SUITE 3401
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10152
                                 (212) 750-6070
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized
          to Receive Notices and Communications on Behalf of Bidders)

                                    COPY TO:

                              JOHN A. HEALY, ESQ.
                                 ROGERS & WELLS
                                200 PARK AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10166
                                 (212) 878-8000

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

                           CALCULATION OF FILING FEE

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transaction Valuation*:  $5,062,500           Amount of Filing Fee:  $1,012.50
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*     For purposes of calculating the fee only. This amount assumes the
      purchase of 22,500 units of limited partnership interest ("Units") of the
      subject partnership for $225 per Unit. The amount of the filing fee,
      calculated in accordance with Section 14(g)(3) and Rule 0-11(d) under the
      Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, equals 1/50th of one percent
      of the aggregate of the cash offered by the bidders.

[ ]   Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 0-11(a)(2)
      and identify the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously
      paid. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or
      the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

      Amount Previously Paid:  Not Applicable     Filing Party: Not Applicable
      Form or Registration No.:  Not Applicable   Date Filed:  Not Applicable
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>

- --------------------                                                -----------
  CUSIP No.   NONE                14D-1 AND 13D/A                     Page  2
- --------------------                                                -----------

===============================================================================
    1.       Name of Reporting Persons
             S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos. of Above Persons

                             IPLP ACQUISITION I LLC
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2.       Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                     (a) [ ]
                                                                     (b) [X]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3.       SEC Use Only


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4.       Sources of Funds

                                       AF
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5.       Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings is Required 
             Pursuant to Items 2(e) or 2(f)

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    6.       Citizenship or Place of Organization

                                    DELAWARE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7.       Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    25,967.5
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    8.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 7 Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 7

                                     34.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10.       Type of Reporting Person

                                       OO
===============================================================================

<PAGE>

- --------------------                                                -----------
  CUSIP No.   NONE                14D-1 AND 13D/A                     Page  3
- --------------------                                                -----------

===============================================================================
    1.       Name of Reporting Persons
             S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos. of Above Persons

                           INSIGNIA PROPERTIES, L.P.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2.       Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                     (a) [ ]
                                                                     (b) [X]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3.       SEC Use Only


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4.       Sources of Funds

                                       WC
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5.       Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings is Required
             Pursuant to Items 2(e) or 2(f)

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    6.       Citizenship or Place of Organization

                                    DELAWARE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7.       Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    25,967.5
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    8.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 7 Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 7

                                     34.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10.       Type of Reporting Person

                                       PN
===============================================================================

<PAGE>

- --------------------                                                -----------
  CUSIP No.   NONE                14D-1 AND 13D/A                     Page  4
- --------------------                                                -----------

===============================================================================
    1.       Name of Reporting Persons
             S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos. of Above Persons

                           INSIGNIA PROPERTIES TRUST
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2.       Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                     (a) [ ]
                                                                     (b) [X]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3.       SEC Use Only


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4.       Sources of Funds

                                 NOT APPLICABLE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5.       Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings is Required
             Pursuant to Items 2(e) or 2(f)

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    6.       Citizenship or Place of Organization

                                    MARYLAND
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7.       Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    25,967.5
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    8.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 7 Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 7

                                     34.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10.       Type of Reporting Person

                                       OO
===============================================================================

<PAGE>

- --------------------                                                -----------
  CUSIP No.   NONE                14D-1 AND 13D/A                     Page  5
- --------------------                                                -----------

===============================================================================
    1.       Name of Reporting Persons
             S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos. of Above Persons

                         INSIGNIA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2.       Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                     (a) [ ]
                                                                     (b) [X]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3.       SEC Use Only


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4.       Sources of Funds

                                 NOT APPLICABLE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5.       Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings is Required
             Pursuant to Items 2(e) or 2(f)

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    6.       Citizenship or Place of Organization

                                    DELAWARE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7.       Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    25,967.5
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    8.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 7 Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 7

                                     34.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10.       Type of Reporting Person

                                       CO
===============================================================================

<PAGE>

- --------------------                                                -----------
  CUSIP No.   NONE                14D-1 AND 13D/A                     Page  6
- --------------------                                                -----------

===============================================================================
    1.       Name of Reporting Persons
             S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos. of Above Persons

                                ANDREW L. FARKAS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2.       Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                     (a) [ ]
                                                                     (b) [X]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3.       SEC Use Only


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4.       Sources of Funds

                                 NOT APPLICABLE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5.       Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings is Required
             Pursuant to Items 2(e) or 2(f)

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    6.       Citizenship or Place of Organization

                                 UNITED STATES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7.       Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    25,967.5
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    8.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 7 Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                         [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 7

                                     34.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10.       Type of Reporting Person

                                       IN
===============================================================================

<PAGE>

                 SCHEDULE 14D-1/AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO SCHEDULE 13D

         This Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1 (the "Statement") also
constitutes Amendment No. 4 to the Statement on Schedule 13D previously filed
by Insignia Properties, L.P. ("IPLP"), Insignia Properties Trust ("IPT"),
Insignia Financial Group, Inc. ("Insignia"), and Andrew L. Farkas in
connection with their beneficial ownership of Units (as defined below). The
item numbers and responses thereto set forth below are in accordance with the
requirements of Schedule 14D-1.

ITEM 1.  SECURITY AND SUBJECT COMPANY.

         (a) The name of the subject company is Century Properties Fund XVII, a
California limited partnership (the "Partnership"). The address of the
Partnership's principal executive offices is One Insignia Financial Plaza,
Greenville, South Carolina 29602.

         (b) This Statement relates to an offer by IPLP Acquisition I LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (the "Purchaser"), to purchase up to 22,500
of the outstanding units of limited partnership interest ("Units") of the
Partnership at a purchase price of $225 per Unit, net to the seller in cash,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase
dated August 28, 1997 (the "Offer to Purchase") and the related Assignment of
Partnership Unit (which, together with any supplements or amendments,
collectively constitute the "Offer"), copies of which are filed as Exhibits
(a)(1) and (a)(2) hereto, respectively. The information set forth in the Offer
to Purchase under "Introduction" is incorporated herein by reference.

         (c) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase in Section 13
("Background of the Offer") is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2.  IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND.

         (a)-(d), (g) This Statement is being filed by the Purchaser, IPLP, IPT
and Insignia (collectively, the "Bidders"). The information set forth in the
Offer to Purchase under "Introduction," in Section 11 ("Certain Information
Concerning the Purchaser, IPLP, IPT and Insignia") and in Schedules II, III and
IV to the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

         (e)-(f) During the last five years, none of the Bidders nor, to the
best of their knowledge, any of the persons listed in Schedules II, III and IV
to the Offer to Purchase (i) has been convicted in a criminal proceeding
(excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or (ii) was a party to a
civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction
and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or
final order enjoining further violations of or prohibiting activities subject
to federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to
such laws.

ITEM 3.  PAST CONTACTS, TRANSACTIONS OR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SUBJECT COMPANY.

         (a)-(b) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase under
"Introduction," in Section 10 ("Conflicts of Interest and Transactions with
Affiliates") and in Section 13 ("Background of the Offer") is incorporated
herein by reference.

ITEM 4.  SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION.

         (a) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase in Section 10
("Conflicts of Interest and Transactions with Affiliates") and in Section 12
("Source of Funds") is incorporated herein by reference.

         (b)-(c) Not applicable.

                                       7
<PAGE>

ITEM 5. PURPOSE OF THE TENDER OFFER AND PLANS OR PROPOSALS OF THE BIDDER.

         (a)-(b), (e) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase under
"Introduction" and in Section 8 ("Future Plans of Insignia, IPT and the
Purchaser") is incorporated herein by reference.

         (c) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase in Section 8
("Future Plans of Insignia, IPT and the Purchaser"), in Section 10 ("Conflicts
of Interest and Transactions with Affiliates") and in Section 13 ("Background
of the Offer") is incorporated herein by reference.

         (d) Not applicable.

         (f)-(g) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase in Section
7 ("Effects of the Offer") is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 6.  INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE SUBJECT COMPANY.

         (a)-(b) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase under
"Introduction," in Section 11 ("Certain Information Concerning the Purchaser,
IPLP, IPT and Insignia") and in Schedule I to the Offer to Purchase is
incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7.  CONTRACTS, ARRANGEMENTS, UNDERSTANDINGS OR RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESPECT
         TO THE SUBJECT COMPANY'S SECURITIES.

         The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase under
"Introduction," in Section 7 ("Effects of the Offer"), Section 10 ("Conflicts
of Interest and Transactions with Affiliates"), Section 11 ("Certain
Information Concerning the Purchaser, IPLP, IPT and Insignia") and Section 13
("Background of the Offer") is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 8.  PERSONS RETAINED, EMPLOYED OR TO BE COMPENSATED.

         The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase under
"Introduction" and in Section 16 ("Fees and Expenses") is incorporated herein
by reference.

ITEM 9.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF CERTAIN BIDDERS.

         The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase in Section 11
("Certain Information Concerning the Purchaser, IPLP, IPT and Insignia") is
incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the following are expressly
incorporated in this Statement by reference: (i) the audited financial
statements of Insignia set forth at Part I-Item 8 of Insignia's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996, which is on file with the
Commission; and (ii) the unaudited financial statements of Insignia set forth
at Part I-Item 1 of Insignia's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A for the period
ended June 30, 1997, which is on file with the Commission.

ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

         (a) Not applicable.

         (b)-(d) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase in Section
15 ("Certain Legal Matters") is incorporated herein by reference.

         (e) None.

         (f) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the related
Assignment of Partnership Unit, copies of which are filed as Exhibits (a)(1)
and (a)(2) hereto, respectively, is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.

                                       8
<PAGE>

ITEM 11. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS.

         (a)(1)     Offer to Purchase, dated August 28, 1997.
         (a)(2)     Assignment of Partnership Interest and Related Instructions.
         (a)(3)     Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification
                    Number on Substitute Form W-9.
         (b)        Not applicable.
         (c)        Not applicable.
         (d)        Not applicable.
         (e)        Not applicable.
         (f)        Not applicable.
         (z)(1)     Agreement of Joint Filing, dated August 28, 1997, among the
                    Purchaser, IPLP, IPT, Insignia and Andrew L. Farkas.

                                       9
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURE


         After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.


Dated:  August 28, 1997


                                            IPLP ACQUISITION I LLC


                                            By: /s/ JEFFREY P. COHEN
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Jeffrey P. Cohen
                                                Manager


                                            INSIGNIA PROPERTIES, L.P.

                                            By: Insignia Properties Trust,
                                                its General Partner


                                            By: /s/ JEFFREY P. COHEN
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Jeffrey P. Cohen
                                                Senior Vice President


                                            INSIGNIA PROPERTIES TRUST


                                            By: /s/ JEFFREY P. COHEN
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Jeffrey P. Cohen
                                                Senior Vice President


                                            INSIGNIA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.


                                            By: /s/ FRANK M. GARRISON
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Frank M. Garrison
                                                Executive Managing Director


                                            SOLELY FOR PURPOSES OF, AND INSOFAR
                                            AS THIS FILING CONSTITUTES,
                                            AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO THE STATEMENT ON
                                            SCHEDULE 13D


                                            /s/ ANDREW L. FARKAS
                                            ------------------------------
                                            ANDREW L. FARKAS

                                       10
<PAGE>

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------

EXHIBIT NO.                                 DESCRIPTION
- -----------                                 -----------

  (a)(1)                Offer to Purchase, dated August 28, 1997.

  (a)(2)                Assignment of Partnership Interest and Related
                        Instructions.

  (a)(3)                Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification
                        Number on Substitute Form W-9.

  (z)(1)                Agreement of Joint Filing, dated August 28, 1997, 
                        among the Purchaser, IPLP, IPT, Insignia and 
                        Andrew L. Farkas.


                                       11


<PAGE>

                           Offer to Purchase for Cash
               Up to 22,500 Units of Limited Partnership Interest
                                       in
                         CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII,
                        a California limited partnership
                                      for
                               $225 Net Per Unit
                                       by
                             IPLP ACQUISITION I LLC

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    THE OFFER, WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS AND PRORATION PERIOD WILL EXPIRE AT 12:00
 MIDNIGHT, NEW YORK TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1997, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                   IMPORTANT

         IPLP Acquisition I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
"Purchaser"), is offering to purchase up to 22,500 of the outstanding units of
limited partnership interest ("Units") in Century Properties Fund XVII, a
California limited partnership (the "Partnership"), at a purchase price of $225
per Unit (the "Purchase Price"), net to the seller in cash, without interest,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Offer to
Purchase and in the related Assignment of Partnership Interest (which, together
with any supplements or amendments, collectively constitute the "Offer"). The
Purchase Price is subject to adjustment under certain circumstances, as
described herein. Holders of Units (each, a "Limited Partner") who tender their
Units in response to the Offer will not be obligated to pay any commissions or
partnership transfer fees. The Purchaser is an affiliate of Fox Partners, which
is the general partner of the Partnership (the "General Partner").

         Limited Partners are urged to consider the following factors:

         o    The Purchaser and the General Partner are both affiliates of and
              controlled by Insignia Properties Trust ("IPT"), which is
              controlled by Insignia Financial Group, Inc. ("Insignia"). IPT,
              through its operating partnership Insignia Properties, L.P.
              ("IPLP"), currently owns 25,967.5 Units.

         o    The net liquidation value per Unit (the "Estimated Liquidation
              Value") estimated by the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
              General Partner) is $386.77. The Purchaser does not believe,
              however, that the Estimated Liquidation Value represents a fair
              estimate of the market value of a Unit, primarily due to the fact
              that such estimate does not take into account timing
              considerations and legal and other expenses that would be
              incurred in connection with a liquidation of the Partnership. See
              Section 13. Accordingly, the Purchaser does not believe that the
              Estimated Liquidation Value should be viewed as representative of
              the amount a Limited Partner can realistically expect to obtain
              on a sale of a Unit in the near term.

         o    The Purchaser will have the right to vote all Units acquired
              pursuant to the Offer. If the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of
              the General Partner) is successful in acquiring more than
              11,532.5 Units, IPT will own in excess of 50% of the total Units
              outstanding and, accordingly, will be able to control the outcome
              of almost all voting decisions with respect to the Partnership,
              including decisions regarding liquidation, amendments to the
              Limited Partnership Agreement, removal and replacement of the
              General Partner and mergers, consolidations and other
              extraordinary transactions not involving a "roll-up." Even if the
              Purchaser acquires a lesser number of Units pursuant to the
              Offer, however, because IPT already owns (through IPLP)
              approximately 34.6% of the outstanding Units it will be able to
              significantly influence the outcome of almost all voting
              decisions with respect to the Partnership (other than decisions
              involving "roll-up" transactions prior to January 1, 2000).

<PAGE>

         o    Between October 1994 and June 1995, DeForest Ventures I, L.P.
              ("DeForest"), which at the time was an affiliate of the General
              Partner but was not an affiliate of Insignia, IPT or the
              Purchaser, acquired 25,710.5 (or approximately 34.3%) of the
              outstanding Units, at a purchase price of $83.38 per Unit,
              pursuant to a series of tender offers. In a series of related
              transactions that occurred during the first half of 1996,
              Insignia (through various affiliates) acquired a controlling
              interest in the General Partner and all of the Units owned by
              DeForest. Currently, IPT controls the General Partner and IPLP
              owns all of the Units previously held by DeForest.

         o    The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) is
              making the Offer with a view to making a profit. Accordingly,
              there is a conflict between the desire of the Purchaser (which is
              an affiliate of the General Partner) to purchase Units at a low
              price and the desire of the Limited Partners to sell their Units
              at a high price.

         THE OFFER IS NOT CONDITIONED ON FINANCING OR UPON ANY MINIMUM
AGGREGATE NUMBER OF UNITS BEING TENDERED.

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

         Any Limited Partner desiring to tender Units should complete and sign
the Assignment of Partnership Interest (or a copy thereof) in accordance with
the Instructions to the Assignment of Partnership Interest and mail or deliver
the signed Assignment of Partnership Interest to the Depositary. A Limited
Partner may tender any or all of the Units owned by that Limited Partner.
Tenders of fractional Units will not be permitted, except by a Limited Partner
who is tendering all of the Units owned by that Limited Partner.

         Questions and requests for assistance or for additional copies of this
Offer to Purchase and the Assignment of Partnership Interest may be directed to
the Information Agent at the address and telephone numbers set forth below and
on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. No soliciting dealer fees or other
payments to brokers for tenders are being paid by the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner).

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

          For More Information or for Further Assistance Please Call:

                           Beacon Hill Partners, Inc.

                                       at

                                 (800) 854-9486

August 28, 1997

<PAGE>

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                          PAGE
                                                                          ----

INTRODUCTION..............................................................  1
    The Purchaser; Affiliation with the General Partner...................  1
    Some Factors to Be Considered by Limited Partners.....................  1
    Reasons for and Effects of the Offer..................................  3
    Certain Tax Considerations............................................  3
    Originally Anticipated Term of the Partnership; General Policy
        Regarding Sales and Refinancings of Partnership Properties;
        Alternatives......................................................  3
    Conditions............................................................  4
    Distributions.........................................................  4
    Outstanding Units.....................................................  4

THE OFFER.................................................................  5
    Section 1.  Terms of the Offer; Expiration Date; Proration............  5
    Section 2.  Acceptance for Payment and Payment for Units..............  6
    Section 3.  Procedure for Tendering Units.............................  6
        Valid Tender......................................................  6
        Signature Requirements............................................  6
        Delivery of Assignment of Partnership Interest....................  6
        Appointment as Proxy; Power of Attorney...........................  7
        Assignment of Interest in Future Distributions....................  7
        Determination of Validity; Rejection of Units; Waiver of Defects;
           No Obligation to Give Notice of Defects........................  7
        Backup Federal Income Tax Withholding.............................  8
        FIRPTA Withholding................................................  8
        Binding Obligation................................................  8
    Section 4.  Withdrawal Rights.........................................  8
    Section 5.  Extension of Tender Period; Termination; Amendment........  9
    Section 6.  Certain Federal Income Tax Matters........................  9
        General    .......................................................  9
        Gain or Loss Generally............................................  9
        Unrealized Receivables and Certain Inventory...................... 10
        Passive Activity Loss Limitation.................................. 10
        Partnership Termination........................................... 11
        Backup Withholding and FIRPTA Withholding......................... 11
    Section 7.  Effects of the Offer...................................... 12
        Effect on Trading Market; Registration Under Section 12(g) of
           the Exchange Act............................................... 12
        Control of Limited Partner Voting Decisions by Purchaser;
           Effect of Relationship with General Partner.................... 12
    Section 8.  Future Plans of Insignia, IPT and the Purchaser........... 13
    Section 9.  Certain Information Concerning the Partnership............ 13
        General    ....................................................... 14
        Originally Anticipated Term of Partnership; Alternatives.......... 14
        General Policy Regarding Sales and Refinancings of Partnership
           Properties..................................................... 14
        Selected Financial and Property-Related Data...................... 14
        Cash Distributions History........................................ 17
        Operating Budgets of the Partnership.............................. 17
    Section 10.  Conflicts of Interest and Transactions with Affiliates... 17
        Conflicts of Interest with Respect to the Offer................... 17
        Voting by the Purchaser........................................... 17
        Financing Arrangements............................................ 18

                                       i
<PAGE>
                                                                          PAGE
                                                                          ----

        Transactions with Affiliates...................................... 18
    Section 11.  Certain Information Concerning the Purchaser, IPLP,
           IPT and Insignia............................................... 19
        The Purchaser..................................................... 19
        IPT and IPLP...................................................... 19
        Insignia   ....................................................... 21
    Section 12.  Source of Funds.......................................... 22
    Section 13.  Background of the Offer.................................. 22
        Affiliation with the General Partner and NPI-AP................... 22
        Previous Tender Offers............................................ 23
        Determination of Purchase Price................................... 23
    Section 14.  Conditions of the Offer.................................. 27
    Section 15.  Certain Legal Matters.................................... 28
        General    ....................................................... 28
        Antitrust  ....................................................... 29
        Margin Requirements............................................... 29
    Section 16.  Fees and Expenses........................................ 29
    Section 17.  Miscellaneous............................................ 29


SCHEDULE I   - Transactions in the Units Effected by IPLP in the 
               Past 60 Days............................................... S-1

SCHEDULE II  - Information Regarding the Managers of the Purchaser........ S-2

SCHEDULE III - Information Regarding the Trustees and Executive
               Officers of IPT............................................ S-3

SCHEDULE IV  - Information Regarding the Directors and Executive
               Officers of Insignia....................................... S-5

SCHEDULE V   - IPT Partnerships........................................... S-8

                                       ii
<PAGE>

TO THE LIMITED PARTNERS OF
CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII


                                  INTRODUCTION

         IPLP Acquisition I LLC (the "Purchaser"), which is a Delaware limited
liability company and an affiliate of the General Partner, hereby offers to
purchase up to 22,500 Units, representing approximately 30% of the Units
outstanding, at a purchase price of $225 per Unit (the "Purchase Price"), net
to the seller in cash, without interest, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Offer to Purchase and in the related Assignment of
Partnership Interest (which, together with any supplements or amendments,
collectively constitute the "Offer"). Limited Partners who tender their Units
in response to the Offer will not be obligated to pay any commissions or
partnership transfer fees; those fees will be paid by the Purchaser. The
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) will pay all charges
and expenses of Beacon Hill Partners, Inc., who will serve as the Purchaser's
information agent for the Offer (the "Information Agent"), and Harris Trust
Company of New York, who will act as depositary for the Offer (the
"Depositary"). The Offer is not conditioned on any aggregate minimum number of
Units being tendered. A Limited Partner may tender any or all of the Units
owned by that Limited Partner. Tenders of fractional Units will not be
permitted, except by a Limited Partner who is tendering all of the Units owned
by that Limited Partner.

         The Purchaser; Affiliation with the General Partner. Fox Partners, a
California general partnership, is the general partner of the Partnership (the
"General Partner") and is controlled by Insignia Properties Trust, a Maryland
real estate investment trust ("IPT"). The Purchaser is a newly-formed,
wholly-owned subsidiary of Insignia Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership ("IPLP"), which is the operating partnership of IPT. IPT is the
sole general partner of IPLP (owning approximately 68% of the total equity
interests in IPLP), and Insignia Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("Insignia"), is the sole limited partner of IPLP (owning approximately 32% of
the total equity interests in IPLP). Insignia and its affiliates also own
approximately 70% of the outstanding common shares of IPT. NPI-AP Management,
L.P. ("NPI-AP"), which since mid-January 1996 has been an affiliate of Insignia
and is an affiliate of IPT and the Purchaser, provides property management
services to the Partnership, and since mid-January 1996 Insignia (directly or
through affiliates) has performed asset management and partnership
administration services for the Partnership. By reason of these relationships,
the General Partner has conflicts of interest in considering the Offer. The
General Partner has indicated in a Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (the "Schedule
14D-9") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
that it is remaining neutral and making no recommendation as to whether Limited
Partners should tender their Units in response to the Offer. LIMITED PARTNERS
ARE URGED TO READ THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE RELATED MATERIALS AND THE
SCHEDULE 14D-9 CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO
TENDER THEIR UNITS. See Section 10.

         Some Factors to Be Considered by Limited Partners. In considering the
Offer, Limited Partners may wish to consider the following factors:

         Potential Adverse Aspects of the Offer for Limited Partners

         o    The Purchaser and the General Partner are affiliates of and
              controlled by IPT, which is controlled by Insignia. The General
              Partner has conflicts of interest in considering the Offer,
              including (i) as a result of the fact that a sale or liquidation
              of the Partnership's assets would result in a decrease or
              elimination of the fees paid to the General Partner and/or its
              affiliates and (ii) the fact that as a consequence of the
              Purchaser's ownership of Units, the Purchaser (which is an
              affiliate of the General Partner) may have incentives to seek to
              maximize the value of its ownership of Units, which in turn may
              result in a conflict for the General Partner in attempting to
              reconcile the interests of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate
              of the General Partner) with the interests of the other Limited
              Partners. See Section 10.

         o    The net liquidation value per Unit (the "Estimated Liquidation
              Value") estimated by the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
              General Partner) is $386.77. See Section 13 for a discussion of
              why the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner)
              believes that the Estimated Liquidation

<PAGE>

              Value is not necessarily indicative of the fair market value of a
              Unit. THE PURCHASER (WHICH IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE GENERAL
              PARTNER) MAKES NO REPRESENTATION AND EXPRESSES NO OPINION AS TO
              THE FAIRNESS OR ADEQUACY OF THE PURCHASE PRICE.

         o    If the Purchaser is successful in acquiring more than 11,532.5
              Units pursuant to the Offer, IPT (which is an affiliate of the
              General Partner) will own in excess of 50% of the total Units
              outstanding and, accordingly, will be able to control the outcome
              of almost all voting decisions with respect to the Partnership,
              including decisions concerning liquidation, amendments to the
              Limited Partnership Agreement, removal and replacement of the
              General Partner and mergers, consolidations and other
              extraordinary transactions not involving a "roll-up." Even if the
              Purchaser acquires a lesser number of Units pursuant to the
              Offer, however, because IPT already owns (through IPLP)
              approximately 34.6% of the outstanding Units it will be able to
              significantly influence the outcome of almost all voting
              decisions with respect to the Partnership. This means that, other
              than with respect to "roll-up" transactions prior to January 1,
              2000, (i) non-tendering Limited Partners could be prevented from
              taking action they desire but that IPT (which is an affiliate of
              the General Partner) opposes and (ii) IPT (which is an affiliate
              of the General Partner) may be able to take action desired by IPT
              but opposed by the non-tendering Limited Partners.

         o    As with any rational investment decision, the Purchaser (which is
              an affiliate of the General Partner) is making the Offer with a
              view to making a profit. Accordingly, there is a conflict between
              the desire of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
              Partner) to purchase Units at a low price and the desire of the
              Limited Partners to sell their Units at a high price.

         Potentially Beneficial Aspects of the Offer for Limited Partners

         o    Although there are some limited resale mechanisms available to
              Limited Partners wishing to sell their Units, there is no formal
              trading market for Units. Accordingly, THE OFFER AFFORDS LIMITED
              PARTNERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISPOSE OF THEIR UNITS FOR CASH WHICH
              OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

         o    THE OFFER MAY BE ATTRACTIVE TO LIMITED PARTNERS WHO HAVE AN
              IMMEDIATE NEED FOR CASH. Based on published information and
              information provided by the General Partner, the Purchase Price
              is approximately 11% greater than the highest reported secondary
              market sales price of any Unit during the past six months
              (excluding a single transaction in July 1997 in which IPLP
              purchased one Unit at a purchase price of $221 as a result of a
              clerical error). However, reported secondary market sales prices
              do not take into account commissions and transfer fees typically
              payable by a Limited Partner in connection with a secondary
              market sale. Therefore, the actual proceeds received by a Limited
              Partner who sells Units in the secondary market are typically
              significantly less than the reported sales prices.

         o    LIMITED PARTNERS WHO SELL UNITS PURSUANT TO THE OFFER WILL NOT BE
              CHARGED ANY SALES COMMISSIONS (WHICH GENERALLY RANGE FROM 3% TO
              10% OF THE SALES PRICE) OR PARTNERSHIP TRANSFER FEES (WHICH ARE
              TYPICALLY $100 PER TRANSFER). The Purchaser will pay all transfer
              fees imposed by the Partnership in connection with sales of Units
              pursuant to the Offer.

         o    Real estate markets in the United States generally have recovered
              and experienced an upward trend since the end of the last
              recession. That recovery and upward trend might continue. On the
              other hand, those markets also may be adversely affected by a
              variety of factors, including possible fluctuations in interest
              rates, economic slowdowns and overbuilding. Accordingly,
              ownership of Units continues to be a speculative investment. THE
              OFFER MAY PROVIDE LIMITED PARTNERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO
              LIQUIDATE THEIR INTERESTS IN THE PARTNERSHIP AND REPLACE THEM
              WITH INVESTMENTS THAT ARE LESS SPECULATIVE.

                                       2
<PAGE>

         o    The Offer may be attractive to Limited Partners who wish to avoid
              in the future the expenses, delays and complications in filing
              personal income tax returns which may be caused by ownership of
              Units. In addition, A LIMITED PARTNER WHO SELLS 100% OF ITS UNITS
              PURSUANT TO THE OFFER WILL NO LONGER BE SUBJECT TO THE PASSIVE
              ACTIVITY LOSS LIMITATION WITH RESPECT TO "SUSPENDED" LOSSES
              ATTRIBUTABLE TO THOSE UNITS AND, THEREFORE, WILL BE ABLE TO
              UTILIZE FULLY ANY SUCH LOSSES.

         o    The Offer may be attractive to those Limited Partners who have
              become disenchanted with real estate investments generally, and
              in particular with the perceived illiquidity of investments made
              through limited partnerships, because it may afford an immediate
              opportunity for those Limited Partners to liquidate their
              investments in the Partnership. On the other hand, Limited
              Partners who tender their Units will be giving up the opportunity
              to participate in any potential future benefits represented by
              the ownership of those Units, including, for example, the right
              to participate in any future distributions of cash or property,
              whether from operations, the proceeds of a sale or refinancing of
              one or more of the Partnership's properties or in connection with
              any future liquidation of the Partnership. Instead, any such
              distributions of cash or property with respect to Units tendered
              in the Offer and purchased by the Purchaser will be paid to the
              Purchaser.

         The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) makes no
recommendation to any Limited Partner as to whether to tender or refrain from
tendering Units and has been advised by the General Partner that the General
Partner also expects to make no recommendation. Each Limited Partner must make
its own decision, based on the Limited Partner's particular circumstances, as
to whether to tender Units and, if so, how many Units to tender. Limited
Partners should consult with their respective advisors regarding the financial,
tax, legal and other implications of accepting the Offer. LIMITED PARTNERS ARE
URGED TO READ THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE RELATED MATERIALS CAREFULLY AND IN
THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO TENDER THEIR UNITS.

         Reasons for and Effects of the Offer. The Purchaser's purpose in
making the Offer is to increase IPT's equity interest in the Partnership,
primarily for investment purposes and with a view to making a profit. If the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) is successful in
acquiring more than 11,532.5 Units pursuant to the Offer, IPT will own in
excess of 50% of the total Units outstanding and, accordingly, will be in a
position to control the outcome of almost all votes by Limited Partners, other
than voting decisions concerning "roll-up" transactions prior to January 1,
2000, which require the approval of Limited Partners holding at least a
majority of the outstanding Units not held by persons affiliated with the
General Partner. Even if the Purchaser acquires a lesser number of Units
pursuant to the Offer, however, because IPT already owns (through IPLP)
approximately 34.6% of the outstanding Units it will be able to significantly
influence the outcome of almost all voting decisions with respect to the
Partnership not involving a "roll-up" transaction. See Sections 8 and 10.

         Certain Tax Considerations. A sale by a Limited Partner pursuant to
the Offer will result in taxable gain (or loss) equal to the excess (deficit)
of the amount realized by the Limited Partner for the Units sold over such
Limited Partner's adjusted tax basis in those Units. In the case of a Limited
Partner who is an individual and who has held Units since their issue by the
Partnership, the sale is expected to result in a gain, which may be taxable as
ordinary income, capital gain or gain from real estate depreciation recapture.
If a Limited Partner has suspended "passive losses" from the Partnership or
other passive activity investments, such Limited Partner generally may deduct
these losses up to the amount of gain from the sale. A sale pursuant to the
Offer of all of a Limited Partner's Units will terminate his or her investment
in the Partnership and, commencing with the year following the year of sale,
the Limited Partner will no longer receive Partnership tax information or have
to report the complicated tax information currently required of Limited
Partners. See Section 6.

         Originally Anticipated Term of the Partnership; General Policy
Regarding Sales and Refinancings of Partnership Properties; Alternatives.
According to the Partnership's Prospectus dated March 29, 1982, the General
Partner anticipated that the Partnership would sell its properties five to
eight years after their acquisition. In general, the General Partner regularly
evaluates the Partnership's properties by considering various factors, such as
the Partnership's financial position and real estate and capital market
conditions. The General Partner monitors each property's specific locale and
sub-market conditions evaluating current trends, competition, new construction

                                       3
<PAGE>

and economic changes. The General Partner oversees each asset's operating
performance and continuously evaluates the physical improvement requirements.
In addition, the financing structure for each property, tax implications and
the investment climate are all considered. Any of these factors, and possibly
others, could potentially contribute to any decision of the General Partner to
sell, refinance, upgrade with capital improvements or hold a particular
Partnership property. Based on the above considerations, the General Partner
has determined that it is not in the best interest of Limited Partners to sell
or refinance any property at the present time. Under the Limited Partnership
Agreement the term of the Partnership will continue until December 31, 2006,
unless sooner terminated as provided in the Limited Partnership Agreement or by
law. Limited Partners could, as an alternative to tendering their Units, take a
variety of possible actions, including voting to liquidate the Partnership or
causing the Partnership to merge with another entity or engage in a "roll-up"
or similar transaction.

         Conditions. The Offer is not conditioned on any aggregate minimum
number of Units being tendered. Certain other conditions do apply, however. See
Section 14.

         Distributions. The Partnership has not made any distributions to
Limited Partners in 1997 (through August 28), nor were any distributions made
in 1995. The Partnership made cash distributions to Limited Partners of $15.04
per Unit in 1996. Prior to that distribution, the last distribution made by the
Partnership was in 1985 ($12.50 per Unit). In total, original investors in the
Partnership have received only $102.54 of their original $1,000 investment made
in 1982. See Section 9. The Partnership is currently generating positive cash
flow from operations, and the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) believes that the Partnership will continue to generate positive cash
flow from operations. The General Partner has advised the Purchaser (which is
an affiliate of General Partner) that the General Partner presently expects the
Partnership to make an operating cash flow distribution of approximately $40.00
per Unit in 1997; however, there can be no assurance that such distribution
will be made or as to the amount or timing of such distribution. The potential
for future distributions was considered by the Purchaser (which is an affiliate
of the General Partner) when establishing the Purchase Price. Limited Partners
who tender their Units in response to the Offer will retain all of the
distributions made through August 28, 1997, and will be entitled to receive any
subsequent distributions made by the Partnership prior to the date on which the
Purchaser pays for tendered Units pursuant to the Offer, although any such
distribution will result in a reduction of the Purchase Price, as described in
Section 1. However, tendering Limited Partners will not be entitled to receive
any distributions in respect of tendered Units which are made on or after the
date on which the Purchaser pays for such Units pursuant to the Offer,
regardless of the fact that the record date for any such distribution may be a
date prior to the date of purchase. See Section 3.

         Outstanding Units. According to information supplied by the
Partnership, as of August 1, 1997 there were 75,000 Units issued and
outstanding, which were held of record by 5,810 Limited Partners. IPLP
currently owns 25,967.5 Units. See Schedule I to this Offer to Purchase for a
list of transactions in the Units effected by IPLP within the past 60 days.

                                       4
<PAGE>

                                   THE OFFER

         SECTION 1. TERMS OF THE OFFER; EXPIRATION DATE; PRORATION. Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer, the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) will accept for payment (and thereby
purchase) up to 22,500 Units that are validly tendered on or prior to the
Expiration Date and not withdrawn in accordance with the procedures set forth
in Section 4. For purposes of the Offer, the term "Expiration Date" shall mean
12:00 midnight, New York City time, on September 25, 1997, unless the Purchaser
(which is an affiliate of the General Partner) in its sole discretion shall
have extended the period of time for which the Offer is open, in which event
the term "Expiration Date" shall mean the latest time and date on which the
Offer, as extended by the Purchaser, shall expire. See Section 5 for a
description of the Purchaser's right to extend the period of time during which
the Offer is open and to amend or terminate the Offer.

         THE PURCHASE PRICE WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE REDUCED BY THE AGGREGATE
AMOUNT OF DISTRIBUTIONS PER UNIT, IF ANY, MADE BY THE PARTNERSHIP TO LIMITED
PARTNERS ON OR AFTER AUGUST 28, 1997 AND PRIOR TO THE DATE ON WHICH THE
PURCHASER PAYS FOR UNITS PURCHASED PURSUANT TO THE OFFER.

         If, prior to the Expiration Date, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate
of the General Partner) increases the consideration offered to Limited Partners
pursuant to the Offer, the increased consideration will be paid for all Units
accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer, regardless of whether the Units
were tendered prior to the increase in the consideration offered.

         If more than 22,500 Units are validly tendered prior to the Expiration
Date and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with
the procedures specified in Section 4, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of
the General Partner) will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the
Offer, accept for payment and pay for an aggregate of 22,500 of the Units so
tendered, pro rata according to the number of Units validly tendered by each
Limited Partner and not properly withdrawn on or prior to the Expiration Date,
with appropriate adjustments to avoid purchases of fractional Units. If the
number of Units validly tendered and not properly withdrawn on or prior to the
Expiration Date is less than or equal to 22,500 Units, the Purchaser (which is
an affiliate of the General Partner) will purchase all Units so tendered and
not withdrawn, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer.

         If proration of tendered Units is required, then, due to the
difficulty of determining the number of Units validly tendered and not
withdrawn, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) may not
be able to announce the final results of such proration until at least
approximately seven business days after the Expiration Date. Subject to the
Purchaser's obligation under Rule 14e-1(c) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (the "Exchange Act") to pay Limited Partners the Purchase Price in respect
of Units tendered or return those Units promptly after the termination or
withdrawal of the Offer, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) does not intend to pay for any Units accepted for payment pursuant to
the Offer until the final proration results are known. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY SUCH
DELAY IN PAYMENT, NO INTEREST WILL BE PAID ON THE PURCHASE PRICE.

         The Offer is conditioned on satisfaction of certain conditions. See
Section 14, which sets forth in full the conditions of the Offer. The Purchaser
(which is an affiliate of the General Partner) reserves the right (but in no
event shall be obligated), in its sole discretion, to waive any or all of those
conditions. If, on or prior to the Expiration Date, any or all of the
conditions have not been satisfied or waived, the Purchaser reserves the right
to (i) decline to purchase any of the Units tendered and terminate the Offer,
(ii) waive all of the unsatisfied conditions and, subject to complying with
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, purchase all Units validly
tendered, (iii) extend the Offer and, subject to the right of Limited Partners
to withdraw Units until the Expiration Date, retain the Units that have been
tendered during the period or periods for which the Offer is extended, and/or
(iv) amend the Offer.

         This Offer to Purchase and the related Assignment of Partnership
Interest are being mailed by the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) to the persons shown by the Partnership's records to have been
Limited Partners or (in the case of Units owned of record by IRAs and qualified
plans) beneficial owners of Units as of August 1, 1997.

                                       5
<PAGE>

         SECTION 2. ACCEPTANCE FOR PAYMENT AND PAYMENT FOR UNITS. Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer, the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) will accept for payment (and thereby
purchase) and will pay for all Units validly tendered and not withdrawn in
accordance with the procedures specified in Section 4, as promptly as
practicable following the Expiration Date. A tendering beneficial owner of
Units whose Units are owned of record by an IRA or other qualified plan will
not receive direct payment of the Purchase Price; rather, payment will be made
to the custodian of such account or plan. In all cases, payment for Units
purchased pursuant to the Offer will be made only after timely receipt by the
Depositary of a properly completed and duly executed Assignment of Partnership
Interest and any other documents required by the Assignment of Partnership
Interest. See Section 3. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL INTEREST BE PAID ON THE
PURCHASE PRICE BY REASON OF ANY DELAY IN MAKING SUCH PAYMENT.

         For purposes of the Offer, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) will be deemed to have accepted for payment pursuant to the
Offer, and thereby purchased, validly tendered Units if, as and when the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) gives verbal or
written notice to the Depositary of the Purchaser's acceptance of those Units
for payment pursuant to the Offer. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions
of the Offer, payment for Units accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer will
be made by deposit of the Purchase Price with the Depositary, which will act as
agent for tendering Limited Partners for the purpose of receiving payments from
the Purchaser and transmitting those payments to Limited Partners whose Units
have been accepted for payment.

         If any tendered Units are not purchased for any reason, the Assignment
of Partnership Interest with respect to such Units will be destroyed by the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner). If for any reason
acceptance for payment of, or payment for, any Units tendered pursuant to the
Offer is delayed or the Purchaser is unable to accept for payment, purchase or
pay for Units tendered pursuant to the Offer, then, without prejudice to the
Purchaser's rights under Section 14, the Depositary may, nevertheless, on
behalf of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) retain
tendered Units, and those Units may not be withdrawn except to the extent that
the tendering Limited Partners are entitled to withdrawal rights as described
in Section 4; subject, however, to the Purchaser's obligation under Rule
14e-1(c) under the Exchange Act to pay Limited Partners the Purchase Price in
respect of Units tendered or return those Units promptly after termination or
withdrawal of the Offer.

         The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) reserves
the right to transfer or assign, in whole or from time to time in part, to one
or more of the Purchaser's affiliates, the right to purchase Units tendered
pursuant to the Offer, but any such transfer or assignment will not relieve the
Purchaser of its obligations under the Offer or prejudice the rights of
tendering Limited Partners to receive payment for Units validly tendered and
accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer.

         SECTION 3. PROCEDURE FOR TENDERING UNITS.

         Valid Tender. In order for a tendering Limited Partner to participate
in the Offer, its Units must be validly tendered and not withdrawn on or prior
to the Expiration Date. To validly tender Units, a properly completed and duly
executed Assignment of Partnership Interest and any other documents required by
the Assignment of Partnership Interest must be received by the Depositary, at
its address set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase, on or prior
to the Expiration Date. A Limited Partner may tender any or all of the Units
owned by that Limited Partner. Tenders of fractional Units will not be
permitted, except by a Limited Partner who is tendering all of the Units owned
by that Limited Partner. No alternative, conditional or contingent tenders will
be accepted.

         Signature Requirements. ALL SIGNATURES ON THE ASSIGNMENT OF
PARTNERSHIP INTEREST MUST BE GUARANTEED BY A BANK, BROKER, DEALER, CREDIT
UNION, SAVINGS ASSOCIATION OR OTHER ENTITY WHICH IS A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING
OF THE SECURITIES TRANSFER MEDALLION PROGRAM (EACH AN "ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION").
A notarization is not the same thing as a signature guarantee, and a
notarization of the Assignment of Partnership Interest will not be sufficient.

         Delivery of Assignment of Partnership Interest. THE METHOD OF DELIVERY
OF THE ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST AND ALL OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS IS
AT THE OPTION AND RISK OF THE TENDERING LIMITED PARTNER, AND

                                       6
<PAGE>

DELIVERY WILL BE DEEMED MADE ONLY WHEN ACTUALLY RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY. IN
ALL CASES, SUFFICIENT TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ASSURE TIMELY DELIVERY.

         Appointment as Proxy; Power of Attorney. By executing an Assignment of
Partnership Interest, a tendering Limited Partner irrevocably appoints the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner), and its managers and
designees as the Limited Partner's proxies, in the manner set forth in the
Assignment of Partnership Interest, each with full power of substitution, to
the full extent of the Limited Partner's rights with respect to the Units
tendered by the Limited Partner and accepted for payment by the Purchaser
(which is an affiliate of the General Partner). Each such proxy shall be
considered coupled with an interest in the tendered Units. Such appointment
will be effective when, and only to the extent that, the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) accepts the tendered Units for payment. Upon
such acceptance for payment, all prior proxies given by the Limited Partner
with respect to the Units will, without further action, be revoked, and no
subsequent proxies may be given (and if given will not be effective). The
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) and its managers and
designees will, as to those Units, be empowered to exercise all voting and
other rights of the Limited Partner as they in their sole discretion may deem
proper at any meeting of Limited Partners, by written consent or otherwise. The
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) reserves the right to
require that, in order for Units to be deemed validly tendered, immediately
upon the Purchaser's acceptance for payment of the Units, the Purchaser must be
able to exercise full voting rights with respect to the Units, including voting
at any meeting of Limited Partners then scheduled or acting by written consent
without a meeting.

         By executing an Assignment of Partnership Interest, a tendering
Limited Partner also irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Purchaser and its
managers and designees as the Limited Partner's attorneys-in-fact, each with
full power of substitution, to the full extent of the Limited Partner's rights
with respect to the Units tendered by the Limited Partner and accepted for
payment by the Purchaser. Such appointment will be effective when, and only to
the extent that, the Purchaser accepts the tendered Units for payment. The
tendering Limited Partner agrees not to exercise any rights pertaining to the
tendered Units without the prior consent of the Purchaser. Upon such acceptance
for payment, all prior powers of attorney granted by the Limited Partner with
respect to such Units will, without further action, be revoked, and no
subsequent powers of attorney may be granted (and if granted will not be
effective). Pursuant to such appointment as attorneys-in-fact, the Purchaser
and its managers and designees each will have the power, among other things,
(i) to transfer ownership of such Units on the Partnership books maintained by
the General Partner (and execute and deliver any accompanying evidences of
transfer and authenticity any of them may deem necessary or appropriate in
connection therewith), (ii) upon receipt by the Depositary (as the tendering
Limited Partner's agent) of the Purchase Price, to become a substituted Limited
Partner, to receive any and all distributions made by the Partnership on or
after the date on which the Purchaser purchases such Units, and to receive all
benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of beneficial ownership of such
Units in accordance with the terms of the Offer, (iii) to execute and deliver
to the General Partner a change of address form instructing the General Partner
to send any and all future distributions to which the Purchaser is entitled
pursuant to the terms of the Offer in respect of tendered Units to the address
specified in such form, and (iv) to endorse any check payable to or upon the
order of such Limited Partner representing a distribution to which the
Purchaser is entitled pursuant to the terms of the Offer, in each case in the
name and on behalf of the tendering Limited Partner.

         Assignment of Interest in Future Distributions. By executing an
Assignment of Partnership Interest, a tendering Limited Partner irrevocably
assigns to the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) and its
assigns all of the right, title and interest of the Limited Partner in and to
any and all distributions made by the Partnership on or after the date on which
the Purchaser purchases such Units, in respect of the Units tendered by such
Limited Partner and accepted for payment by the Purchaser, regardless of the
fact that the record date for any such distribution may be a date prior to the
date of such purchase. The Purchaser will seek to be admitted to the
Partnership as a substituted Limited Partner upon consummation of the Offer.

         Determination of Validity; Rejection of Units; Waiver of Defects; No
Obligation to Give Notice of Defects. All questions as to the validity, form,
eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance for payment of any
tender of Units pursuant to the Offer will be determined by the Purchaser
(which is an affiliate of the General Partner), in its sole discretion, which
determination shall be final and binding. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate
of the General Partner) reserves the absolute right to reject any or all
tenders of any particular Units determined by it not

                                       7
<PAGE>

to be in proper form or if the acceptance of or payment for those Units may, in
the opinion of the Purchaser's counsel, be unlawful. The Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) also reserves the absolute right to waive or
amend any of the conditions of the Offer that it is legally permitted to waive
as to the tender of any particular Units and to waive any defect or
irregularity in any tender with respect to any particular Units of any
particular Limited Partner. The Purchaser's interpretation of the terms and
conditions of the Offer (including the Assignment of Partnership Interest and
the Instructions thereto) will be final and binding. No tender of Units will be
deemed to have been validly made until all defects and irregularities have been
cured or waived. None of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner), the Information Agent, the Depositary or any other person will be
under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the
tender of any Units or will incur any liability for failure to give any such
notification.

         Backup Federal Income Tax Withholding. To prevent the possible
application of backup federal income tax withholding of 31% with respect to
payment of the Purchase Price, each tendering Limited Partner must provide the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) with the Limited
Partner's correct taxpayer identification number by completing the Substitute
Form W-9 included in the Assignment of Partnership Interest. See the
Instructions to the Assignment of Partnership Interest and Section 6.

         FIRPTA Withholding. To prevent the withholding of federal income tax
in an amount equal to 10% of the amount of the Purchase Price plus Partnership
liabilities allocable to each Unit purchased, each tendering Limited Partner
must complete the FIRPTA Affidavit included in the Assignment of Partnership
Interest certifying the Limited Partner's taxpayer identification number and
address and that such Limited Partner is not a foreign person. See the
Instructions to the Assignment of Partnership Interest and Section 6.

         Binding Obligation. A tender of Units pursuant to and in accordance
with the procedures described in this Section 3 and the acceptance for payment
of such Units will constitute a binding agreement between the tendering Limited
Partner and the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) on the
terms set forth in this Offer to Purchase and in the Assignment of Partnership
Interest.

         SECTION 4. WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS. Tenders of Units pursuant to the Offer
are irrevocable, except that Units tendered pursuant to the Offer may be
withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date and, unless already accepted
for payment as provided in this Offer to Purchase, may also be withdrawn at any
time after October 26, 1997. For withdrawal to be effective, a written notice
of withdrawal must be timely received by the Depositary at its address set
forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. Any such notice of
withdrawal must specify the name of the person who tendered the Units to be
withdrawn and must be signed by the person(s) who signed the Assignment of
Partnership Interest in the same manner as the Assignment of Partnership
Interest was signed (including signature guarantees by an Eligible
Institution). Units properly withdrawn will be deemed not to be validly
tendered for purposes of the Offer. Withdrawn Units may be re-tendered,
however, by following the procedures described in Section 3 at any time prior
to the Expiration Date.

         If payment for Units is delayed for any reason or if the Purchaser
(which is an affiliate of the General Partner) is unable to pay for Units for
any reason, then, without prejudice to the Purchaser's rights under the Offer,
tendered Units may be retained by the Depositary and may not be withdrawn
except to the extent that tendering Limited Partners are entitled to withdrawal
rights as set forth in this Section 4; subject, however, to the Purchaser's
obligation, pursuant to Rule 14e-1(c) under the Exchange Act, to pay Limited
Partners the Purchase Price in respect of Units tendered or return those Units
promptly after termination or withdrawal of the Offer.

         All questions as to the validity and form (including time of receipt)
of notices of withdrawal will be determined by the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner), in its sole discretion, which determination
shall be final and binding. None of the Purchaser, the Information Agent, the
Depositary or any other person will be under any duty to give notification of
any defects or irregularities in any notice of withdrawal or incur any
liability for failure to give any such notification.

                                       8
<PAGE>

         SECTION 5. EXTENSION OF TENDER PERIOD; TERMINATION; AMENDMENT. The
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) expressly reserves the
right, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, (i) to extend
the period of time during which the Offer is open and thereby delay acceptance
for payment of, and the payment for, validly tendered Units, (ii) to terminate
the Offer and not accept for payment any Units not already accepted for payment
or paid for, (iii) upon the occurrence of any of the conditions specified in
Section 14, to delay the acceptance for payment of, or payment for, any Units
not already accepted for payment or paid for, and (iv) to amend the Offer in
any respect (including, without limitation, by increasing the consideration
offered, increasing or decreasing the number of Units being sought, or both).
Notice of any such extension, termination or amendment will be disseminated
promptly to Limited Partners in a manner reasonably designed to inform Limited
Partners of such change in compliance with Rule 14d-4(c) under the Exchange
Act. In the case of an extension of the Offer, the extension will be followed
by a press release or public announcement which will be issued no later than
9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the then
scheduled Expiration Date, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(d) under the Exchange
Act.

         If the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner)
extends the Offer, or if the Purchaser (whether before or after its acceptance
for payment of Units) is delayed in its payment for Units or is unable to pay
for Units pursuant to the Offer for any reason, then, without prejudice to the
Purchaser's rights under the Offer, the Depositary may retain tendered Units
and those Units may not be withdrawn except to the extent tendering Limited
Partners are entitled to withdrawal rights as described in Section 4; subject,
however, to the Purchaser's obligation, pursuant to Rule 14e-1(c) under the
Exchange Act, to pay Limited Partners the Purchase Price in respect of Units
tendered or return those Units promptly after termination or withdrawal of the
Offer.

         If the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) makes
a material change in the terms of the Offer or the information concerning the
Offer or waives a material condition of the Offer, the Purchaser will extend
the Offer and disseminate additional tender offer materials to the extent
required by Rules 14d-4(c) and 14d-6(d) under the Exchange Act. The minimum
period during which an offer must remain open following a material change in
the terms of the offer or information concerning the offer will depend upon the
facts and circumstances, including the relative materiality of the change in
the terms or information. In the Commission's view, an offer should remain open
for a minimum of five business days from the date the material change is first
published, sent or given to securityholders, and if material changes are made
with respect to information that approaches the significance of price or the
percentage of securities sought, a minimum of ten business days may be required
to allow for adequate dissemination to securityholders and investor response.
As used in this Offer to Purchase, "business day" means any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday or a federal holiday, and consists of the time period from
12:01 a.m. through 12:00 midnight, New York City time.

         SECTION 6. CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS.

         General. The following summary is a general discussion of certain of
the federal income tax consequences of a sale of Units pursuant to the Offer.
This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), applicable Treasury regulations thereunder, administrative rulings,
practice and procedures and judicial authority, all as of the date of the
Offer. All of the foregoing are subject to change, and any such change could
affect the continuing accuracy of this summary. This summary does not discuss
all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to a particular
Limited Partner in light of such Limited Partner's specific circumstances or to
certain types of Limited Partners subject to special treatment under the
federal income tax laws (for example, foreign persons, dealers in securities,
banks, insurance companies and tax-exempt organizations), nor (except as
otherwise expressly indicated) does it describe any aspect of state, local,
foreign or other tax laws. Sales of Units pursuant to the Offer will be taxable
transactions for federal income tax purposes, and also may be taxable
transactions under applicable state, local, foreign and other tax laws. EACH
LIMITED PARTNER SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR AS TO THE PARTICULAR TAX
CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH LIMITED PARTNER OF SELLING UNITS PURSUANT TO THE OFFER.

         Gain or Loss Generally. In general, a Limited Partner will recognize
gain or loss on a sale of Units pursuant to the Offer equal to the difference
between (i) the Limited Partner's "amount realized" on the sale and (ii) the
Limited Partner's adjusted tax basis in the Units sold. Generally, a Limited
Partner's adjusted tax basis with

                                       9
<PAGE>

respect to a Unit equals its cost, increased by the amount of income and the
amount of Partnership liabilities (as determined under Code Section 752)
allocated to the Unit, and decreased by (i) any distributions made with respect
to such Unit, (ii) the amount of deductions or losses allocated to the Unit and
(iii) any decrease in the amount of Partnership liabilities (as determined
under Code Section 752) allocated to the Unit. Thus, the amount of a Limited
Partner's adjusted tax basis in tendered Units will vary depending upon the
Limited Partner's particular circumstances. The "amount realized" with respect
to a Unit will be a sum equal to the amount of cash received by the Limited
Partner for the Unit pursuant to the Offer, plus the amount of the
Partnership's liabilities allocable to the Unit (as determined under Code
Section 752). Limited Partners who purchased their interests from the
Partnership in the original issue of the Units are expected to recognize
taxable gain on the sale in an amount in excess of the cash purchase price.

         A portion of the gain or loss recognized by a Limited Partner on a
sale of a Unit pursuant to the Offer generally will be treated as a capital
gain or loss, if (as is generally expected to be the case) the Unit was held by
the Limited Partner as a capital asset. Under the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997,
the capital gains rate for individuals and other non-corporate taxpayers is
reduced to 20% for sales of capital assets after July 28, 1997 if such assets
were held for more than 18 months. However, any gain from the sale of such
assets attributable to the recapture of depreciation with respect to real
property (as defined in Code Section 1250) is taxed at a maximum rate of 25%.
The 28% rate continues to apply to individual and noncorporate taxpayers who
sell a capital asset held for more than one year but not more than 18 months.
Corporate taxpayers are taxed at a maximum marginal rate of 35% for both
capital gains and ordinary income. The maximum marginal federal income tax rate
for ordinary income of individuals and other noncorporate taxpayers is 39.6%.
Capital losses are deductible only to the extent of capital gains, except that,
subject to the passive activity loss limitations discussed below, non-corporate
taxpayers may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses in excess of the amount of
their capital gains against ordinary income. Excess capital losses generally
can be carried forward to succeeding years (a corporation's carryforward period
is five years and a non-corporate taxpayer can carry forward such losses
indefinitely); and a corporation is permitted to carry back excess capital
losses to the three preceding taxable years, provided the carryback does not
increase or produce a net operating loss for any of those years.

         A tendering Limited Partner will be allocated a pro rata share of the
Partnership's taxable income or loss for the year of sale with respect to the
Units sold in accordance with the provisions of the Limited Partnership
Agreement concerning transfers of Units. Such allocation and any cash
distributed by the Partnership to the Limited Partner for that year will affect
the Limited Partner's adjusted tax basis in Units and, therefore, the amount of
such Limited Partner's taxable gain or loss upon a sale of Units pursuant to
the Offer.

         Unrealized Receivables and Certain Inventory. If any portion of the
amount of gain realized by a Limited Partner is attributable to "unrealized
receivables" (which includes depreciation recapture) or "substantially
appreciated inventory" as defined in Code Section 751, then a portion of the
Limited Partner's gain or loss may be ordinary rather than capital and, in
addition, a portion of such gain may be taxed at the 25% rate discussed above.
A portion, if not all, of the gain upon the sale of Units is expected to be
attributable to unrealized receivables. A Limited Partner who tenders Units
which are purchased pursuant to the Offer must file an information statement
with such Limited Partner's federal income tax return for the year of the sale
which provides the information specified in Treasury Regulation ss.
1.751-1(a)(3). A selling Limited Partner also must notify the Partnership of
the date of the transfer and the names, addresses and tax identification
numbers of the transferor(s) and transferee within 30 days of the date of the
transfer (or, if earlier, by January 15 of the following calendar year).

         Passive Activity Loss Limitation. Under Code Section 469, a
non-corporate taxpayer or personal service corporation generally can deduct
"passive losses" in any year only to the extent of the person's passive income
for that year. Closely held corporations (other than personal service
corporations) may offset such losses against active income as well as passive
activity income for that year. A substantial portion of any post-1986 losses of
Limited Partners from the Partnership would have been passive losses. Thus,
Limited Partners may have "suspended" passive losses from the Partnership
(i.e., post-1986 net taxable losses in excess of statutorily permitted
"phase-in" amounts which have not been used to offset income from other passive
activities). Substantially all gain from a sale of Units pursuant to the Offer
will be passive income.

                                       10
<PAGE>

         If a Limited Partner sells less than all of its Units pursuant to the
Offer, suspended passive losses, if any, can be currently deducted (subject to
other applicable limitations) to the extent of the Limited Partner's passive
income from the Partnership for that year (including any gain recognized on the
sale of Units) plus any other passive income for that year. If, on the other
hand, a Limited Partner sells 100% of its Units pursuant to the Offer, any
"suspended" losses and any losses recognized upon the sale of the Units will be
offset first against any other net passive gain to the Limited Partner from the
sale of the Units and any other net passive activity income from other passive
activity investments, and the balance of any "suspended" net losses from the
Units will no longer be subject to the passive activity loss limitation and,
therefore, will be deductible by such Limited Partner from its other income
(subject to any other applicable limitations), including ordinary income. If a
tendering Limited Partner has suspended passive losses from the Partnership,
such Limited Partner must sell all of its Units to receive these tax benefits.
If more than 22,500 of the outstanding Units are tendered, some tendering
Limited Partners may not be able to sell 100% of their Units pursuant to the
Offer because of proration of the number of Units to be purchased by the
Purchaser. See Section 1.

         Partnership Termination. Section 708(b) of the Code provides that a
partnership terminates for income tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange
of 50% or more of the total interest in partnership capital and profits within
a twelve-month period (although successive transfers of the same interest
within a twelve-month period will be treated as a single transfer for this
purpose). Accordingly, it is possible that transfers of Units made pursuant to
the Offer, in combination with other transfers made within twelve months of the
Offer, will result in a termination of the Partnership. In the event of a
termination, the Partnership's tax year would close and the Partnership would
be treated for income tax purposes as if it had contributed all of its assets
and liabilities to a "new" partnership in exchange for an interest in the "new"
partnership. The Partnership would then be treated as making a distribution of
the interests in the "new" partnership to the new partners and the remaining
partners, followed by the liquidation of the Partnership. Because the "new"
partnership would be treated as having acquired its assets on the date of the
deemed contribution, a new depreciation recovery period would begin on such
date, and the Partnership's annual depreciation deductions over the next few
years would be substantially reduced, and the Partnership would have greater
taxable income (or less tax loss) than if no tax termination occurred. In
addition, depreciation may be required to be allocated to those Limited
Partners that have a higher tax basis, such as the Purchaser. A tax termination
will not affect a Limited Partner who sells all of his Units but will affect
the taxation of a Limited Partner in respect of any Units retained after the
date of the tax termination. A tax termination of the Partnership will also
terminate any partnership in which the Partnership holds a majority interest
(50% or more).

         The Purchaser believes that even if the maximum number of Units is
purchased pursuant to the Offer, those transfers will not cause a tax
termination.

         Backup Withholding and FIRPTA Withholding. Limited Partners (other
than tax-exempt persons, corporations and certain foreign individuals) who
tender Units may be subject to 31% backup withholding unless those Limited
Partners provide a taxpayer identification number ("TIN") and certify that the
TIN is correct or properly certify that they are awaiting a TIN. A Limited
Partner may avoid backup withholding by properly completing and signing the
Substitute Form W-9 included as part of the Assignment of Partnership Interest.
If a Limited Partner who is subject to backup withholding does not properly
complete and sign the Substitute Form W-9, the Purchaser will withhold 31% from
payments to such Limited Partner.

         Gain realized by a foreign Limited Partner on the sale of a Unit
pursuant to the Offer will be subject to federal income tax. Under Code Section
1445, the transferee of an interest held by a foreign person in a partnership
which owns United States real property generally is required to deduct and
withhold a tax equal to 10% of the amount realized on the disposition. In order
to comply with this requirement, the Purchaser will withhold 10% of the amount
realized by a tendering Limited Partner unless the Limited Partner properly
completes and signs the FIRPTA Affidavit included as part of the Assignment of
Partnership Interest certifying the Limited Partner's TIN and address, and that
such Limited Partner is not a foreign person. Amounts withheld would be
creditable against a foreign Limited Partner's federal income tax liability
and, if in excess thereof, a refund could be obtained from the Internal Revenue
Service by filing a U.S. income tax return.

                                       11
<PAGE>

         SECTION 7. EFFECTS OF THE OFFER.

         Effect on Trading Market; Registration Under Section 12(g) of the
Exchange Act. If a substantial number of Units are purchased pursuant to the
Offer, the result will be a reduction in the number of Limited Partners. In the
case of certain kinds of equity securities, a reduction in the number of
security-holders might be expected to result in a reduction in the liquidity
and volume of activity in the trading market for the security. In this case,
however, there is no established public trading market for the Units and,
therefore, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) does
not believe a reduction in the number of Limited Partners will materially
further restrict the Limited Partners' ability to find purchasers for their
Units through secondary market transactions. See Section 13 for certain limited
information regarding recent secondary market sales of the Units.

         The Units are registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act,
which means, among other things, that the Partnership is required to file
periodic reports with the Commission and to comply with the Commission's proxy
rules. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) does not
expect or intend that consummation of the Offer will cause the Units to cease
to be registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. If the Units were to
be held by fewer than 300 persons, the Partnership could apply to de-register
the Units under the Exchange Act. Because the Units are widely held, however,
the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) believes that,
even if it purchases the maximum number of Units in the Offer, after that
purchase the Units will be held of record by substantially more than 300
persons.

         Control of Limited Partner Voting Decisions by Purchaser; Effect of
Relationship with General Partner. The Limited Partnership Agreement provides
that the General Partner has absolute discretion as to whether to admit an
assignee of Units to the Partnership as a substituted Limited Partner. The
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) will seek to be
admitted to the Partnership as a substituted Limited Partner upon consummation
of the Offer and, if admitted, will have the right to vote each Unit purchased
pursuant to the Offer. Even if the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) is not admitted to the Partnership as a substituted Limited
Partner, however, the Purchaser nonetheless will have the right to vote each
Unit purchased in the Offer pursuant to the irrevocable appointment by
tendering Limited Partners of the Purchaser and its managers and designees as
proxies with respect to the Units tendered by such Limited Partners and
accepted for payment by the Purchaser. See Section 3.

         If the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) is
successful in acquiring more than 11,532.5 Units pursuant to the Offer (or
otherwise), IPT (which controls the General Partner, IPLP and the Purchaser)
will own in excess of 50% of the total outstanding Units and, as a result, will
be able to control the outcome of almost all voting decisions with respect to
the Partnership, other than decisions concerning a "roll-up" transaction prior
to January 1, 2000. Even if the Purchaser acquires a lesser number of Units
pursuant to the Offer, however, because IPT already owns (through IPLP)
approximately 34.6% of the outstanding Units it will be able to significantly
influence the outcome of almost all voting decisions with respect to the
Partnership. This could (i) prevent non-tendering Limited Partners from taking
action they desire but that IPT opposes and (ii) enable IPT to take action
desired by IPT but opposed by non-tendering Limited Partners. Under the Limited
Partnership Agreement, Limited Partners holding a majority of the Units are
entitled to take action with respect to a variety of matters, including:
removal of a general partner and in certain circumstances election of new or
successor general partners; dissolution of the Partnership; the sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership; and most types of
amendments to the Limited Partnership Agreement. However, under the terms of
the Stipulation (as defined in Section 13), the General Partner is required to
prohibit the Partnership from entering into a "roll-up" transaction involving
the General Partner or any of its affiliates prior to January 1, 2000 unless
such "roll-up" transaction is approved by Limited Partners holding at least a
majority of the outstanding Units not held by persons affiliated with the
General Partner. IPLP and the Purchaser (which are affiliates of the General
Partner) will vote the Units owned by them in whatever manner they deem to be
in the best interests of IPT, which, because of their relationship with the
General Partner, also may be in the interest of the General Partner, but may
not be in the interest of other Limited Partners.

         The Offer will not result in any change in the compensation payable to
the General Partner or its affiliates. However, as a result of the Offer, the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) will participate, in

                                       12
<PAGE>

its capacity as a Limited Partner, in any subsequent distributions to Limited
Partners to the extent of the Units purchased pursuant to the Offer.

         SECTION 8. FUTURE PLANS OF INSIGNIA, IPT AND THE PURCHASER. IPT,
through the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner), is
seeking to acquire Units pursuant to the Offer in order to increase its equity
interest in the Partnership, primarily for investment purposes and with a view
to making a profit. Following the completion of the Offer, IPT and/or persons
related to or affiliated with it may acquire additional Units. Any such
acquisition may be made through private purchases, through one or more future
tender or exchange offers or by any other means deemed advisable. Any such
acquisition may be at a price higher or lower than the price to be paid for the
Units purchased pursuant to the Offer, and may be for cash or other
consideration. Insignia and IPT (which are affiliates of the General Partner)
also may consider disposing of some or all of the Units the Purchaser acquires
pursuant to the Offer, either directly or by a sale or other disposition of one
or more interests in IPT or the Purchaser itself, depending among other things
on the requirements from time to time of Insignia, IPT and their affiliates in
light of liquidity, strategic, tax and other considerations.

         Neither IPT nor the Purchaser (which are affiliates of the General
Partner) has any present plans or intentions with respect to a liquidation of
the Partnership or a sale or refinancing of any of the Partnership's
properties. However, IPT and the Purchaser expect that consistent with the
General Partner's fiduciary obligations, the General Partner will seek and
review opportunities (including opportunities identified by IPT and the
Purchaser) to engage in transactions which could benefit the Partnership, such
as sales or refinancings of assets or a combination of the Partnership with one
or more other entities, with the objective of seeking to maximize returns to
Limited Partners.

         IPT and the Purchaser (which are affiliates of the General Partner)
have been advised that the possible future transactions the General Partner
expects to consider on behalf of the Partnership include (i) payment of
extraordinary distributions; (ii) refinancing, reducing or increasing existing
indebtedness of the Partnership; (iii) sales of assets, individually or as part
of a complete liquidation; and (iv) mergers or other consolidation transactions
involving the Partnership. Any such merger or consolidation transaction could
involve other limited partnerships in which the General Partner or its
affiliates serve as general partners, or a combination of the Partnership with
one or more existing, publicly traded entities (including, possibly, affiliates
of IPT (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) or IPT itself), in any of
which Limited Partners might receive cash, common stock or other securities or
consideration. There is no assurance, however, as to when or whether any of the
transactions referred to above might occur. If any such transaction is effected
by the Partnership and financial benefits accrue to the Limited Partners of the
Partnership, the Purchaser (and thus IPT) will participate in those benefits to
the extent of its ownership of Units. A merger or other consolidation
transaction and certain kinds of other extraordinary transactions would require
a vote of the Limited Partners, and, so long as such transaction does not
involve a "roll-up" prior to January 1, 2000, if the Purchaser is successful in
acquiring more than 11,532.5 Units pursuant to the Offer (or otherwise), IPT
will be able to control the outcome of any such vote. If such a transaction
does involve a "roll-up," however, it must be approved by Limited Partners
holding at least a majority of the outstanding Units not held by persons
affiliated with the General Partner. Even if the Purchaser acquires a lesser
number of Units pursuant to the Offer, however, because IPT already owns
(through IPLP) approximately 34.6% of the outstanding Units it will be able to
significantly influence the outcome of almost all voting decisions with respect
to the Partnership (other than those involving a "roll-up" transaction prior to
January 1, 2000). IPT's primary objective in seeking to acquire the Units
through the Purchaser pursuant to the Offer is not, however, to influence the
vote on any particular transaction, but rather to generate a profit on the
investment represented by those Units.

         SECTION 9. CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PARTNERSHIP. Except as
otherwise indicated, information contained in this Section 9 is based upon
documents and reports publicly filed by the Partnership with the Commission.
Although the Purchaser has no information that any statements contained in this
Section 9 are untrue, the Purchaser cannot take responsibility for the accuracy
or completeness of any information contained in this Section 9 which is derived
from such public documents, or for any failure by the Partnership to disclose
events which may have occurred and may affect the significance or accuracy of
any such information but which are unknown to the Purchaser.

                                       13
<PAGE>

         General. The Partnership was organized on November 12, 1981 under the
laws of the State of California. Its principal executive offices are located at
One Insignia Financial Plaza, Greenville, South Carolina 29602, and its
telephone number at that address is (864) 239-2854.

         The Partnership's primary business is real estate ownership and
related operations. The Partnership was formed to invest in, acquire, manage,
and ultimately sell income-producing multi-family residential properties,
including apartment buildings, shopping centers, industrial projects, office
buildings and other commercial properties purchased from non-affiliated
sellers. The Partnership's investment portfolio currently consists of 5
residential apartment complexes: a 296-unit complex in Englewood, Colorado; a
328-unit complex in Denver, Colorado; a 376-unit complex in Denver, Colorado; a
530-unit complex in Cypress, Texas; and a 463-unit complex in Tampa, Florida.

         Originally Anticipated Term of Partnership; Alternatives. According to
the Partnership's Prospectus dated March 29, 1982, the General Partner
anticipated that the Partnership would sell its properties five to eight years
after their acquisition. Under the Limited Partnership Agreement, the term of
the Partnership will continue until December 31, 2006, unless sooner terminated
as provided in the Limited Partnership Agreement or by law. Limited Partners
could, as an alternative to tendering their Units, take a variety of possible
actions including voting to liquidate the Partnership or causing the
Partnership to merge with another entity or engage in a "roll-up" or similar
transaction.

         General Policy Regarding Sales and Refinancings of Partnership
Properties. In general, the General Partner regularly evaluates the
Partnership's properties by considering various factors, such as the
Partnership's financial position and real estate and capital market conditions.
The General Partner monitors each property's specific locale and sub-market
conditions evaluating current trends, competition, new construction and
economic changes. The General Partner oversees each asset's operating
performance and continuously evaluates the physical improvement requirements.
In addition, the financing structure for each property, tax implications and
the investment climate are all considered. Any of these factors, and possibly
others, could potentially contribute to any decision of the General Partner to
sell, refinance, upgrade with capital improvements or hold a particular
Partnership property. There are no plans to sell or refinance any property at
the present time.

         Selected Financial and Property-Related Data. Set forth below is a
summary of certain financial and statistical information with respect to the
Partnership and its properties, all of which has been excerpted or derived from
the Partnership's Annual Reports on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31,
1996, and on Form 10K for the years ended December 31, 1995, 1994, 1993, and
1992 respectively and the Partnership's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-QSB for
the periods ended June 30, 1997 and 1996. More comprehensive financial and
other information is included in such reports and other documents filed by the
Partnership with the Commission, and the following summary is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such reports and other documents and all the financial
information and related notes contained therein.

                                       14
<PAGE>

                          CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII
                            SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
                      (in thousands, except per Unit data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         SIX MONTHS
                                           ENDED                                      FISCAL YEAR ENDED
                                          JUNE 30,                                       DECEMBER 31,
                                   -----------------------       ------------------------------------------------------------
                                      1997        1996              1996        1995         1994         1993        1992
                                   ---------- ------------       ----------- -----------  -----------  ----------  ----------
                                         (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                 <C>         <C>                <C>         <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>     
Statements of Operations Data:
   Rental Income.................   $  6,085    $  5,819           $ 11,784    $ 11,589     $ 11,230    $ 12,651    $ 13,019
   Other Income..................   $    383    $    419           $    803    $    604     $    125    $    258    $    253
      Total Revenues.............   $  6,468    $  6,238           $ 12,587    $ 12,193     $ 11,355    $ 12,909    $ 13,272
   Income (Loss) from Operations                
      (before extraordinary item)   $    357    $     96           $    133    $   (474)    $   (437)   $ (2,445)   $ (3,592)
   Net Income (Loss).............   $    357    $     96           $    133    $   (345)    $   (437)   $  1,368    $ (3,592)
   Net Income (Loss) per Unit....   $   4.20    $   1.13           $   1.56    $  (4.05)    $     (5)   $     16    $    (42)
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            AS OF                                            AS OF
                                          JUNE 30,                                       DECEMBER 31,
                                   -----------------------       ------------------------------------------------------------
                                      1997        1996              1996        1995         1994         1993        1992
                                   ---------- ------------       ----------- -----------  -----------  ----------  ----------
                                         (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                 <C>         <C>                <C>         <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>     
Balance Sheets Data:
   Total Assets..................   $ 44,128    $ 43,905           $ 43,531    $ 43,075     $ 44,041    $ 44,040    $ 54,764
   Total Liabilities.............   $ 38,075    $ 36,949           $ 37,817    $ 36,215     $ 36,836    $ 36,398    $ 48,490
   Limited Partners' Equity .....   $ 13,086    $ 13,867           $ 12,771    $ 13,782     $ 14,086    $ 14,471    $ 13,264
   Units Outstanding.............     75,000      75,000             75,000      75,000       75,000      75,000      75,000
   Book Value per Unit...........   $ 174.48    $ 184.89           $ 170.28    $ 183.76     $ 187.81    $ 192.95    $ 176.85
</TABLE>
                                             
         Description of Properties. Set forth below is a table showing the
location, the date of purchase, the nature of the Partnership's ownership
interest in and the use of each of the Partnership's properties.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    DATE OF
           PROPERTY                PURCHASE             TYPE OF OWNERSHIP                     USE
- ------------------------------     --------        ---------------------------      ----------------------
<S>                                  <C>           <C>                              <C>
Cherry Creek Gardens Apts.           09/82         Fee ownership                    Residential Apartments
    Englewood, Colorado                            (subject to first mortgage)      (296 units)
Creekside Apartments                 10/82         Fee ownership                    Residential Apartments
    Denver, Colorado                               (subject to first mortgage)      (328 units)
The Lodge Apartments                 10/82         Fee ownership                    Residential Apartments
    Denver, Colorado                               (subject to first mortgage)      (376 units)
The Village in the Woods Apts.       10/82         Fee ownership                    Residential Apartments
    Cypress, Texas                                 (subject to first mortgage)      (530 units)
Cooper's Pond Apartments             03/83         Fee ownership                    Residential Apartments
    Tampa, Florida                                 (subject to first and            (463 units)
                                                   second mortgages)
</TABLE>

         Accumulated Depreciation Schedule. Set forth below is a table showing
the gross carrying value, accumulated depreciation and federal tax basis of
each of the Partnership's properties as of December 31, 1996 ($ amounts in
thousands).

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          GROSS
                                        CARRYING     ACCUMULATED                           FEDERAL
              PROPERTY                    VALUE     DEPRECIATION     RATE       METHOD    TAX BASIS
- ------------------------------------- ------------- ------------- ----------- ---------- -----------
<S>                                     <C>           <C>          <C>           <C>      <C>
Cherry Creek Gardens Apts.              $  14,647     $   6,419    5-30 yrs.     S/L      $    2,900
Creekside Apartments                       10,148         4,159    5-30 yrs.     S/L           2,929
The Lodge Apartments                       11,963         4,886    5-30 yrs.     S/L           3,442
The Village in the Woods Apts.             14,270         6,083    5-30 yrs.     S/L           3,800
Cooper's Pond Apartments                   14,197         6,593    5-30 yrs.     S/L           2,828
                                        ---------     ---------                           ----------
      TOTALS                            $  65,225     $  28,140                           $   15,899
                                        =========     =========                           ==========
</TABLE>

                                       15
<PAGE>

         Schedule of Mortgages. Set forth below is a table showing certain
information regarding the outstanding mortgages encumbering each of the
Partnership's properties as of December 31, 1996 ($ amounts in thousands).

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         PRINCIPAL                                               PRINCIPAL
                                        BALANCE AT       STATED                                   BALANCE
                                       DECEMBER 31,     INTEREST      PERIOD       MATURITY       DUE AT
              PROPERTY                     1996           RATE       AMORTIZED       DATE        MATURITY
- ------------------------------------- ---------------  ----------- ------------  ------------   -----------
<S>                                     <C>                 <C>      <C>           <C>           <C>      
Cherry Creek Gardens Apts.              $   7,766           8.630%   25 years      12/01/99      $   7,335
Creekside Apartments                        5,249           7.875%   25 years      07/01/00          4,882
The Lodge Apartments                        5,775           7.875%   25 years      07/01/00          5,363
The Village in the Woods Apts.             14,421              (1)     (1)         01/24/00         14,421
Cooper's Pond Apartments
    First Mortgage                          3,637           8.000%   23 years      07/01/99          3,439
    Second Mortgage                         4,134           8.500%     (2)         07/01/05          4,134
                                        ---------                                                ---------
                                           40,982                                                $  39,574
Mortgage discount(1)                       (4,608)                                               =========
                                        ---------
                                        $  36,374
                                        =========
</TABLE>

- --------------
(1)  Zero coupon note; discounted at an effective interest rate of 10.247%.
(2)  Interest only.


         Average Annual Rental Rate and Occupancy. Set forth below is a table
showing the average annual rental rates and occupancy percentages for each of
the Partnership's properties during the past two years.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              PROPERTY                                RENTAL RATE                       AVERAGE ANNUAL OCCUPANCY
- -------------------------------------   --------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
                                              1996                 1995                1996                 1995
                                        -----------------   ------------------   -----------------   -----------------
<S>                                        <C>                  <C>                      <C>                  <C>
Cherry Creek Gardens Apts.                 $8,378/unit          $8,255/unit              96%                  95%
Creekside Apartments                        6,210/unit           5,979/unit              97%                  97%
The Lodge Apartments                        5,840/unit           5,541/unit              96%                  97%
The Village in the Woods Apts.              6,458/unit           6,434/unit              93%                  94%
Cooper's Pond Apartments                    5,239/unit           5,069/unit              94%                  94%
</TABLE>

         Schedule of Real Estate Taxes and Rates. Real estate taxes and rates
in 1996 for each of the Partnership's properties.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               1996                  1996
              PROPERTY                        Billing                Rate
- -------------------------------------   -------------------   -------------------
<S>                                          <C>                    <C>   
Cherry Creek Gardens Apts.                   $126,000               10.46%
Creekside Apartments                           69,000                7.76%
The Lodge Apartments                           81,000                7.75%
The Village in the Woods Apts.                295,000                2.75%
Cooper's Pond Apartments                      188,000                2.51%
</TABLE>

         Other Information. The Partnership is subject to the information
reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and accordingly is required to file
reports and other information with the Commission relating to its business,
financial results and other matters. Such reports and other documents may be
inspected at the Commission's Public Reference Section, Room 1024, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, where copies may be obtained at
prescribed rates, and at the regional offices of the Commission located in the
Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661,
and 7 World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048. Copies should be available
by mail upon payment of the Commission's customary charges by writing to the
Commission's principal offices at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549. The Commission also maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy
and other information filed electronically with the Commission, the address of
which is http://www.sec.gov.

                                       16
<PAGE>

         Cash Distributions History. The most recent distribution made by the
Partnership to Limited Partners was a $15.04 cash distribution made in 1996.
Prior to that distribution, the last distribution made by the Partnership was
in 1985 ($12.50 per Unit). In total, original investors in the Partnership have
received only $102.54 of their original $1,000 investment made in 1982.

         Operating Budgets of the Partnership. A summary of the fiscal 1996 and
1997 operating budgets and the audited results of operations for fiscal 1996 of
the Partnership are set forth in the table below. The budgeted amounts provided
below are figures that were not computed in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles ("GAAP"). Historically, budgeted operating results of
operations for a particular fiscal year have differed significantly in certain
respects from the audited operating results for that year. In particular, items
that are categorized as capital expenditures for purposes of preparing the
operating budgets are often re-categorized as expenses when the financial
statements are audited and presented in accordance with GAAP. Therefore, the
summary operating budgets presented for fiscal 1997 should not necessarily be
considered as indicative of what the audited operating results for fiscal 1997
will be. Furthermore, any estimate of the future performance of a business,
such as the Partnership's business, is forward-looking and based on numerous
assumptions, some of which inevitably will prove to be incorrect. For this
reason, it is probable that the Partnership's future operating results will
differ from those projected in the operating budget, and those differences may
be material. Therefore, such information should not be relied on by Limited
Partners.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    FISCAL 1996        FISCAL 1996        FISCAL 1997
                                                     BUDGETED            AUDITED           BUDGETED
                                                  --------------     --------------     --------------
<S>                                               <C>                <C>                <C>           
Total Revenues from Property Operations.......    $   12,208,162     $   12,587,000     $   12,797,409
Total Operating Expenses .....................    $    5,854,815     $    6,481,000     $    5,763,543
Net Operating Income..........................    $    6,353,347     $    6,106,000     $    7,033,866
Capital Expenditures..........................    $    1,775,263     $    1,007,000     $    1,716,717
</TABLE>

         SECTION 10. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES.
The General Partner and its affiliates have conflicts of interest with respect
to the Offer as set forth below.

         Conflicts of Interest with Respect to the Offer. The General Partner
has conflicts of interest with respect to the Offer, including conflicts
resulting from its affiliation with IPT and the Purchaser. The General Partner
also would have a conflict of interest (i) as a result of the fact that a sale
or liquidation of the Partnership's assets would result in a decrease or
elimination of the fees paid to the General Partner and/or its affiliates and
(ii) as a consequence of the Purchaser's ownership of Units, because the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) may have incentives to
seek to maximize the value of its ownership of Units, which in turn may result
in a conflict for the General Partner in attempting to reconcile the interests
of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) with the
interests of the other Limited Partners. In addition, the Purchaser (which is
an affiliate of the General Partner) is making the Offer with a view to making
a profit. Accordingly, there is a conflict between the desire of the Purchaser
(which is an affiliate of the General Partner) to purchase Units at a low price
and the desire of the Limited Partners to sell their Units at a high price. The
General Partner has indicated in the Schedule 14D-9 that it is remaining
neutral and making no recommendation as to whether Limited Partners should
tender their Units pursuant to the Offer. LIMITED PARTNERS ARE URGED TO READ
THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE SCHEDULE 14D-9 AND THE RELATED MATERIALS
CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO TENDER THEIR UNITS.

         Voting by the Purchaser. The Limited Partnership Agreement provides
that the General Partner has absolute discretion as to whether to admit an
assignee of Units to the Partnership as a substituted Limited Partner. The
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) will seek to be
admitted to the Partnership as a substituted Limited Partner upon consummation
of the Offer and, if admitted, will have the right to vote each Unit purchased
pursuant to the Offer. Even if the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) is not admitted to the Partnership as a substituted Limited
Partner, however, the Purchaser nonetheless will have the right to vote each
Unit purchased in the Offer pursuant to the irrevocable appointment by
tendering Limited Partners of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) and its managers and designees as proxies

                                       17
<PAGE>

with respect to the Units tendered by such Limited Partners and accepted for
payment by the Purchaser. See Section 3.

         If the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) is
successful in acquiring more than 11,532.5 Units pursuant to the Offer (or
otherwise), IPT (which controls the General Partner, IPLP and the Purchaser)
will own in excess of 50% of the total outstanding Units and, as a result, will
be able to control the outcome of almost all voting decisions with respect to
the Partnership. Even if the Purchaser acquires a lesser number of Units
pursuant to the Offer, however, because IPT already owns (through IPLP)
approximately 34.6% of the outstanding Units it will be able to significantly
influence the outcome of almost all voting decisions with respect to the
Partnership, other than decisions involving a "roll-up" transaction prior to
January 1, 2000. This could (i) prevent non-tendering Limited Partners from
taking action they desire but that IPT opposes and (ii) enable IPT to take
action desired by IPT but opposed by non-tendering Limited Partners. Under the
Limited Partnership Agreement, Limited Partners holding a majority of the Units
are entitled to take action with respect to a variety of matters, including:
removal of a general partner and in certain circumstances election of new or
successor general partners; dissolution of the Partnership; the sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership; and most types of
amendments to the Limited Partnership Agreement. However, under the terms of
the Stipulation (as defined in Section 13), the General Partner is required to
prohibit the Partnership from entering into a "roll-up" transaction involving
the General Partner or any of its affiliates prior to January 1, 2000 unless
such "roll-up" transaction is approved by Limited Partners holding at least a
majority of the outstanding Units not held by persons affiliated with the
General Partner. IPLP and the Purchaser (which are affiliates of the General
Partner) will vote the Units owned by them in whatever manner they deem to be
in IPT's best interests, which, because of their relationship with the General
Partner, also may be in the interest of the General Partner, but may not be in
the interest of other Limited Partners. See Section 7.

         Financing Arrangements. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) expects to pay for the Units it purchases pursuant to the
Offer with funds provided by IPLP as capital contributions. IPLP in turn
intends to use its cash on hand to make such contributions. See Section 12. It
is possible, however, that in connection with its future financing activities,
IPT or IPLP may cause or request the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) to pledge the Units as collateral for loans, or otherwise
agree to terms which provide IPT, IPLP and the Purchaser with incentives to
generate substantial near-term cash flow from the Purchaser's investment in the
Units. This could be the case, for example, if a loan has a "bullet" maturity
after a relatively short time or bears a high or increasing interest rate. In
such a situation, the General Partner may experience a conflict of interest in
seeking to reconcile the best interests of the Partnership with the need of its
affiliates for cash flow from the Partnership's activities.

         Transactions with Affiliates. The Partnership, the General Partner and
NPI-AP (which is the property manager for the Partnership) were not affiliates
of Insignia prior to mid-January 1996. Accordingly, this section only discusses
transactions between the Partnership, on the one hand, and Insignia and its
affiliates (including the General Partner and NPI-AP), on the other hand, which
have occurred since mid-January 1996.

         Under the Limited Partnership Agreement, the General Partner holds an
interest in the Partnership and is entitled to participate in certain cash
distributions made by the Partnership to its partners. The General Partner
received from the Partnership in respect of its interest in the Partnership
cash distributions of $18,000 to date in 1997 and $23,000 in 1996. The
Partnership paid NPI-AP property management fees for property management
services in the aggregate amounts of $617,000 for the year ended December 31,
1996 and $317,000 for the six-month period ended June 30, 1997. Insignia and
its affiliates do not receive any fees from the Partnership for the asset
management or partnership administration services they provide, although,
pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement, the General Partner and its
affiliates are entitled to be reimbursed by the Partnership for the expenses
they incur in connection with providing those services. The Partnership
reimbursed the General Partner and its affiliates for expenses incurred in
connection with asset management and partnership administration services
performed by them for the Partnership in the amounts of $166,000 for the year
ended December 31, 1996 and $78,000 during the first six months of 1997. The
Limited Partnership Agreement provides for a partnership management incentive
fee not to exceed 10% (determined on a cumulative, non-compounded basis) of
"cash available for distribution" (as defined in the Limited Partnership
Agreement

                                       18
<PAGE>

distributed to partners). In 1996, the General Partner received $128,000 as a
partnership management incentive fee pursuant to this provision. Beginning
January 19, 1996, the Partnership began insuring its properties under a master
policy through an agency and insurer unaffiliated with the General Partner. An
affiliate of the General Partner acquired, in the acquisition of a business,
certain financial obligations from an insurance agency which was later acquired
by the agent who placed the current year's master policy. The current agent
assumed the financial obligations to the affiliate of the General Partner who
receives payments on these obligations from the agent. Insignia and the General
Partner believe that the aggregate financial benefit derived by Insignia and
its affiliates from the arrangement described in the three preceding sentences
has been immaterial.

         SECTION 11. CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PURCHASER, IPLP, IPT
AND INSIGNIA.

         The Purchaser. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) is a newly formed entity controlled by IPT and organized for the
purpose of acquiring the Units. The Purchaser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
IPLP. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) has not
engaged in any business activity other than in connection with the Offer and
certain other tender offers for units of limited partnership interests in other
IPT Partnerships (as defined below) being made contemporaneously with the
Offer, and has no significant assets or liabilities at the present time. Upon
consummation of the Offer and such other offers, the Purchaser's only
significant assets will be the Units it acquires pursuant to the Offer and the
other limited partnership units it acquires pursuant to such other offers.

         The principal executive offices of the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) are located at One Insignia Financial Plaza,
Greenville, South Carolina 29602, and its telephone number is (864) 239-1000.
For certain information concerning the managers of the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner), see Schedule II to this Offer to Purchase.

         IPT and IPLP. IPT was formed by Insignia in May 1996, primarily for
the purpose of acquiring and owning interests in multifamily residential
properties, including limited and general partner interests in limited
partnerships (including the Partnership) which hold such real estate
properties. IPT has been organized and will operate in a manner that will
qualify it to be taxed as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") under the
Code, and it has elected to be taxed as a REIT beginning with its taxable year
ending December 31, 1996. Substantially all of IPT's operations are conducted
through IPLP, which is the operating partnership of IPT, and of which IPT is
presently the sole general partner and Insignia is presently the sole limited
partner.

         In forming IPT, Insignia and its affiliates (i) transferred to IPT
equity interests in corporations comprising or controlling the general partners
of 37 public real estate limited partnerships (including the Partnership) (the
"IPT Partnerships") in exchange for common shares of beneficial interest of IPT
and (ii) transferred to IPLP limited partner interests in the IPT Partnerships
(or equity interests in entities owning limited partner interests in the IPT
Partnerships) in exchange for units of limited partner interest in IPLP. The
IPT Partnerships own, in the aggregate, 184 properties containing approximately
42,000 residential apartment units and approximately 4.2 million square feet of
commercial space. See Schedule V for a list of the IPT Partnerships and the
percentage of limited partner interests IPLP owns in each.

         IPT does not operate as a self-administered and self-managed REIT, but
rather has engaged, and will for the foreseeable future continue to engage,
Insignia to act as advisor to IPT and IPLP. In such capacity, Insignia and its
affiliates will provide a broad range of services to IPT and IPLP, including
executive advisory, investment advisory, acquisition, administrative, financial
and accounting services, including in connection with the Offer.

         On July 18, 1997, IPT, Insignia, MAE GP Corporation (which is an
affiliate of Insignia) and Angeles Mortgage Investment Trust, an unincorporated
California business trust ("AMIT"), entered into a definitive merger agreement
(the "AMIT Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which AMIT is to be merged with and
into IPT, with IPT being the surviving entity, in a stock for stock transaction
(the "AMIT Merger"). AMIT is a public company whose Class A shares trade on the
American Stock Exchange under the symbol ANM. Insignia and its affiliates
currently own 96,800 (or approximately 3.7%) of the 2,617,000 outstanding AMIT
Class A

                                       19
<PAGE>

shares and all of the 1,675,113 outstanding AMIT Class B shares. If the AMIT
Merger is consummated, IPT will become a publicly traded company (IPT presently
intends to apply for listing of its shares on the New York Stock Exchange), and
it is anticipated that Insignia and its affiliates will own approximately 58%
of post-merger IPT, the former AMIT shareholders (other than Insignia and its
affiliates) will own approximately 18% of post-merger IPT, and the current
unaffiliated shareholders of IPT will own the remaining 24% of post-merger IPT.

         The AMIT Merger is expected to be completed sometime in the fourth
quarter of 1997. Consummation of the AMIT Merger is subject to several
conditions, including approval of the AMIT Merger Agreement and the AMIT Merger
by the respective shareholders of IPT and AMIT and the receipt by AMIT of a
fairness opinion from its financial advisor to the effect that the AMIT Merger
is fair to AMIT's shareholders from a financial point of view. Accordingly,
there can be no assurance as to when the AMIT Merger will occur, or that it
will occur at all.

         IPT's principal executive offices are located at One Insignia
Financial Plaza, Greenville, South Carolina 29602, and its telephone number is
(864) 239-1000. For certain information concerning the trustees and executive
officers of IPT, see Schedule III to this Offer to Purchase. IPLP does not have
any officers or employees.

         Set forth below is certain unaudited consolidated financial
information with respect to IPT and IPLP.

                       INSIGNIA PROPERTIES TRUST SELECTED
                       CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                  (in thousands, except share and unit data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               SIX MONTHS                YEAR ENDED
                                             ENDED JUNE 30,             DECEMBER 31,
                                                  1997                      1996
                                             --------------             ------------
                                               (unaudited)               (unaudited)
<S>                                             <C>                       <C>      
Statements of Operations Data:
   Revenues...............................      $   6,715                 $   7,683
   Income Before Extraordinary Item.......      $   1,248                 $   1,535
   Net Income.............................      $   1,248                 $     403

Supplemental Data:
   Funds From Operations(1)...............      $   8,718                 $   6,691
   IPT Common Shares Outstanding..........     15,501,487                11,168,036
   IPLP Units Outstanding.................      8,399,499                 8,399,499
                                               ----------                ----------
   IPT Common Shares Equivalents..........     23,900,986                19,567,535
                                               ==========                ==========

 Balance Sheets Data:
   Cash...................................      $  35,520                 $   4,928
   Investments in IPT Partnerships(2).....      $ 124,951                 $ 118,741
   Long-Term Debt.........................      $  19,950                 $  19,730
   Stockholders' Equity(3)................      $ 163,466                 $ 121,068
</TABLE>

- --------------
(1)   Funds from Operations represent income or loss from real estate
      operations, which is net income or loss in accordance with GAAP,
      excluding gains or losses from debt restructuring or sales of property,
      plus depreciation and provision for impairment.

(2)   Represents IPT's investment in 25 of the 37 IPT Partnerships which IPT
      accounts for using the equity method. Of the remaining 12 IPT
      Partnerships, IPT accounts for 11 using the cost method and one using the
      consolidation method.

(3)   Includes Insignia's investments in predecessor entities.

                                       20
<PAGE>

         Insignia. Insignia is a fully integrated real estate services
organization. Insignia is the largest manager of multi-family residential
properties in the United States and is among the largest managers of commercial
properties. Insignia's real estate services include property management,
providing all of the day-to-day services necessary to operate a property,
whether residential or commercial; asset management, including long-term
financial planning, monitoring and implementing capital improvement plans, and
development and execution of refinancings and dispositions; real estate leasing
and brokerage; maintenance and construction services; marketing and
advertising; investor reporting and accounting; and investment banking,
including assistance in workouts and restructurings, mergers and acquisitions,
and debt and equity securitizations.

         Insignia provides property and/or asset management services for
approximately 2,600 properties, which include approximately 270,000 residential
units (including cooperative and condominium units), and in excess of 147
million square feet of retail, commercial and industrial space, located in over
500 cities in 48 states. Insignia currently provides partnership administration
services to approximately 900 limited partnerships having approximately 400,000
limited partners. Insignia is a public company whose stock is traded on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol IFS.

         Insignia is subject to the information and reporting requirements of
the Exchange Act and in accordance therewith is required to file periodic
reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission relating to
its business, financial condition and other matters. Certain information, as of
particular dates, concerning Insignia's business, principal properties, capital
structure, material pending legal proceedings, operating results, financial
condition, directors and officers (including their remuneration and stock
options granted to them), the principal holders of Insignia's securities, any
material interests of such persons in transactions with Insignia and certain
other matters is required to be disclosed in proxy statements and annual
reports distributed to Insignia's shareholders and filed with the Commission.
Such reports, proxy statements and other information may be inspected and
copied at the Commission's public reference facilities and should also be
available for inspection in the same manner as set forth with respect to the
Partnership in Section 9.

         Insignia's principal executive offices are located at One Insignia
Financial Plaza, Greenville, South Carolina 29602, and its telephone number is
(864) 239-1000. For certain information concerning the directors and executive
officers of Insignia, see Schedule IV to this Offer to Purchase.

         Set forth below is certain consolidated financial information with
respect to Insignia and its consolidated subsidiaries for its fiscal years
ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 and the six-month periods ended June 30,
1997 and 1996. More comprehensive financial and other information is included
in Insignia's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996
(including management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and
results of operations) and in other reports and documents filed by Insignia
with the Commission. The financial information set forth below is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such reports and documents filed with the
Commission and the financial statements and related notes contained therein.
These reports and other documents may be examined and copies thereof may be
obtained in the manner set forth above.

                                       21
<PAGE>

                         INSIGNIA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
                  SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                     (in thousands, except per share data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         SIX MONTHS ENDED                    YEAR ENDED
                                                             JUNE 30,                       DECEMBER 31,
                                                     ------------------------- --------------------------------------
                                                        1997          1996         1996         1995         1994
                                                     -----------  ------------ ------------ ------------  -----------
                                                            (unaudited)
<S>                                                   <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>      
Statements of Operations Data:
   Total Revenues..................................   $ 154,527    $   83,319   $  227,074   $  123,032    $  75,453
   Income Before Taxes and Extraordinary Item......   $   7,630    $    7,690   $   14,946   $   10,093    $  12,101
   Net Income......................................   $   4,578    $    4,768   $    8,564   $    5,806    $   7,261
   Earnings Per Share..............................   $    0.14    $     0.15   $     0.27   $     0.20    $    0.35
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               AS OF                            AS OF
                                                             JUNE 30,                       DECEMBER 31,
                                                     ------------------------- --------------------------------------
                                                        1997          1996         1996         1995         1994
                                                     -----------  ------------ ------------ ------------  -----------
                                                            (unaudited)
Balance Sheets Data:
<S>                                                   <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>      
   Cash and Cash Equivalents.......................   $  77,083    $   57,366   $   54,614   $   49,846    $  36,596
   Receivables.....................................   $  58,536    $   19,101   $   46,040   $   26,445    $  13,572
       Total Assets................................   $ 530,224    $  473,720   $  492,402   $  245,409    $ 174,272
   Accounts Payable................................   $   6,965    $    2,491   $    1,711   $    1,497    $   3,478
   Commissions Payable.............................   $   26,937           --   $    18,736  $      602           --
   Accrued and Sundry Liabilities..................   $  37,725    $   27,158   $   40,741   $   25,619    $  18,790
   Long-Term Debt..................................   $  58,674    $  141,388   $   69,140   $   42,996    $  73,198
       Total Liabilities...........................   $ 130,301    $  258,622   $  130,328   $   70,714    $  95,466
   Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock..........          --            --           --   $   15,000           --
   Redeemable Convertible Preferred Securities
     of Subsidiary Trust...........................   $ 143,978            --   $  144,169           --           --
   Minority Interest of Consolidated Subsidiaries..   $  31,535    $    2,690           --   $    2,682           --
       Shareholders' Equity........................   $ 224,410    $  212,408   $  217,905   $  157,013    $  78,806
</TABLE>

         Except as otherwise set forth herein, none of the Purchaser (which is
an affiliate of the General Partner), IPLP, IPT, Insignia or, to the best of
the Purchaser's knowledge, any of the persons listed on Schedules II, III or IV
hereto, or any affiliate of the foregoing, (i) beneficially owns or has a right
to acquire any Units, (ii) has effected any transaction in the Units in the
last 60 days, or (iii) has any contract, arrangement, understanding or
relationship with any other person with respect to any securities of the
Partnership, including, but not limited to, contracts, arrangements,
understandings or relationships concerning the transfer or voting thereof,
joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees of
loans, guarantees against loss or the giving or withholding of proxies. Andrew
L. Farkas, who is the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and
President of Insignia and a trustee of IPT, beneficially owns approximately 28%
of Insignia's outstanding common stock and, as a result, may be deemed to
beneficially own the Units owned by IPLP.

         SECTION 12. SOURCE OF FUNDS. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of
the General Partner) expects that approximately $5,150,000 will be required to
purchase 22,500 Units, if tendered, and to pay related fees and expenses. The
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) expects to obtain all
of those funds from IPLP, which in turn intends to use its cash on hand.

         SECTION 13. BACKGROUND OF THE OFFER.

         Affiliation with the General Partner and NPI-AP. The General Partner
is organized as a California general partnership, the general partners of which
are: Fox Capital Management Corporation, a California corporation ("FCMC"); Fox
Realty Investors, a California general partnership ("FRI"); and Fox Partners
82, a California general partnership. FCMC is the managing general partner of
the General Partner. The managing

                                       22
<PAGE>

general partner of FRI is NPI Equity Investments II, Inc. ("NPI Equity"), which
(prior to December 1996) was a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Property
Investors, Inc. ("NPI"). In January 1996, IFGP Corporation, which is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Insignia, acquired all of the outstanding stock of
NPI (and thus all of the outstanding stock of NPI Equity and the managing
general partner interest in FRI). In June 1996, Insignia Properties Corporation
("IPC"), which at the time was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Insignia, acquired
all of the outstanding stock of FCMC. In December 1996, as part of the
formation of IPT, NPI contributed all of the outstanding stock of NPI Equity to
IPT and IPC was merged with and into IPT. As a result of the foregoing
transactions, each of FCMC and NPI Equity is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of
IPT, and IPT controls the General Partner. Fox Partners 82 is not affiliated
with the Purchaser, IPT or Insignia. NPI-AP, which is the property manager for
the Partnership's properties, is currently an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary
of Insignia. Insignia acquired NPI-AP in January 1996 in connection with the
foregoing transactions.

         Previous Tender Offers. Between October 1994 and June 1995, DeForest
Ventures I, L.P. ("DeForest") acquired 25,710.5 (or approximately 34.3%) of the
outstanding Units, at a purchase price of $83.38 per Unit, pursuant to a series
of tender offers (the "DeForest Tender Offers"). At the time, DeForest was
affiliated with the General Partner but was not an affiliate of the Purchaser,
IPT or Insignia. As a result of litigation instituted in connection with the
DeForest Tender Offers, in March 1995 the General Partner (and certain of its
affiliates at the time) entered into an Amended Stipulation of Settlement (the
"Stipulation") which, among other things, (i) requires the General Partner to
prohibit the Partnership from entering into a "roll-up" transaction involving
the General Partner or any of its affiliates prior to January 1, 2000 unless
such "roll-up" transaction is approved by Limited Partners holding at least a
majority of the outstanding Units owned by persons who are unaffiliated with
the General Partner, and (ii) prohibits DeForest and its affiliates from
initiating or participating in any tender offer for Units for a period of 24
months following the completion of the DeForest Tender Offers (which period has
now expired). In January 1996, in connection with the transactions described in
the preceding paragraph, Insignia NPI L.L.C. ("Insignia NPI"), which at the
time was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Insignia, acquired from DeForest all of
the Units it acquired pursuant to the DeForest Tender Offers. In December 1996,
in connection with the formation of IPT, Insignia NPI was merged with and into
IPLP. As a result, IPLP now owns all of those Units.

         Determination of Purchase Price. In establishing the Purchase Price,
the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) reviewed certain
publicly available information and certain information made available to it by
the General Partner and its other affiliates, including among other things: (i)
the Limited Partnership Agreement, as amended to date; (ii) the Partnership's
Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 1996 and the
Partnership's Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the period ended June 30,
1997; (iii) unaudited results of operations of the Partnership's properties for
the period since the beginning of the Partnership's current fiscal year; (iv)
the operating budgets prepared by NPI-AP with respect to the Partnership's
properties for the year ending December 31, 1997; and (v) other information
obtained by NPI-AP, Insignia and other affiliates in their capacities as
providers of property management, asset management and partnership
administration services to the Partnership. Based on that information, the
Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) considered several
factors, as discussed below.

         Trading History of Units. Secondary market sales activity for the
Units, including privately negotiated sales, has been limited and sporadic.
According to information obtained from the General Partner, from July 1, 1995
to June 30, 1997 an aggregate of 807 Units (representing less than 1.1% of the
total outstanding Units) were transferred (excluding the Units acquired by
Insignia from DeForest in January 1996 and the transfers to IPLP in December
1996 in connection with the formation of IPT). Set forth in the table below are
the high and low sales prices of Units for the quarterly periods from July 1,
1995 to June 30, 1997, as reported by the General Partner and by The
Partnership Spectrum, which is an independent, third-party source. The General
Partner did not begin requesting price-related information in connection with
processing transfers of Units until January 1997. Accordingly, price-related
information for periods prior to January 1997 is not presented under the column
captioned "As Reported by the General Partner" in the table below. The gross
sales prices reported by The Partnership Spectrum do not necessarily reflect
the net sales proceeds received by sellers of Units, which typically are
reduced by commissions and other secondary market transaction costs to amounts
less than the reported prices; thus the Purchaser does not know whether the
information compiled by The Partnership

                                       23
<PAGE>

Spectrum is accurate or complete. The transfer paperwork submitted to the
General Partner often does not include the requested price information or
contains conflicting information as to the actual sales price; accordingly,
Limited Partners should not rely upon this information as being completely
accurate.

                          CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII
                   REPORTED SALES PRICES OF PARTNERSHIP UNITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                AS REPORTED BY                    AS REPORTED BY
                                                            THE GENERAL PARTNER(a)          THE PARTNERSHIP SPECTRUM(b)
                                                          --------------------------        ---------------------------
                                                          LOW SALES       HIGH SALES        LOW SALES       HIGH SALES
                                                            PRICE            PRICE            PRICE            PRICE
                                                          PER UNIT         PER UNIT         PER UNIT         PER UNIT
                                                          ---------       ----------        ---------       ----------
<S>                                                        <C>             <C>               <C>               <C> 
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1997:
   Second Quarter....................................      $195            $221(c)           $160              $202
   First Quarter ....................................        58              193              162               202
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1996:
   Fourth Quarter ...................................       n/a              n/a              102               202
   Third Quarter.....................................       n/a              n/a              105               173
   Second Quarter....................................       n/a              n/a               83                83
   First Quarter.....................................       n/a              n/a               83                83
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1995:
   Fourth Quarter....................................       n/a              n/a               50                54
   Third Quarter.....................................       n/a              n/a               60                65
</TABLE>

- --------------
(a)   Although the General Partner requests and records information on the
      prices at which Units are sold, it does not regularly receive or maintain
      information regarding the bid or asked quotations of secondary market
      makers, if any. The General Partner processes transfers of Units 12 times
      per year - on the first day of each month. The prices in the table are
      based solely on information provided to the General Partner by sellers
      and buyers of Units transferred in sale transactions (i.e., excluding
      transactions believed to result from the death of a Limited Partner,
      rollover to an IRA account, establishment of a trust, trustee to trustee
      transfers, termination of a benefit plan, distributions from a qualified
      or non-qualified plan, uniform gifts, abandonment of Units or similar
      non-sale transactions).

(b)   The gross sales prices reported by The Partnership Spectrum do not
      necessarily reflect the net sales proceeds received by sellers of Units,
      which typically are reduced by commissions and other secondary market
      transaction costs to amounts less than the reported prices. The Purchaser
      (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) does not know whether the
      information compiled by The Partnership Spectrum is accurate or complete.

(c)   During the second quarter of 1997, IPLP purchased one Unit at a price of
      $221 as a result of a clerical error. Accordingly, this transaction does
      not represent an arm's length transaction between a willing buyer and a
      willing seller and, therefore, should not necessarily be viewed as
      indicative of the price at which a Limited Partner could realistically
      expect to sell Units in the secondary market.


         The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) believes
that, although secondary market sales information probably is not a reliable
measure of value because of the limited and inefficient nature of the market
for Units, this information may be relevant to a Limited Partner's decision as
to whether to tender its Units pursuant to the Offer. At present, privately
negotiated sales and sales through intermediaries (e.g., through the trading
system operated by Chicago Partnership Board, Inc., which publishes sell offers
by holders of Units) are the only means available to a Limited Partner to
liquidate an investment in Units (other than the Offer) because the Units are
not listed or traded on any exchange or quoted on NASDAQ.

         IPT Formation Values. In connection with the formation of IPT,
Insignia prepared estimates of the values of the Partnership's properties and
of a Unit as of December 31, 1996 for purposes of determining the number of
units of limited partnership interest in IPLP it would receive in exchange for
the Units contributed to IPLP by Insignia and its affiliates. For this purpose,
Insignia estimated the aggregate value of the Partnership's properties to be
$60,977,452 and the value of a Unit to be $380. This aggregate property value
estimate is approximately $2,062,885 (or 3.3%) less than the Gross Real Estate
Value Estimate described below, principally due to changes in the operating
performances of the properties between December 1996 and June 1997.

         Purchaser's Estimate of Gross Real Estate Value. In estimating the
gross real estate value of the Partnership's properties, the Purchaser utilized
the capitalization of income approach. The estimate of the gross real estate
value of the Partnership's properties prepared by the Purchaser does not
purport to be an estimate of the

                                       24
<PAGE>

aggregate fair market value of the Units themselves, nor should it be viewed as
such by Limited Partners. Neither the Purchaser nor any of its affiliates
prepared any estimates of the values of the Partnership's properties based upon
any other valuation method.

         The following is a description of the methodology employed by the
Purchaser in preparing such estimates (as used below, "net operating income" is
calculated before depreciation, amortization, debt service payments and certain
capital expenditure items):

         CHERRY CREEK GARDENS APARTMENTS. In estimating the value of the
property, the Purchaser reviewed the income ($1,228,910) generated by the
property for the six months ended June 30, 1997 (comprised of $1,188,756 of
gross rental income and $40,154 of other income), and then deducted from this
amount the total operating expenses of the property for the first six months of
1997 ($431,322), resulting in the Purchaser's estimate of net operating income
for the first six months of 1997 ($797,588). The Purchaser then annualized this
amount, resulting in estimated annual net operating income of $1,595,176, and
then reduced that annualized net operating income amount by $300 per apartment
unit, representing the Purchaser's estimate of the adjustment that would be
imputed by a third party purchaser in underwriting the operating expenses,
including normal replacement reserves, of the property for valuation purposes.
Finally, the Purchaser capitalized its estimated adjusted net operating income
amount ($1,506,376) at a 10.0% capitalization rate, resulting in an estimated
gross property value of $15,063,760.

         CREEKSIDE APARTMENTS. In estimating the value of the property, the
Purchaser reviewed the income ($1,039,293) generated by the property for the
six months ended June 30, 1997 (comprised of $1,000,744 of gross rental income
and $38,549 of other income), and then deducted from this amount the total
operating expenses of the property for the first six months of 1997 ($426,834),
resulting in the Purchaser's estimate of net operating income for the first six
months of 1997 ($612,459). The Purchaser then annualized this amount, resulting
in estimated annual net operating income of $1,224,918, and then reduced that
annualized net operating income amount by $350 per apartment unit, representing
the Purchaser's estimate of the adjustment that would be imputed by a third
party purchaser in underwriting the operating expenses, including normal
replacement reserves, of the property for valuation purposes. Finally, the
Purchaser capitalized its estimated adjusted net operating income amount
($1,110,118) at a 10.5% capitalization rate, resulting in an estimated gross
property value of $10,572,552.

         THE LODGE APARTMENTS. In estimating the value of the property, the
Purchaser reviewed the income ($1,164,070) generated by the property for the
six months ended June 30, 1997 (comprised of $1,081,304 of gross rental income
and $82,766 of other income), and then deducted from this amount the total
operating expenses of the property for the first six months of 1997 ($461,796),
resulting in the Purchaser's estimate of net operating income for the first six
months of 1997 ($702,274). The Purchaser then annualized this amount, resulting
in estimated annual net operating income of $1,404,548, and then reduced that
annualized net operating income amount by $350 per apartment unit, representing
the Purchaser's estimate of the adjustment that would be imputed by a third
party purchaser in underwriting the operating expenses, including normal
replacement reserves, of the property for valuation purposes. Finally, the
Purchaser capitalized its estimated adjusted net operating income amount
($1,272,948) at a 10.0% capitalization rate, resulting in an estimated gross
property value of $12,729,480.

         THE VILLAGE IN THE WOODS APARTMENTS. In estimating the value of the
property, the Purchaser reviewed the income ($1,689,161) generated by the
property for the six months ended June 30, 1997 (comprised of $1,638,714 of
gross rental income and $50,447 of other income), and then deducted from this
amount the total operating expenses of the property for the first six months of
1997 ($787,742), resulting in the Purchaser's estimate of net operating income
for the first six months of 1997 ($901,419). The Purchaser then annualized this
amount, resulting in estimated annual net operating income of $1,802,838, and
then reduced that annualized net operating income amount by $350 per apartment
unit, representing the Purchaser's estimate of the adjustment that would be
imputed by a third party purchaser in underwriting the operating expenses,
including normal replacement reserves, of the property for valuation purposes.
Finally, the Purchaser capitalized its estimated adjusted net operating income
amount ($1,617,338) at a 10.25% capitalization rate, resulting in an estimated
gross property value of $15,778,907.

         COOPER'S POND APARTMENTS. In estimating the value of the property, the
Purchaser reviewed the income ($1,231,726) generated by the property for the
six months ended June 30, 1997 (comprised of $1,148,079 of gross rental income
and $83,647 of other income), and then deducted from this amount the total
operating

                                       25
<PAGE>

expenses of the property for the first six months of 1997 ($729,980), resulting
in the Purchaser's estimate of net operating income for the first six months of
1997 ($501,746). The Purchaser then annualized this amount, resulting in
estimated annual net operating income of $1,003,492, and then reduced that
annualized net operating income amount by $150 per apartment unit, representing
the Purchaser's estimate of the adjustment that would be imputed by a third
party purchaser in underwriting the operating expenses, including normal
replacement reserves, of the property for valuation purposes. Finally, the
Purchaser capitalized its estimated adjusted net operating income amount
($934,042) at a 10.5% capitalization rate, resulting in an estimated gross
property value of $8,895,638.

         Based on the individual estimates of the gross values of the
Partnership's properties described above, the Purchaser estimated that the
current aggregate gross real estate value of the Partnership's properties is
$63,040,337 (the "Gross Real Estate Value Estimate"). The property-specific
capitalization rates used by the Purchaser in the valuation estimates described
above were based upon the Purchaser's, IPT's and Insignia's general knowledge
of the revenues and expenses associated with operating multi-family properties
in the markets in which the Partnership's properties are located, their general
knowledge of property values in those markets and their experience in the real
estate market in general.

         Although there are several other methods of estimating the value of
real estate of this type, the Purchaser believes that this approach represents
a reasonable method of estimating the aggregate gross value of the
Partnership's properties (without taking into account the costs of disposing of
the properties), subject to the substantial uncertainties inherent in any
estimate of value. The use of other assumptions, however, particularly as to
the applicable capitalization rate, could produce substantially different
results. None of the Purchaser, IPT or Insignia solicited any offers or
inquiries from prospective buyers of the Partnership's properties in connection
with preparing the Purchaser's estimates of the fair market values of those
properties, and the actual amounts for which the Partnership's properties might
be sold could be significantly higher or significantly lower than the
Purchaser's estimates.

         The Gross Real Estate Value Estimate does not take into account (i)
the debt encumbering the Partnership's properties or the other liabilities of
the Partnership, (ii) cash and other assets held by the Partnership, (iii) real
estate transaction costs that would be incurred on a sale of the Partnership's
properties, such as brokerage commissions and other selling and closing
expenses, (iv) timing considerations or (v) costs associated with winding up
the Partnership. For this reason, the Purchaser considers the Gross Real Estate
Value Estimate to be less meaningful in evaluating the Purchase Price offered
by the Purchaser than its pro forma estimate of the net liquidation value per
Unit described below.

         Purchaser's Pro Forma Estimate of Net Liquidation Value per Unit. The
Purchaser is offering to purchase Units, which are a relatively illiquid
investment, and is not offering to purchase the Partnership's underlying assets
or assume any of its liabilities. Consequently, the Purchaser does not believe
that the per-Unit amount which might be distributed to Limited Partners
following a future sale of all the Partnership's properties necessarily
reflects the present fair value of a Unit. Conversely, the realizable value of
the Partnership's assets clearly is a relevant factor in determining the price
a prudent purchaser would offer for Units. In considering this factor, the
Purchaser made a pro forma calculation of the amount each Limited Partner might
receive in a theoretical orderly liquidation of the Partnership (which may not
be realistically possible, particularly in the near term, due to real estate
market conditions, the general difficulty of disposing of real estate in a
short period of time, and other general economic factors), based on the Gross
Real Estate Value Estimate described above and the other considerations
described below. The Purchaser based its pro forma liquidation analysis on the
Gross Real Estate Value Estimate (and thus on the Purchaser's estimates of the
values of the Partnership's properties described above), as opposed to the
appraised values of the Partnership's properties or the values estimated in
connection with the formation of IPT (as described above), because the
Purchaser believes that the Gross Real Estate Value Estimate represents the
best estimate, based on currently available information, of the values of the
Partnership's properties.

         In estimating the pro forma net liquidation value per Unit, the
Purchaser adjusted its Gross Real Estate Value Estimate of $63,040,337 to
reflect the Partnership's other assets and liabilities (excluding prepaid and
deferred expenses and security deposits). Specifically, the Purchaser added the
amounts of cash, accounts receivable and escrow deposits shown on the
Partnership's unaudited balance sheet at June 30, 1997 ($6,890,000), and
subtracted

                                       26
<PAGE>

the mortgage debt encumbering the Partnership's properties ($36,862,000) and
all other liabilities shown on that balance sheet ($947,000). The Purchaser
then deducted from that amount $2,521,613, representing a reserve equal to 4%
of the Gross Real Estate Value Estimate (which represents the Purchaser's
estimate of the probable costs of brokerage commissions, real estate transfer
taxes and other disposition expenses). The result, $29,599,724, represents the
Purchaser's pro forma estimate of the aggregate net liquidation proceeds
(before provision for the costs described in the following sentence) which
could be realized on an orderly liquidation of the Limited Partnership, based
on the assumptions implicit in the calculations described above. The Purchaser
did not, however, deduct any amounts in respect of the legal and other costs
which the Purchaser expects would be incurred in a liquidation, including costs
of negotiating purchase and sale contracts, possibly conducting a consent
solicitation in order to obtain the Limited Partners' approvals for the sales
as may be required by the Limited Partnership Agreement, and winding up the
Partnership, because of the difficulty of estimating those amounts.

         To complete its pro forma estimate of the amount of the theoretical
liquidation proceeds that would be distributable per Unit, the Purchaser then
deducted 2%, which is the percentage allocable to the General Partner in
respect of its non-subordinated interest in the Partnership, and the remaining
$29,007,729 was then divided by the 75,000 Units reported as outstanding by the
General Partner as of August 1, 1997. The resulting estimated pro forma
liquidation value was $386.77 per Unit (the "Estimated Liquidation Value"),
before provision for the legal and other costs of liquidating the Partnership
described in the last sentence of the preceding paragraph.

         The Purchaser's pro forma liquidation analysis described above is
merely theoretical and does not itself reflect the value of the Units because
(i) there is no assurance that any such liquidation in fact will occur in the
foreseeable future and (ii) any liquidation in which the estimated fair market
values described above might be realized would take an extended period of time
(at least a year, and quite possibly significantly longer), during which time
the Partnership and its partners would continue to be exposed to the risk of
fluctuations in asset values because of changing market conditions and other
factors. For any property sales in which the Partnership is required to
indemnify the buyer for matters arising after the closing, a portion of the
sales proceeds could be held by the Partnership until all possible claims were
satisfied, further extending the delay in the receipt by the Limited Partners
of liquidation proceeds. In light of these factors, the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) believes the actual current value of the
Units is substantially less than its estimate of the Estimated Liquidation
Value. Conversely, there is a substantial possibility that the per-Unit value
realized in an orderly liquidation could be greater than the Estimated
Liquidation Value. A reduction in either operating expenses or capital
expenditures from the levels reflected in the property operating statements for
the six months ending June 30, 1997 would result in a higher liquidation value
under the method described above. Similarly, a higher liquidation value would
result if a buyer applied lower capitalization rates (reflecting a willingness
to accept a lower rate of return on its investment) to the applicable net
operating income generated by the Partnership's properties than the
capitalization rates applied by the Purchaser. For example, a 5% increase or
decrease in the value of the Partnership's properties would produce a
corresponding increase or decrease in the Estimated Liquidation Value of
approximately $39.54 per Unit. Furthermore, the analysis described above is
based on a series of assumptions, some of which may not be correct.
Accordingly, this analysis should be viewed merely as indicative of the
Purchaser's approach to valuing Units and not as any way predictive of the
likely result of any future transactions.

         SECTION 14. CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER. Notwithstanding any other term of
the Offer, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) will
not be required to accept for payment or to pay for any Units tendered if all
authorizations, consents, orders or approvals of, or declarations or filings
with, or expirations of waiting periods imposed by, any court, administrative
agency or commission or other governmental authority or instrumentality,
domestic or foreign, necessary for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Offer shall not have been filed, occurred or been obtained.
Furthermore, notwithstanding any other term of the Offer and in addition to the
Purchaser's right to withdraw the Offer at any time before the Expiration Date,
the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) will not be
required to accept for payment or pay for any Units not theretofore accepted
for payment or paid for and may terminate or amend the Offer as to such Units
if, at any time on or after the date of the Offer and before the Expiration
Date, any of the following conditions exists:

         (a) a preliminary or permanent injunction or other order of any
federal or state court, government or governmental authority or agency shall
have been issued and shall remain in effect which (i) makes illegal, delays

                                       27
<PAGE>

or otherwise directly or indirectly restrains or prohibits the making of the
Offer or the acceptance for payment, purchase of or payment for any Units by
the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner), (ii) imposes or
confirms limitations on the ability of the Purchaser effectively to exercise
full rights of ownership of any Units, including without limitation the right
to vote any Units acquired by the Purchaser pursuant to the Offer or otherwise
on all matters properly presented to the Partnership's Limited Partners, (iii)
requires divestiture by the Purchaser of any Units, (iv) causes any material
diminution of the benefits to be derived by the Purchaser as a result of the
transactions contemplated by the Offer, or (v) might materially adversely
affect the business, properties, assets, liabilities, financial condition,
operations, results of operations or prospects of the Purchaser or the
Partnership;

         (b) there shall be any action taken, or any statute, rule, regulation
or order proposed, enacted, enforced, promulgated, issued or deemed applicable
to the Offer by any federal or state court, government or governmental
authority or agency, which might, directly or indirectly, result in any of the
consequences referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of paragraph (a) above;

         (c) any change or development shall have occurred or been threatened
since the date of the Offer to Purchase, in the business, properties, assets,
liabilities, financial condition, operations, results of operations or
prospects of the Partnership, which is or may be materially adverse to the
Partnership, or the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner)
shall have become aware of any fact that does or may have a material adverse
effect on the value of the Units;

         (d) there shall have occurred (i) any general suspension of trading
in, or limitation on prices for, securities on any national securities exchange
or in the over-the-counter market in the United States, (ii) a declaration of a
banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the
United States, (iii) any limitation by any governmental authority on, or other
event which might affect, the extension of credit by lending institutions or
result in any imposition of currency controls in the United States, (iv) a
commencement of a war or armed hostilities or other national or international
calamity directly or indirectly involving the United States, (v) a material
change in United States or other currency exchange rates or a suspension of, or
imposition of a limitation on, the markets thereof, or (vi) in the case of any
of the foregoing existing at the time of the commencement of the Offer, a
material acceleration or worsening thereof; or

         (e) it shall have been publicly disclosed or the Purchaser (which is
an affiliate of the General Partner) shall have otherwise learned that (i) more
than ten percent of the outstanding Units have been or are proposed to be
acquired by another person (including a "group" within the meaning of Section
13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or (ii) any person or group that prior to such
date had filed a Statement with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(d) or (g)
of the Exchange Act has increased or proposes to increase the number of Units
beneficially owned by such person or group as disclosed in such Statement by
two percent or more of the outstanding Units.

         The foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of the Purchaser
(which is an affiliate of the General Partner) and may be asserted by the
Purchaser regardless of the circumstances giving rise to such conditions or may
be waived by the Purchaser in whole or in part at any time and from time to
time in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) concerning the events described above will be
final and binding upon all parties.

         SECTION 15. CERTAIN LEGAL MATTERS.

         General. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner)
is not aware of any filings, approvals or other actions by any domestic or
foreign governmental or administrative agency that would be required prior to
the acquisition of Units by the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) pursuant to the Offer, other than the filing of a Tender Offer
Statement on Schedule 14D-1 with the Commission (which has already been filed)
and any required amendments thereto. Should any such approval or other action
be required, it is the Purchaser's present intention that such additional
approval or action would be sought. Although there is no present intent to
delay the purchase of Units tendered pursuant to the Offer pending receipt of
any such additional approval or the taking of any such action, there can be no
assurance that any such additional approval or action, if needed, would be
obtained without substantial conditions or that adverse consequences might not
result to the Partnership's

                                       28
<PAGE>

business, or that certain parts of the Partnership's business might not have to
be disposed of or other substantial conditions complied with in order to obtain
such approval or action, any of which could cause the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) to elect to terminate the Offer without
purchasing Units thereunder.

         Antitrust. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) does not believe that the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act
of 1976, as amended, is applicable to the acquisition of Units contemplated by
the Offer.

         Margin Requirements. The Units are not "margin securities" under the
regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and,
accordingly, those regulations generally are not applicable to the Offer.

         SECTION 16. FEES AND EXPENSES. Except as set forth in this Section 16,
the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner) will not pay any
fees or commissions to any broker, dealer or other person for soliciting
tenders of Units pursuant to the Offer. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of
the General Partner) has retained Beacon Hill Partners, Inc. to act as
Information Agent and Harris Trust Company of New York to act as Depositary in
connection with the Offer. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) will pay the Information Agent and the Depositary reasonable and
customary compensation for their respective services in connection with the
Offer, plus reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, and has agreed to
indemnify the Information Agent and the Depositary against certain liabilities
and expenses in connection therewith, including liabilities under the federal
securities laws. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner)
will also pay all costs and expenses of printing and mailing the Offer and its
legal fees and expenses.

         SECTION 17. MISCELLANEOUS. The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) is not aware of any jurisdiction in which the making of the
Offer is not in compliance with applicable law. If the Purchaser (which is an
affiliate of the General Partner) becomes aware of any jurisdiction in which
the making of the Offer would not be in compliance with applicable law, the
Purchaser will make a good faith effort to comply with any such law. If, after
such good faith effort, the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) cannot comply with any such law, the Offer will not be made to (nor
will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of) Limited Partners residing in
such jurisdiction. In those jurisdictions whose securities or blue sky laws
require the Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offer will be
deemed to be made on behalf of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the
General Partner) by one or more registered brokers or dealers licensed under
the laws of that jurisdiction.

         No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representation on behalf of the Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General
Partner) not contained in this Offer to Purchase or in the Assignment of
Partnership Interest and, if given or made, such information or representation
must not be relied upon as having been authorized.

         The Purchaser (which is an affiliate of the General Partner), IPLP,
IPT and Insignia have filed with the Commission a Tender Offer Statement on
Schedule 14D-1, pursuant to Rule 14d-3 under the Exchange Act, furnishing
certain additional information with respect to the Offer, and may file
amendments thereto. The Schedule 14D-1 and any amendments thereto, including
exhibits, may be inspected and copies may be obtained at the same places and in
the same manner as set forth in Section 9 (except that they will not be
available at the regional offices of the Commission).

                                                 IPLP ACQUISITION I LLC

AUGUST 28, 1997

                                       29
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE I

                           TRANSACTIONS IN THE UNITS
                    EFFECTED BY IPLP WITHIN THE PAST 60 DAYS


                                    Number of                    Price
        DATE                     Units Purchased                Per Unit
        ----                     ---------------                --------


      07/22/97                           1                      $221.00

      07/23/97                           4                      $197.50


                                      S-1
<PAGE>

                                  SCHEDULE II

              INFORMATION REGARDING THE MANAGERS OF THE PURCHASER


Set forth in the table below are the name and the present principal occupations
or employment and the name, principal business and address of any corporation
or other organization in which such occupation or employment is conducted, and
the five-year employment history of each of the managers of the Purchaser. Each
person identified below is employed by Insignia and is a United States citizen.
The principal business address of the Purchaser and, unless otherwise
indicated, the business address of each person identified below, is One
Insignia Financial Plaza, Greenville, South Carolina 29602.


                                       PRESENT PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                             OR EMPLOYMENT AND
NAME                                   FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ----                                   ----------------------------

Jeffrey P. Cohen           Jeffrey P. Cohen has been a Manager of the Purchaser
  375 Park Avenue          since its inception in August 1997. For additional
  Suite 3401               information regarding Mr. Cohen, see Schedule III.
  New York, NY 10152

John K. Lines              John K. Lines has been a Manager of the Purchaser
                           since its inception in August 1997. For additional
                           information regarding Mr. Lines, see Schedules III
                           and IV.

Ronald Uretta              Ronald Uretta has been a Manager of the Purchaser
                           since its inception in August 1997. For additional
                           information regarding Mr. Uretta, see Schedules III
                           and IV.

                                      S-2
<PAGE>

                                  SCHEDULE III

                           INFORMATION REGARDING THE
                     TRUSTEES AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF IPT


Set forth in the table below are the name and the present principal occupations
or employment and the name, principal business and address of any corporation
or other organization in which such occupation or employment is conducted, and
the five-year employment history of each of the trustees and executive officers
of IPT. Each person identified below is employed by Insignia and is a United
States citizen. The principal business address of IPT and, unless otherwise
indicated, the business address of each person identified below, is One
Insignia Financial Plaza, Greenville, South Carolina 29602. Trustees are
identified by an asterisk.


                                       PRESENT PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                             OR EMPLOYMENT AND
NAME                                   FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ----                                   ----------------------------

Andrew L. Farkas*          Andrew L. Farkas has served as a Trustee of IPT
                           since December 1996, and has served as Chairman of
                           the Board of Trustees of IPT since January 1997. For
                           additional information regarding Mr. Farkas, see
                           Schedule IV.

James A. Aston*            James A. Aston has served as a Trustee and President
                           of IPT since its inception in May 1996. For
                           additional information regarding Mr. Aston, see
                           Schedule IV.

Frank M. Garrison*         Frank M. Garrison has served as a Trustee of IPT    
  102 Woodmont Boulevard   since December 1996. Mr. Garrison also served as an 
  Suite 400                Executive Managing Director of IPT from January 1997
  Nashville, TN 37205      to April 1997. For additional information regarding 
                           Mr. Garrison, see Schedule IV.                      
                           
Jeffrey P. Cohen           Jeffrey P. Cohen has served as a Senior Vice
  375 Park Avenue          President of IPT since August 1997, and served as a
  Suite 3401               Vice President of IPT from June 1997 until August
  New York, NY 10152       1997. Since April 1997, Mr. Cohen's principal
                           occupation has been to serve as a Senior Vice
                           President -- Investment Banking of Insignia. Prior
                           to April 1997, Mr. Cohen's principal occupation was
                           as an attorney with the law firm of Rogers & Wells,
                           New York, New York.                                

William D. Falls           William D. Falls has served as the Controller of IPT
                           since August 1997. Since April 1995, Mr. Falls'
                           principal occupation has been to serve as an
                           accountant with Insignia. Prior to April 1995, Mr.
                           Falls' principal occupation was as a senior auditor
                           with the accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP.

William H. Jarrard, Jr.    William H. Jarrard, Jr. has served as a Senior Vice
                           President of IPT since August 1997, and served as
                           Vice President and Director of Operations of IPT
                           from December 1996 until August 1997. For additional
                           information regarding Mr. Jarrard, see Schedule IV.

John K. Lines              John K. Lines has served as Secretary of IPT since
                           December 1996, and has served as a Senior Vice
                           President of IPT since August 1997. Mr. Lines served
                           as a Vice President IPT from May 1996 until August
                           1997. For additional information regarding Mr.
                           Lines, see Schedule IV.

                                      S-3
<PAGE>

                                       PRESENT PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                             OR EMPLOYMENT AND
NAME                                   FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ----                                   ----------------------------

Ronald Uretta              Ronald Uretta has served as Treasurer of IPT since
                           December 1996, and has served as a Senior Vice
                           President of IPT since August 1997. Mr. Uretta
                           served as a Vice President of IPT from December 1996
                           until August 1997 and as Chief Financial Officer of
                           IPT from May 1996 until December 1996. For
                           additional information regarding Mr. Uretta, see
                           Schedule IV.

Carroll D. Vinson          Carroll D. Vinson has served as Chief Operating
                           Officer of IPT since May 1997. Since August 1994,
                           Mr. Vinson's principal occupation has been to serve
                           as President of the various corporate general
                           partners of partnerships controlled by Metropolitan
                           Asset Enhancement, L.P., which is an affiliate of
                           Insignia.

                                      S-4
<PAGE>

                                  SCHEDULE IV

                           INFORMATION REGARDING THE
                  DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF INSIGNIA


Set forth in the table below are the name and the present principal occupations
or employment and the name, principal business and address of any corporation
or other organization in which such occupation or employment is conducted, and
the five-year employment history of each of the directors and executive
officers of Insignia. Unless otherwise indicated, each person identified below
is employed by Insignia and is a United States citizen. The principal business
address of Insignia and, unless otherwise indicated, the business address of
each person identified below, is One Insignia Financial Plaza, Greenville,
South Carolina 29602. Directors are identified by an asterisk.


                                       PRESENT PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                             OR EMPLOYMENT AND
NAME                                   FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ----                                   ----------------------------

Andrew L. Farkas*          Andrew L. Farkas has been a Director and Chairman,
                           President and Chief Executive Officer of Insignia
                           since its inception in January 1991. Mr. Farkas has
                           also been President of Metropolitan Asset Group,
                           Ltd. ("MAG"), a real estate investment banking firm,
                           since 1983.

Robert J. Denison*         Robert J. Denison has been a Director of Insignia  
  1212 North Summit Drive  since May 1996. For more than the past five years, 
  Santa Fe, NM 87501       Mr. Denison's principal occupation has been as a   
                           General Partner of First Security Company II, L.P.,
                           an investment advisory firm.                       

Robin L. Farkas*           Robin L. Farkas has been a Director of Insignia     
  730 Park Avenue          since August 1993. Mr. Farkas is the retired        
  New York, NY 10021       Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of
                           Alexander's Inc., a real estate company. He also    
                           serves as a director of Refac Technology Development
                           Corporation, Noodle Kiddoodle, and Containerways    
                           International Ltd.                                  

Merril M. Halpern*         Merril M. Halpern has been a Director of Insignia
  535 Madison Avenue       since August 1993. For more than the past five
  New York, NY 10022       years, Mr. Halpern's principal occupation has been
                           as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Co-Chief
                           Executive Officer of Charterhouse Group
                           International, Inc., a privately-owned investment
                           firm which, among other things, actively engages in
                           making private equity investments in a broad range
                           of industrial and service companies located
                           primarily in the United States. Mr. Halpern is also
                           a director of American Disposal Services, Inc.,
                           Designer Holdings Ltd. and Microwave Power Devices,
                           Inc.

Robert G. Koen*            Robert G. Koen has been a Director of Insignia since
  125 West 55th Street     August 1993. Since February 1996, Mr. Koen has been
  New York, NY 10019       a partner in the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss,
                           Hauer & Feld, which represents Insignia and certain
                           of its affiliates from time to time. From January
                           1991 to February 1996, Mr. Koen was a partner in the
                           law firm LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae.

Michael I. Lipstein*       Michael I. Lipstein has been a Director of Insignia
  110 East 59th Street     since August 1993. For more than the past five
  New York, NY 10022       years, Mr. Lipstein's principal occupation has been
                           as a self-employed consultant in the real estate
                           business, including ownership, management and
                           lending.

                                      S-5
<PAGE>

                                       PRESENT PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                             OR EMPLOYMENT AND
NAME                                   FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ----                                   ----------------------------

Buck Mickel*               Buck Mickel has been a Director of Insignia since
  301 N. Main Street       August 1993. For more than the past five years, Mr.
  Greenville, SC 29601     Mickel's principal occupation has been to serve as
                           Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of
                           RSI Holdings, a company which distributes outdoor
                           equipment. Mr. Mickel is also a director of Fluor
                           Corporation, The Liberty Corporation, NationsBank
                           Corporation, Emergent Group, Inc., Delta Woodside
                           Industries, Inc., Duke Power Company, and Textile
                           Hall Corporation.

James A. Aston             James A. Aston's principal employment has been with
                           Insignia for more than the past five years. Mr.
                           Aston currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of
                           Insignia (since August 1996) and with the Office of
                           the Chairman (since July 1994).

Albert J. Frazia           Albert Frazia has been a Senior Vice President --
                           Human Resources of Insignia since August 1997. Prior
                           to August 1997, Mr. Frazia's principal employment
                           for more than the prior five years was as Director
                           -- Human Resources of E&Y Kenneth Leventhal Real
                           Estate Group, New York, New York.

Frank M. Garrison          Frank M. Garrison's principal employment has been
  102 Woodmont Boulevard   with Insignia for more than the past five years. Mr.
  Suite 400                Garrison currently serves as an Executive Managing
  Nashville, TN 37205      Director of Insignia (since July 1994) and as
                           President of Insignia Financial Services, a division
                           of Insignia (since July 1994).

Jeffrey L. Goldberg        Jeffrey L. Goldberg's principal employment has been
  375 Park Avenue          with Insignia for more than the past five years. Mr.
  Suite 3401               Goldberg currently serves as a Managing Director --
  New York, NY 10152       Investment Banking of Insignia (since July 1994).


Edward S. Gordon           Edward S. Gordon has been with the Office of the
  200 Park Avenue          Chairman of Insignia since July 1996. Prior to July
  New York, NY 10166       1996, Mr. Gordon's principal employment for more
                           than the prior five years was as a founder and
                           Chairman of Edward S. Gordon Company, Incorporated
                           ("ESG"), a commercial property management and
                           brokerage firm located in New York, New York that
                           was acquired by Insignia in June 1996.

Albert H. Gossett          Albert H. Gossett's principal employment has been
                           with Insignia for more than the past five years. Mr.
                           Gossett currently serves as a Senior Vice President
                           of Insignia (since July 1994) and as Chief
                           Information Officer of Insignia (since January
                           1991).

Henry Horowitz             Henry Horowitz's principal employment has been with
                           Insignia since January 1993. Mr. Horowitz currently
                           serves as an Executive Managing Director of Insignia
                           (since June 1994) and Chief Operating Officer of
                           Insignia Commercial Group (since January 1997). From
                           January 1987 to January 1993, Mr. Horowitz's
                           principal employment was as Chief Executive Officer
                           of First Resource Realty, Inc., a commercial
                           property management organization located in Oklahoma
                           that Insignia acquired in January 1993.

William H. Jarrard, Jr.    William H. Jarrard, Jr.'s principal employment has
                           been with Insignia for more than the past five
                           years. Mr. Jarrard currently serves as Managing
                           Director -- Partnership Administration of Insignia
                           (since January 1994).

                                      S-6
<PAGE>

                                       PRESENT PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                             OR EMPLOYMENT AND
NAME                                   FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ----                                   ----------------------------

Neil Kreisel               Neil Kreisel has been an Executive Managing Director
  909 Third Avenue         of Insignia since September 1995 and President of
  New York, NY 10022       Insignia Residential Group since September 1997.
                           Prior to September 1995, Mr. Kreisel's principal
                           occupation was to serve as President and Chief
                           Executive Officer of Kreisel Company, Inc., a
                           residential property management firm located in New
                           York, New York which Insignia acquired in September
                           1995.

John K. Lines              John K. Lines has been General Counsel of Insignia
                           since June 1994 and Secretary since July 1994. From
                           May 1993 until June 1994, Mr. Lines' principal
                           employment was as Assistant General Counsel and Vice
                           President of Ocwen Financial Corporation, a thrift
                           holding company located in West Palm Beach, Florida.
                           From October 1991 until April 1993, Mr. Lines'
                           principal employment was as Senior Attorney of Banc
                           One Corporation, a bank holding company in Columbus,
                           Ohio.

Martha Long                Martha Long has been a Senior Vice President --
                           Finance of Insignia since January 1997 and
                           Controller of Insignia since June 1994. Prior to
                           June 1994, Ms. Long was Senior Vice President and
                           Controller of The First Savings Bank located in
                           Greenville, South Carolina.

Stephen C. Schoenbaechler  Stephen C. Schoenbaechler's principal employment has
                           been with Insignia for more than the past five
                           years. Mr. Schoenbaechler currently serves as a
                           Senior Vice President -- Investment Banking of
                           Insignia (since April 1997).

Thomas R. Shuler           Thomas R. Shuler's principal employment has been
                           with Insignia for more than the past five years. Mr.
                           Shuler currently serves as Chief Operating Officer
                           of Insignia Residential Group (since January 1997).

Stephen B. Siegel          Stephen B. Siegel has been an Executive Managing
  200 Park Avenue          Director of Insignia since July 1996 and President
  New York, NY 10166       of Insignia Commercial Group since January 1997.
                           From February 1992 until July 1996, Mr. Siegel's
                           principal employment was as President of ESG.

Ronald Uretta              Ronald Uretta's principal employment has been with
                           Insignia for more than the past five years. Mr.
                           Uretta currently serves as Chief Operating Officer
                           (since August 1996) and Treasurer (since January
                           1992) of Insignia.

                                      S-7
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE V

                                IPT PARTNERSHIPS


                                                        % OF LIMITED PARTNER
PARTNERSHIP NAME                                     INTERESTS OWNED BY IPLP(a)
- ----------------                                     --------------------------

Consolidated Capital Growth Fund                                 39.2%
Consolidated Capital Institutional Properties                    25.1%
Consolidated Capital Properties/2                                 1.7%
Consolidated Capital Institutional Properties/3                  11.1%
Consolidated Capital Properties III                              25.0%
Consolidated Capital Properties IV                               19.3%
Consolidated Capital Properties V                                (b)
Consolidated Capital Properties VI                               22.9%
Shelter Properties I Limited Partnership                         39.2%
Shelter Properties II Limited Partnership                        33.1%
Shelter Properties III Limited Partnership                       33.7%
Shelter Properties IV Limited Partnership(c)                     (b)
Shelter Properties V Limited Partnership                         38.1%
Shelter Properties VI Limited Partnership                        27.1%
Shelter Properties VII Limited Partnership                        1.8%
National Property Investors III                                  44.6%
National Property Investors 4                                    54.1%
National Property Investors 5                                    45.0%
National Property Investors 6                                    43.6%
National Property Investors 7                                    41.9%
National Property Investors 8                                    37.0%
Century Properties Fund XIV                                      41.3%
Century Properties Fund XV                                       39.6%
Century Properties Fund XVI                                      36.6%
Century Properties Fund XVII                                     34.6%
Century Properties Fund XVIII                                    29.0%
Century Properties Fund XIX                                      28.2%
Century Properties Fund XX                                       (b)
Century Properties Growth Fund XXII                              20.8%
Century Pension Income Fund XXIII                                (b)
Century Pension Income Fund XXIV                                 (b)
Johnstown/Consolidated Income Partners                            9.1%
Johnstown/Consolidated Income Partners/2                         (b)
Davidson Growth Plus, L.P.                                        8.5%
Multi-Benefit Realty Fund 87-1                                   (b)
U.S. Realty Partners, L.P.                                       (b)
Fox Strategic Housing Income Partners                            (b)

- --------------
(a)   As of August 15, 1997.

(b)   Indicates that less than 1% of the outstanding limited partner interests
      are owned by IPLP.

(c)   IPLP holds an option to acquire approximately 31.0% of the limited
      partner interests in Shelter Properties IV from Insignia and its
      affiliates, in exchange for additional units of limited partner interest
      in IPLP. This option is exercisable by IPT on or before December 31,
      1997, and IPT presently expects that it will exercise the option before
      it expires.

                                      S-8
<PAGE>

         Manually signed copies of the Assignment of Partnership Interest will
be accepted. The Assignment of Partnership Interest and any other required
documents should be sent or delivered by each Limited Partner or such Limited
Partner's broker, dealer, bank, trust company or other nominee to the
Depositary as set forth below.

                        The Depositary for the Offer is:

                        HARRIS TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK


           By Mail:                                By Hand/Overnight Delivery:

     Wall Street Station                                 Receive Window
        P.O. Box 1023                              77 Water Street, 5th Floor
New York, New York 10268-1023                       New York, New York 10005


                                   Telephone:

                                 (212) 701-7624


         Questions and requests for assistance or for additional copies of this
Offer to Purchase and the Assignment of Partnership Interest may be directed to
the Information Agent at its telephone number and address listed below. You may
also contact your broker, dealer, bank, trust company or other nominee for
assistance concerning the Offer.


                    The Information Agent for the Offer is:

                           BEACON HILL PARTNERS, INC.

                                90 Broad Street
                                   20th Floor
                            New York, New York 10004

                                 (800) 854-9486
                                  (Toll Free)

                                 (212) 843-8500
                                 (Call Collect)



<PAGE>

                      ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST
          FOR THE TENDER OF UNITS OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP INTEREST IN
                        CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII
            PURSUANT TO THE OFFER TO PURCHASE DATED AUGUST 28, 1997

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    THE OFFER, WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS AND PRORATION PERIOD WILL EXPIRE AT  12:00 
  MIDNIGHT, NEW YORK TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1997, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------









                       The Depositary for the Offer is:
                       HARRIS TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK

            By Mail:                              By Hand/Overnight Delivery:

      Wall Street Station                               Receive Window
        P.O. Box 1023                              77 Water Street, 5th Floor
   New York, New York 10268-1023                    New York, New York 10005

    IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING THIS ASSIGNMENT
OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST, PLEASE CALL OUR INFORMATION AGENT, BEACON HILL
PARTNERS, TOLL FREE AT (800) 854-9486.

    DELIVERY OF THIS ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST OR ANY OTHER REQUIRED
DOCUMENTS TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE SET FORTH ABOVE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE
VALID DELIVERY.
              PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS

Ladies and Gentlemen:

    The undersigned hereby tenders to IPLP Acquisition I LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (the "Purchaser"), the number of the undersigned's
units of limited partnership interest ("Units") in Century Properties Fund 
XVII, a California limited partnership (the "Partnership"), specified
below, at a price of $225 per Unit (the "Purchase Price"), net to the seller
in cash, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer
to purchase dated August 28, 1997 (the "Offer to Purchase"), receipt of which
is hereby acknowledged, and in this Assignment of Partnership Interest (which,
together with any supplements or amendments, collectively constitute the
"Offer"). The undersigned understands and agrees that the Purchase Price will
automatically be reduced by the aggregate amount of distributions per Unit, if
any, made by the Partnership on or after August 28, 1997 and prior to the date
on which the Purchaser pays for the Units purchased pursuant to the Offer.
Holders of Units ("Limited Partners") who tender their Units will not be
obligated to pay any commissions or Partnership transfer fees, which
commissions and Partnership transfer fees, if any, will be borne by the
Purchaser. The Purchaser reserves the right to transfer or assign, in whole or
from time to time in part, to one or more of its affiliates, the right to
purchase Units tendered pursuant to the Offer.

    Subject to and effective upon acceptance for payment of and payment for
the Units tendered hereby, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers
to or upon the order of the Purchaser all right, title and interest in and to
all of the Units tendered hereby. The undersigned understands that upon
acceptance for payment of and payment for the tendered Units, the Purchaser
will be entitled to seek admission to the Partnership as a substituted Limited
Partner in substitution for the undersigned as to all the tendered Units.

    The undersigned irrevocably appoints the Purchaser and its managers and
designees as the attorneys-in-fact and proxies of the undersigned, each with
full power of substitution, to exercise all voting and other rights with
respect to the Units tendered by the undersigned and purchased by the
Purchaser. Such power of attorney and proxy shall be considered coupled with
an interest in the tendered Units and is irrevocable. When the Units tendered
hereby are accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer, all prior proxies and
powers given by the undersigned with respect to the Units will, without
further action, be revoked, and no subsequent proxies or powers may be given
(and if given will not be effective). The Purchaser and its managers and
designees will, with respect to the Units, be empowered to exercise all voting
and other rights of the undersigned as they in their sole discretion may deem
proper, whether at any meeting of the Partnership's Limited Partners, by
written consent or otherwise, subject to the restrictions in the Limited
Partnership Agreement of the Partnership. The foregoing proxy and power may be
exercised by the Purchaser or any of the other persons referred to above
acting alone.

    In addition to and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
undersigned hereby irrevocably (a) appoints the Purchaser and its managers and
designees (each an "Agent") as the undersigned's attorneys-in-fact, each with
full power of substitution, with an irrevocable instruction to the Agent to
execute all or any instrument of transfer and/or other documents in the
Agent's discretion in relation to the Units tendered hereby and accepted for
payment by the Purchaser, and to do all such other acts and things as may in
the opinion of the Agent be necessary or expedient for the purpose of, or in
connection with, the undersigned's acceptance of the Offer and to vest in the
Purchaser, or as it may direct, those Units, effective when, and only to the
extent that, the Purchaser accepts the tendered Units for payment; (b)
authorizes and requests the Partnership and general partner (the "General
Partner") to take any and all acts as may be required to effect the transfer
of the undersigned's Units to the Purchaser (or its designee) and admit the
Purchaser (or its designee) as a substituted Limited Partner in the
Partnership; (c) assigns to the Purchaser and its assigns all of the right,
title and interest of the undersigned in and to any and all distributions made
by the Partnership from and after the expiration of the Offer in respect of
the Units tendered by the undersigned; (d) grants to the Purchaser and its
assigns the right to receive any and all distributions made by the Partnership
on or after the date on which the Purchaser pays for the Units tendered by the
undersigned (regardless of the record date for any such distribution), and to
receive all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of beneficial ownership
of such Units; (e) empowers the Purchaser and the Agent to execute and deliver
to the General Partner a change of address form instructing the General
Partner to send any and all future distributions to the address specified in
the form, and to endorse any check payable to or upon the order of such
Limited Partner representing a distribution to which the Purchaser is entitled
pursuant to the terms of the Offer, in each case in the name and on behalf of
the tendering Limited Partner; and (f) agrees not to exercise any rights
pertaining to the Units without the prior consent of the Purchaser.

    The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned owns
the Units tendered hereby and has full power and authority to validly tender,
sell, assign and transfer the Units tendered hereby and that when the same are
purchased by the Purchaser, the Purchaser will acquire good, marketable and
unencumbered title thereto, free and clear of all liens, restrictions,
charges, encumbrances, conditional sales agreements or other obligations
relating to the sale or transfer thereof, and such Units will not be subject
to any adverse claims. The undersigned will, upon request, execute and deliver
any additional documents deemed by the Purchaser to be necessary or desirable
to complete the sale, assignment and transfer of the Units tendered hereby.

    The undersigned understands that a tender of Units pursuant to the
procedures described in the Offer to Purchase and in the Instructions to this
Assignment of Partnership Interest will constitute a binding agreement between
the undersigned and the Purchaser upon the terms and subject to the conditions
of the Offer. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred shall
survive the death or incapacity of the undersigned, and any obligation of the
undersigned hereunder shall be binding upon the heirs, personal
representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.

    THIS TENDER IS IRREVOCABLE, EXCEPT THAT UNITS TENDERED PURSUANT TO THE
OFFER MAY BE WITHDRAWN AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.


<PAGE>


<TABLE>
                                                PLEASE COMPLETE ALL SHADED AREAS
                                                 SIGN HERE TO TENDER YOUR UNITS
<S>                                                             <C>

B
O
X

A


- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby tenders the number of Units specified below pursuant to the terms of the Offer. The undersigned hereby
certifies, under penalties of perjury, that the information and representations provided in Boxes A, B and C of this Assignment of
Partnership Interest, which have been duly completed by the undersigned, are true and correct as of the date hereof.


X ________________________________________________________       ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________
 

X ________________________________________________________       _________________________________________________________________
               SIGNATURE(S) OF LIMITED PARTNER                                                 (INCLUDE ZIP CODE)

                                                                (THE ADDRESS PROVIDED ABOVE MUST BE THE REGISTERED ADDRESS OF THE
                                                                LIMITED PARTNER)

DATE:_____________________________________________________       ______________________________     ______________________________
                                                                             AREA CODE AND              SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
     (MUST BE SIGNED BY REGISTERED LIMITED PARTNER EXACTLY AS              TELEPHONE NUMBER             OR TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
NAME(S) APPEAR(S) IN THE PARTNERSHIP'S RECORDS.  IF SIGNATURE 
IS BY AN OFFICER OF A CORPORATION, ATTORNEY-IN-FACT, AGENT,
EXECUTOR, ADMINISTRATOR, TRUSTEE, GUARDIAN OR OTHER PERSON(S)    NUMBER OF                         NUMBER OF
ACTING IN FIDUCIARY OR REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY, PLEASE           UNITS TENDERED:_____________      UNITS OWNED:____________
COMPLETE THE LINE CAPTIONED "CAPACITY (FULL TITLE)" 
AND SEE INSTRUCTION 5.)

PRINT NAME(S):____________________________________________

              ____________________________________________       (If no indication is given, all Units owned of record by the
                                                                  Limited Partner will be deemed tendered.)
CAPACITY (FULL TITLE):____________________________________

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURE(S)


AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:______________________________________      NAME OF FIRM:________________________________________________

NAME:______________________________________________________      ADDRESS:_____________________________________________________

DATE:______________________________________________________      AREA CODE AND TEL. NO.:______________________________________
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                            IMPORTANT!
                                  LIMITED PARTNERS MUST ALSO COMPLETE BOTH BOX B AND BOX C BELOW.



B
O
X

B

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

                                                                                                    
SUBSTITUTE           PART 1-- PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR TIN IN THE BOX AT RIGHT AND                       _____________________________
Form W-9             CERTIFY BY SIGNING AND DATING BELOW                                            Social Security Number(s) or
Department of                                                                                      Employer Identification Number
the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                      
PAYER'S              PART 2-- Certification-- Under penalties of perjury, I certify that: (1) The number shown on this form is my 
REQUEST FOR          correct Taxpayer Identification Number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued to me) and (2) I am not 
TAXPAYER             subject to back-up withholding either because I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service
IDENTIFICATION       ("IRS") that I am subject to back-up withholding as a result of failure to report all interest or dividends, 
NUMBER (TIN)         or the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to back-up withholding.
                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Certification Instructions -- You must cross out item (2) above if you have been            PART 3 -
                      notified by the IRS that you are subject to back-up withholding because of                  AWAITING TIN [ ]
                      underreporting interest or dividends on your tax return. However, if after being
                      notified by the IRS that you were subject to back-up withholding you received another
                      notification from the IRS that you are no longer subject to back-up withholding, do not
                      cross out item (2).

                     SIGNATURE:____________________________________________________      DATE:_________________________________

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                      CERTIFICATE OF AWAITING TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
                                  *(TO BE COMPLETED ONLY IF THE BOX IN PART 3 ABOVE IS CHECKED)

         I certify under penalties of perjury that a taxpayer identification number has not been issued to me, and either (a) I
have mailed or delivered an application to receive a taxpayer identification number to the appropriate Internal Revenue Service
Center or Social Security Administration Office, or (b) I intend to mail or deliver an application in the near future. I
understand that if I do not provide a taxpayer identification number within sixty days, 31 percent of all reportable payments made
to me thereafter will be withheld until I provide a number.

______________________________________________                                ______________________________________________
                  SIGNATURE                                                                       SIGNATURE




B
O
X

C


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         FIRPTA AFFIDAVIT -- CERTIFICATE OF NON-FOREIGN STATUS

         Section 1445 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that a transferee of a U.S. real property interest must withhold tax
if the transferor is a foreign person. To inform the Purchaser that withholding of tax is not required upon this disposition of a
U.S. real property interest, the undersigned hereby certifies the following on behalf of the tendering Limited Partner named
above:

       1. The Limited Partner, if an individual, is not a nonresident alien for purposes of U.S. income taxation, and if not an
          individual, is not a foreign corporation, foreign partnership, foreign trust, or foreign estate (as those terms are
          defined in the Internal Revenue Code and Income Tax Regulations);

       2. The Limited Partner's Social Security Number (for individuals) or Employer Identification Number (for non-individuals)
          is:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________;
          and

       3. The Limited Partner's address is: _______________________________________________________________________________.

       I understand that this certification may be disclosed to the Internal Revenue Service by the transferee and that any false
statement I have made here could be punished by fine, imprisonment, or both.

       Under penalties of perjury I declare that I have examined this certification and to the best of my knowledge and belief it
is true, correct and complete.


______________________________________________                                ______________________________________________
                   Signature                                                                Signature

Title:________________________________________                                Title:________________________________________



</TABLE>

<PAGE>



                                 INSTRUCTIONS
                                      TO
                      ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST
                                      FOR
                          CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII

               FORMING PART OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------


   IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ASSISTANCE COMPLETING THE ASSIGNMENT OF
      PARTNERSHIP INTEREST, PLEASE CALL BEACON HILL PARTNERS TOLL FREE AT
                  (800) 854-9486 OR COLLECT AT (212) 843-8500
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         1. GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURES. ALL SIGNATURES ON THE ASSIGNMENT OF
PARTNERSHIP INTEREST MUST BE MEDALLION GUARANTEED BY A BANK, BROKER, DEALER,
CREDIT UNION, SAVINGS ASSOCIATION OR OTHER ENTITY WHICH IS A MEMBER IN GOOD
STANDING OF THE SECURITIES TRANSFER MEDALLION PROGRAM (EACH AN "ELIGIBLE
INSTITUTION"). A notarization is not the same thing as a signature guarantee,
and a notarization of the Assignment of Partnership Interest will not be
sufficient. IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES, THE LOCAL BANK AT WHICH YOU DO YOUR DAY
TO DAY BANKING IS AN ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION AND WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH
THE REQUIRED MEDALLION GUARANTEE.

         2. DELIVERY OF ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST. The Assignment of
Partnership Interest is to be completed by all Limited Partners who wish to
tender Units in response to the Offer. For a Limited Partner validly to tender
Units, a properly completed and duly executed Assignment of Partnership
Interest, along with the required signature guarantees by an Eligible
Institution and any other required documents, must be received by the
Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the Assignment of Partnership
Interest on or prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to
Purchase).

         THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF THE ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST AND
ALL OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS IS AT THE OPTION AND RISK OF THE TENDERING
LIMITED PARTNER AND DELIVERY WILL BE DEEMED MADE ONLY WHEN ACTUALLY RECEIVED
BY THE DEPOSITARY. IN ALL CASES, SUFFICIENT TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ASSURE
TIMELY DELIVERY.

         No alternative, conditional or contingent tenders will be accepted,
and no fractional Units will be purchased (except from a Limited Partner who
is tendering all of the Units owned by that Limited Partner). All tendering
Limited Partners, by execution of the Assignment of Partnership Interest,
waive any right to receive any notice of the acceptance of their Units for
payment.

         3. INADEQUATE SPACE. If the space provided herein is inadequate,
additional information may be provided on a separate signed schedule attached
hereto.

         4. MINIMUM TENDERS. A Limited Partner may tender any or all of his or
her Units. Tenders of fractional Units will be permitted only by a Limited 
Partner who is tendering all Units owned by that Limited Partner.

         5. SIGNATURES ON ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST. If the
Assignment of Partnership Interest is signed by the registered Limited
Partner(s), the signature(s) must correspond exactly with the name(s) as shown
on the records of the Partnership, without alteration, enlargement or any
change whatsoever.

         If any of the Units tendered hereby are held of record by two or more
joint Limited Partners, each such Limited Partner must sign the Assignment of
Partnership Interest.

         If the Assignment of Partnership Interest is signed by trustees,
executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact, agents, officers of
corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, such
persons should so indicate when signing, and proper evidence satisfactory to
the Depositary of their authority to so act must be submitted.

         6. WAIVER OF CONDITIONS. The Purchaser expressly reserves the
absolute right, in its sole discretion, to waive any of the specified
conditions of the Offer, in whole or in part, in the case of any Units
tendered.

         7. REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE AND ADDITIONAL COPIES. Questions or
requests for assistance may be directed to Beacon Hill Partners, the
Information Agent, at its address and telephone number set forth on the back
cover of the Offer to Purchase. Copies of the Offer to Purchase and the
Assignment of Partnership Interest may be obtained from the Information Agent.



                                                   (Continued on Reverse Side)


<PAGE>


         8. SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9. Each tendering Limited Partner is required to
provide the Depositary with a correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN"),
generally the Limited Partner's social security or federal employer's
identification number, on Substitute Form W-9, which is provided under
"Important Tax Information" below. You must cross out item (2) in the
Certification box on Substitute Form W-9 if you are subject to back-up
withholding. Failure to provide the information on the form may subject the
tendering Limited Partner to 31% federal income tax withholding on the
payments made to the Limited Partner with respect to Units purchased pursuant
to the Offer. The box in Part 3 of the form may be checked if the tendering
Limited Partner has not been issued a TIN and has applied for a TIN or intends
to apply for a TIN in the near future. If the box in Part 3 is checked and the
Depositary is not provided with a TIN within sixty (60) days, thereafter the
Depositary will withhold 31% on all such payments of the Purchase Price until
a TIN is provided to the Depositary.

         9. FIRPTA AFFIDAVIT. To avoid potential withholding of tax pursuant
to Section 1445 of the Internal Revenue Code in an amount equal to 10% of the
purchase price for Units purchased pursuant to the Offer, plus the amount of
any liabilities of the Partnership allocable to such Units, each Limited
Partner who or which is a United States person must complete the FIRPTA
Affidavit contained in the Assignment of Partnership Interest stating, under
penalties of perjury, such Limited Partner's TIN and address, and that such
Limited Partner is not a foreign person. Tax withheld under Section 1445 of
the Internal Revenue Code is not an additional tax. If withholding results in
an overpayment of tax, a refund may be obtained from the IRS.

         IMPORTANT:  THE ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST (TOGETHER WITH ALL 
OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS) MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY ON OR PRIOR TO THE
EXPIRATION DATE.


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


                           IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION

         To prevent backup withholding on payments made to a Limited Partner
or other payee with respect to Units purchased pursuant to the Offer, the
Limited Partner is required to notify the Depositary of the Unit of the
Limited Partner's correct TIN by completing the form below, certifying that
the TIN provided on Substitute Form W-9 is correct (or that such Limited
Partner is awaiting a TIN) and that (1) the Limited Partner has not been
notified by the Internal Revenue Service that the Limited Partner is subject
to backup withholding as a result of failure to report all interest or
dividends or (2) the Internal Revenue Service has notified the Limited Partner
that the Limited Partner is no longer subject to backup withholding. If backup
withholding applies, the Depositary is required to withhold 31% of any
payments made to the Limited Partner. Backup withholding is not an additional
tax. Rather, the federal income tax liability of persons subject to backup
withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding
results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained from the Internal
Revenue Service.

         The Limited Partner is required to give the Depositary the TIN (e.g.,
social security number or employer identification number) of the record owner
of the Units. If the Units are in more than one name or are not in the name of
the actual owner, consult the enclosed "Guidelines for Certification of
Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9" for additional guidance
on which number to report.

         Certain Limited Partners (including, among others, all corporations
and certain foreign individuals) are not subject to these backup withholding
and reporting requirements. In order for a foreign individual to qualify as an
exempt recipient, that Limited Partner must submit to the Depositary a
properly completed Internal Revenue Service Form W-8, signed under penalties
of perjury, attesting to that Limited Partner's exempt status. A Form W-8 can
be obtained from the Depositary. See the enclosed "Guidelines for
Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9" for
additional institutions.

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


                     INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT (IRAS)

         PLEASE NOTE THAT A TENDERING BENEFICIAL OWNER OF UNITS WHOSE UNITS
ARE OWNED OF RECORD BY AN INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT (IRA) OR OTHER
QUALIFIED PLAN WILL NOT RECEIVE DIRECT PAYMENT OF THE PURCHASE PRICE, RATHER,
PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO THE CUSTODIAN OF SUCH ACCOUNT OR PLAN. IF THE UNITS
ARE HELD IN AN IRA ACCOUNT, THE CUSTODIAN OF THE ACCOUNT MUST SIGN THE
ASSIGNMENT OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST.





<PAGE>

            GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
                         NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9

GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING THE PROPER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER TO GIVE THE 
PAYER--Social Security numbers have nine digits separated by two hyphens: 
i.e. 000-00-0000. Employer identification numbers have nine digits separated 
by only one hyphen: i.e., 00-0000000. The table below will help determine the 
number to give the payer. 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        GIVE THE 
                                        TAXPAYER 
FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCOUNT:               IDENTIFICATION 
                                        NUMBER OF-- 
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>
1. An individual's account              The individual 

2. Two or more individuals              The actual owner of 
   (joint account)                      the account or, if 
                                        combined funds, the first 
                                        individual on the account(1) 

3. Husband and wife                     The actual owner of 
   (joint account)                      the account or, if joint 
                                        funds, either person(1) 

4. Custodian account of a minor         The minor(2) 
   (Uniform Gift to Minors Act) 

5. Adult and minor (joint account)      The adult or, if the 
                                        minor is the only 
                                        contributor, the 
                                        minor(1) 

6. Account in the name of guardian or   The ward, minor, or 
   committee for a designated ward,     incompetent(3) 
   minor, or incompetent person(3) 

7. a.The usual revocable savings trust  The grantor-trustee(1) 
     account (grantor is also trustee) 
  b.So-called trust account that is not The actual owner(1) 
    a legal or valid trust under State 
    law 

8. Sole proprietorship account          The owner(4) 
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------- ------------------------------ 
FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCOUNT:               GIVE THE 
                                        TAXPAYER 
                                        IDENTIFICATION 
                                        NUMBER OF-- 
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>
 9. A valid trust, estate or pension    The legal entity (Do not 
    trust                               furnish the identifying number 
                                        of the personal representative 
                                        or trustee unless the legal 
                                        entity itself is not 
                                        designated in the account 
                                        title.)(5) 

10. Corporate account                   The corporation 

11. Religious, charitable, or           The organization 
    educational organization account 

12. Partnership account held in the     The partnership 
    name of the business 

13. Association, club, or other         The organization 
    tax-exempt organization 

14. A broker or registered nominee      The broker or nominee 

15. Account with the Department of      The public entity 
    Agriculture in the name of a public 
    entity (such as a State or local 
    government, school district, or 
    prison) that receives agricultural 
    program payments 
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
</TABLE>
(1)   List first and circle the name of the person whose number you furnish. 
(2)   Circle the minor's name and furnish the minor's social security number. 
(3)   Circle the ward's, minor's or incompetent person's name and furnish such 
      person's social security number or employer identification number. 
(4)   Show your individual name. You may also enter your business name. You 
      may use your social security number or employer identification number. 
(5)   List first and circle the name of the legal trust, estate, or pension 
      trust. 
NOTE: If no name is circled when there is more than one name, the number will 
      be considered to be that of the first name listed. 

<PAGE>

            GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
                         NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9
                                     PAGE 2

OBTAINING A NUMBER 

If you do not have a taxpayer identification number or you do not know your 
number, obtain Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Number Card (for 
individuals), or Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number 
(for businesses and all other entities), at the local office of the Social 
Security Administration or the Internal Revenue Service and apply for a 
number. 

PAYEES EXEMPT FROM BACKUP WITHHOLDING 

Payees specifically exempted from backup withholding on ALL payments include 
the following: 

o    A corporation. 
o    A financial institution. 
o    An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), or an individual 
     retirement plan. 
o    The United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof. 
o    A State, the District of Columbia, a possession of the United States, or 
     any subdivision or instrumentality thereof. 
o    A foreign government, a political subdivision of a foreign government, 
     or any agency or instrumentality thereof. 
o    An international organization or any agency or instrumentality thereof. 
o    A registered dealer in securities or commodities registered in the U.S. 
     or a possession of the U.S. 
o    A real estate investment trust. 
o    A common trust fund operated by a bank under section 584(a) of the Code. 
o    An exempt charitable remainder trust, or a non-exempt trust described in 
     section 4947(a)(1). 
o    An entity registered at all times under the Investment Company Act of 
     1940. 
o    A foreign central bank of issue. 
o    A futures commission merchant registered with the Commodity Futures 
     Trading Commission. 

Payments of dividends and patronage dividends not generally subject to backup 
withholding include the following: 

o    Payments to nonresident aliens subject to withholding under section 1441 
     of the Code. 
o    Payments to partnerships not engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. 
     and which have at least one nonresident partner. 
o    Payments of patronage dividends where the amount received is not paid in 
     money. 
o    Payments made by certain foreign organizations. 
o    Payments made to an appropriate nominee. 
o    Section 404(k) payments made by an ESOP. 

Payments of interest not generally subject to backup withholding include the 
following: 

o    Payments of interest on obligations issued by individuals. 
     NOTE: You may be subject to backup withholding if this interest is $600 
     or more and is paid in the course of the payer's trade or business and 
     you have not provided your correct taxpayer identification number to the 
     payer. 
o    Payments of tax-exempt interest (including exempt-interest dividends 
     under section 852 of the Code). 
o    Payments described in section 6049(b)(5) of the Code to nonresident 
     aliens. 
o    Payments on tax-free covenant bonds under section 1451 of the Code. 
o    Payments made by certain foreign organizations. 
o    Payments of mortgage interest to you. 
o    Payments made to an appropriate nominee. 

Exempt payees described above should file substitute Form W-9 to avoid 
possible erroneous backup withholding. FILE THIS FORM WITH THE PAYER. FURNISH 
YOUR TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, WRITE "EXEMPT" ON THE FACE OF THE FORM, 
AND RETURN IT TO THE PAYER. IF THE PAYMENTS ARE INTEREST, DIVIDENDS, OR 
PATRONAGE DIVIDENDS, ALSO SIGN AND DATE THE FORM. IF YOU ARE A NONRESIDENT 
ALIEN OR A FOREIGN ENTITY NOT SUBJECT TO BACKUP WITHHOLDING, FILE WITH PAYER 
A COMPLETED INTERNAL REVENUE FORM W-8 (CERTIFICATE OF FOREIGN STATUS). 

   Certain payments other than interest, dividends, and patronage dividends, 
that are not subject to information reporting are also not subject to backup 
withholding. For details, see the regulations under sections 6041, 6041A(a), 
6045, and 6050A. 

PRIVACY ACT NOTICE--Section 6109 requires most recipients of dividend, 
interest, or other payments to give correct taxpayer identification numbers 
to payers who must report the payments to the IRS. The IRS uses the numbers 
for identification purposes. Payers must be given the numbers whether or not 
recipients are required to file a tax return. Payers must generally withhold 
31% of taxable interest, dividend, and certain other payments to a payee who 
does not furnish a correct taxpayer identification number to a payer. Certain 
penalties may also apply. 
<PAGE>
PENALTIES 

(1) PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO FURNISH TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER--If you 
fail to furnish your correct taxpayer identification number to a payer, you 
are subject to a penalty of $50 for each such failure unless your failure is 
due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect. 

(2) FAILURE TO REPORT CERTAIN DIVIDEND AND INTEREST PAYMENTS--If you fail to 
include any portion of an includible payment for interest, dividends, or 
patronage dividends in gross income, such failure will be treated as being 
due to negligence and will be subject to a penalty of 20% on any portion of 
an underpayment attributable to that failure unless there is clear and 
convincing evidence to the contrary. 

(3) CIVIL PENALTY FOR FALSE INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO WITHHOLDING--If you 
make a false statement with no reasonable basis that results in no imposition 
of backup withholding, you are subject to a penalty of $500. 

(4) CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR FALSIFYING INFORMATION--Willfully falsifying 
certifications or affirmations may subject you to criminal penalties 
including fines and/or imprisonment. 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT YOUR TAX CONSULTANT OR THE INTERNAL 
REVENUE SERVICE 


<PAGE>

                                                                 EXHIBIT (z)(1)

                           AGREEMENT OF JOINT FILING

         IPLP Acquisition I LLC, Insignia Properties, L.P., Insignia Properties
Trust, Insignia Financial Group, Inc. and Andrew L. Farkas hereby agree that
the Amendment No. 4 to Statement on Schedule 13D to which this agreement is
attached as an exhibit shall be filed on behalf of each of them. This agreement
is intended to satisfy the requirements of Rule 13d-1(f)(1)(iii) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

         Dated:  August 28, 1997

                                            IPLP ACQUISITION I LLC


                                            By: /s/ JEFFREY P. COHEN
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Jeffrey P. Cohen
                                                Manager


                                            INSIGNIA PROPERTIES, L.P.

                                            By: Insignia Properties Trust,
                                                its General Partner


                                            By: /s/ JEFFREY P. COHEN
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Jeffrey P. Cohen
                                                Senior Vice President


                                            INSIGNIA PROPERTIES TRUST


                                            By: /s/ JEFFREY P. COHEN
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Jeffrey P. Cohen
                                                Senior Vice President


                                            INSIGNIA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.


                                            By: /s/ FRANK M. GARRISON
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Frank M. Garrison
                                                Executive Managing Director


                                            /s/ ANDREW L. FARKAS
                                            ------------------------------
                                            ANDREW L. FARKAS



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