PRICE REIT INC
8-K, 1997-08-07
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K

               CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

        DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): AUGUST 5, 1997




                              THE PRICE REIT, INC.

             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


    MARYLAND                        1-13432                         52-1746059
- ---------------                     -------                         ----------  
(STATE OR OTHER             (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER)              (IRS EMPLOYER
JURISDICTION OF                                                   IDENTIFICATION
 INCORPORATION                                                         NO.)  

              7979 IVANHOE AVENUE                             92037
              LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA                         (ZIP CODE)
    (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)


       REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (619) 551-2320


                                      NONE

         (FORMER NAME OF FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT)






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<PAGE>   2
ITEM 5.         OTHER EVENTS.

        On November 25, 1996 The Price REIT, Inc. (the "Company") filed a
registration statement (File No. 333-16787) on Form S-3 with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") relating to the public offering,
pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to an
aggregate of $175,000,000 in securities of the Company (the "Registration
Statement"). On December 23, 1996, the Commission declared the Registration
Statement, as amended by Amendment No. 1, effective. (The Registration
Statement and definitive prospectus contained therein are collectively referred
to as the "Prospectus.")

        The Company filed on August 7, 1997 a supplement to the Prospectus,
dated August 5, 1997, relating to the issuance and sale of up to 1,000,000
shares of the Company's common stock, $.01 par value per share (the "Common
Stock Supplement"), with the Commission. In connection with the filing of the
Common Stock Supplement with the Commission, the Company is filing certain
exhibits as part of this Form 8-K. See "Item 7. Financial Statements and 
Exhibits."

ITEM 7.         FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(c)     Exhibits.

        The following exhibits are filed with this report on Form 8-K:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit No.             Description
- -----------             -----------
<S>             <C>
1.1             Underwriting Agreement between the Company and Salomon Brothers
                Inc, dated August 5, 1997, with respect to the issuance and sale
                by the Company of up to 1,000,000 shares of the Company's common
                stock.

5.1             Opinion of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll regarding the
                validity of the common stock.

8.1             Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP regarding certain tax 
                matters.

23.1            Consent of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll (included as part
                of Exhibit 5.1).

23.2            Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (included as part of
                Exhibit 8.1).
</TABLE>



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<PAGE>   3


                                   SIGNATURES

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



                                             THE PRICE REIT, INC.


Date: August 6, 1997                    By:    /s/ George M. Jezek
                                            -------------------------------
                                                   George M. Jezek
                                                   Chief Financial Officer 




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<PAGE>   1
                                                                Exhibit 1.1



                              THE PRICE REIT, INC.

                                1,000,000 SHARES
                                  COMMON STOCK
                                ($.01 PAR VALUE)

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                              New York, New York

                                                                  August 5, 1997


Salomon Brothers Inc
Seven World Trade Center
New York, New York  10048


Ladies and Gentlemen:

         The Price REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), proposes
to sell to Salomon Brothers Inc (the "Underwriter"), 1,000,000 shares of Common
Stock, $.01 par value, of the Company ("Common Stock"). The aforesaid 1,000,000
shares of Common Stock described above to be purchased by the Underwriter are
hereinafter called the "Securities."

               1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and
warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter as set forth below in this Section
1. Certain terms used in this Section 1 are defined in paragraph (c) hereof.

               (a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under
        the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and has
        filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a
        registration statement (file number 333-16787) dated November 25, 1996,
        on such Form, including a basic prospectus, for registration under the
        Act of the offering and sale from time to time of the Company's equity
        and debt securities, including the Securities, and on December 23, 1996,
        the Company filed Amendment No. 1 thereto, which has previously been
        furnished to you. Such registration statement, as so amended, has become
        effective under the Act. The offering of the Securities is a Delayed
        Offering and, although the Basic Prospectus may not include all the
        information with respect to the Securities and the offering thereof
        required by the Act and the rules thereunder to be included in the Final
        Prospectus, the Basic Prospectus includes all such information required
        by the Act and the rules thereunder to be included therein as of



<PAGE>   2
        the Effective Date. The Company will next file with the Commission
        pursuant to Rules 415 and 424(b)(2) or (5) a final supplement to the
        form of prospectus included in such registration statement relating to
        the Securities and the offering thereof. As filed, such final prospectus
        supplement shall include all required information with respect to the
        Securities and the offering thereof and, except to the extent the
        Underwriter shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all
        substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution
        Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall
        contain only such specific additional information and other changes
        (beyond that contained in the Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Final
        Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time,
        will be included or made therein.

               (b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or
        will, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed (if required) in
        accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final
        Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material
        respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Securities
        Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the
        respective rules thereunder; on the Effective Date, the Registration
        Statement did not or will not contain any untrue statement of a material
        fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
        necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and,
        on the Effective Date, the Final Prospectus, if not filed pursuant to
        Rule 424(b), did not or will not, and on the date of any filing pursuant
        to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together
        with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a
        material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
        make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
        which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the
        Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information
        contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final
        Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in
        conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on
        behalf of the Underwriter specifically for inclusion in the Registration
        Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto). The Final
        Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with this
        offering is identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof
        filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent
        permitted by Regulation S-T promulgated by the Commission.

               (c) The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall
        have the meanings indicated. The term "the Effective Date" shall mean
        each date that the Registration Statement and any post-effective
        amendment or amendments thereto became or become effective and each date
        after the date hereof on which a document incorporated by reference in
        the Registration Statement is filed. "Execution Time" shall mean the
        date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the
        parties hereto. "Basic Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus referred to
        in paragraph (a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the
        Effective Date. "Preliminary Final Prospectus" shall mean any
        preliminary prospectus supplement to



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<PAGE>   3
        the Basic Prospectus which describes the Securities and the offering
        thereof and is used prior to filing of the Final Prospectus. "Final
        Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the
        Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the
        Execution Time, together with the Basic Prospectus. "Registration
        Statement" shall mean the registration statement referred to in
        paragraph (a) above, including incorporated documents, exhibits and
        financial statements, as amended at the Execution Time and, in the event
        any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the
        Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), shall also mean such registration
        statement as so amended. "Rule 415", "Rule 424" and "Regulation S-K"
        refer to such rules or regulation under the Act. Any reference herein to
        the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final
        Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
        include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item
        12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the
        Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the
        Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final
        Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms
        "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration
        Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the
        Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of
        any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the
        Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any
        Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may
        be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. A "Delayed Offering"
        shall mean an offering of securities pursuant to Rule 415 which does not
        commence promptly after the effective date of a registration statement,
        with the result that only information required pursuant to Rule 415 need
        be included in such registration statement at the effective date thereof
        with respect to the securities so offered.

               (d) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
        existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
        of Maryland, is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as
        a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or
        lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such
        qualification (except where the failure to so qualify would not have a
        material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
        stockholders' equity, results of operations, business affairs or
        business prospects of the Company), and has all power and authority
        necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the business in
        which it is engaged; and the Company has no interest in any entity or
        person other than (i) its ownership of all of the outstanding capital
        stock of Price/Texas, Inc., a Texas corporation ("Price Texas"), (ii)
        its ownership of all of the limited partnership interests in
        Price/Baybrook, Ltd., a Texas limited partnership ("Price/Baybrook"),
        Price/Baybrook, Ltd.'s ownership of 50% of the membership



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<PAGE>   4
        interests in Price/Fry Limited Liability Company, a Texas limited
        liability company ("Price/Fry"), and the ownership by Price Texas of all
        of the general partnership interests of Price/Baybrook, Ltd., (iii) its
        90% membership interest in Smithtown Venture Limited Liability Company,
        a New York limited liability company ("Smithtown"), (iv) its 50%
        partnership interest in Centrepoint Associates, L.L.P., an Arizona
        limited liability partnership, (v) its 50% general partnership interest
        in Hayden Plaza North Associates, an Arizona general partnership, and
        (vi) its 75% membership interest in Bridgewater Community Retail Center,
        LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company (collectively, the
        "Affiliates," and the Company's interests in the Affiliates are referred
        to herein collectively as the "Interests").

               (e) Each of the Affiliates has been duly organized and is validly
        existing as a corporation, limited liability company or partnership, as
        the case may be, and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction
        of organization, is duly qualified to do business and is in good
        standing as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or
        partnership, as the case may be, in each jurisdiction in which its
        respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business
        requires such qualification (except where the failure to so qualify
        would not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial
        position, stockholders' equity, results of operations, business affairs
        or business prospects of the Company), and has all power and authority
        necessary to own or hold its respective properties and to conduct the
        business in which it is engaged; and none of the Affiliates, other than
        Price/Baybrook, Ltd., is a "significant subsidiary," as such term is
        defined in Rule 405 of the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to
        the Securities Act.

               (f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in
        the Final Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of
        the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully
        paid and non-assessable and conform to the description thereof contained
        in the Final Prospectus and were not issued in violation of, and are not
        subject to, preemptive or similar rights arising by operation of the
        Maryland General Corporation Law (the"MGCL"), or under the charter or
        bylaws of the Company or any agreement or instrument, or otherwise; and
        the Company's Interests have been duly and validly authorized and issued
        and are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company free
        and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

               (g) The unissued Securities to be issued and sold by the Company
        to the Underwriter hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and,
        when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein,
        will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and will
        conform to the description thereof contained in



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        the Final Prospectus; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject
        to preemptive or other similar rights.

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

               (i) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by
        the Company and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
        will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the
        terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
        mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, partnership or joint venture
        agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any
        of the Affiliates is a party or by which the Company or any of the
        Affiliates is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
        Company or any of the Affiliates is subject, nor will such actions
        result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
        the Company or any governing document of any of the Affiliates or any
        statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental
        agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the
        Affiliates or any of their properties or assets; and except for the
        registration of the Securities under the Securities Act and such
        consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as
        have been obtained or made, or as may be required under the Exchange Act
        and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and
        distribution of the Securities by the Underwriter, no consent, approval,
        authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any such
        court or governmental agency or body is required for the execution,
        delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the
        consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

               (j) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between
        the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the
        Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with
        respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such
        person or to require the Company to include such securities in the
        securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any
        securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement
        filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

               (k) Except as described in the Final Prospectus, the Company has
        not sold or issued any Common Stock during the six-month period
        preceding the date of the Final Prospectus, including any sales pursuant
        to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act, other
        than shares issued pursuant to that certain Purchase Agreement dated as
        of January 15, 1997, by and among the Company, Merrill Lynch & Co.,
        Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Dean Witter Reynolds



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        Inc. and Sutro & Co. Incorporated, employee benefit plans, qualified
        stock options plans, dividend reinvestment plans or other employee
        compensation plans.

             (l)   The Company has not sustained, since the date of the latest
        audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
        the Final Prospectus, any material loss or interference with its
        business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
        covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental
        action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in
        the Final Prospectus; and, since such date, there has not been any
        change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any
        material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective
        material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs,
        management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
        operations of the Company, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated
        in the Final Prospectus.

             (m)   The financial statements (including the related notes and
        supporting schedules) filed as part of the Registration Statement or
        included or incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus present
        fairly the financial condition and results of operations of the entities
        purported to be shown thereby, at the dates and for the periods
        indicated, and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
        accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the
        periods involved.

             (n)   Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial
        statements of the Company, whose report appears in the Final Prospectus
        or is incorporated by reference therein and who have delivered the
        initial letter referred to in Section 5(e) hereof, are independent
        public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and
        regulations thereunder, and were independent accountants as required by
        the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, during the
        periods covered by the financial statements on which they reported
        contained or incorporated in the Final Prospectus.

             (o)   The Company and the Affiliates have good and marketable title
        in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all
        personal property identified in the Final Prospectus as being owned by
        them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects
        except such as are described in the Final Prospectus or such as do not
        materially affect the value of such property and do not materially
        interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by
        the Company and the Affiliates; and all real property and buildings held
        under lease by the Company and the Affiliates are held by them under
        valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are
        not material and do not interfere with



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        the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by 
        the Company and the Affiliates.

             (p)   The Company and the Affiliates carry, or are covered by,
        insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the
        conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective
        properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar
        businesses in similar industries.

             (q)   There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to
        which the Company or any of the Affiliates is a party or of which any
        property or assets of the Company or any of the Affiliates is the
        subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of the
        Affiliates, might have a material adverse effect on the consolidated
        financial position, stockholders' equity, results of operations,
        business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the
        Affiliates; and to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such
        proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities
        or threatened by others.

             (r)   There are no contracts or other documents which are required
        to be described in the Final Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the
        Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the rules and
        regulations thereunder, which have not been described in the Final
        Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or
        incorporated therein by reference as permitted by the rules and
        regulations promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act.

             (s)   No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among
        the Company on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders,
        customers or suppliers of the Company on the other hand, which is
        required to be described in the Final Prospectus which is not so
        described.

             (t)   No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company exists
        or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent which might be expected
        to have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial
        position, stockholders' equity, results of operations, business affairs
        or business prospects of the Company.

             (u)   Since the date as of which information is given in the Final
        Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be disclosed in the Final
        Prospectus, the Company has not (i) issued or granted any security other
        than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock
        options plans, dividend reinvestment plans or other employee
        compensation plans, (ii) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or
        contingent, other than liabilities and obligations which were incurred
        in the ordinary course of business, (iii) entered into any transaction
        not in the ordinary course of



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        business or (iv) declared or paid any dividend on its capital stock not
        in the ordinary course of business.

               (v) Neither the Company nor any of the Affiliates (i) is in
        violation of its charter, by-laws or other organizational document, as
        applicable, (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred which, with
        notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the
        due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition
        contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement,
        partnership or joint venture agreement or other agreement or instrument
        to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its
        properties or assets is subject or (iii) is in violation of any law,
        ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court decree to which it or
        its property or assets may be subject or has failed to obtain any
        material license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental
        authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to
        the conduct of its business, which default or violation might have a
        material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
        stockholders' equity, results of operations, business affairs or
        business prospects of the Company.

               (w) There has been no storage, disposal, generation, manufacture,
        refinement, transportation, handling or treatment of toxic wastes,
        medical wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances by the Company
        or any of the Affiliates (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of
        their predecessors in interest) at, upon or from any of the property now
        or previously owned or leased by the Company or the Affiliates in
        violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order,
        judgment, decree or permit or which would require remedial action under
        any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree
        or permit, except for any violation or remedial action which would not
        have, or could not be reasonably likely to have, singularly or in the
        aggregate with all such violations and remedial actions, a material
        adverse effect on the general affairs, management, financial position,
        stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company; there has
        been no material spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape,
        dumping or release of any kind onto such property or into the
        environment surrounding such property of any toxic wastes, medical
        wastes, solid wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances due to or
        caused by the Company or any of the Affiliates or with respect to which
        the Company or any of the Affiliates have knowledge, except for any such
        spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release
        which would not have or would not be reasonably likely to have,
        singularly or in the aggregate with all such spills, discharges, leaks,
        emissions, injections, escapes, dumpings and releases, a material
        adverse effect on the general affairs, management, financial position,
        stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company; and the
        terms "hazardous wastes", "toxic wastes", "hazardous substances" and
        "medical wastes"



                                        8
<PAGE>   9
        shall have the meanings specified in any applicable local, state,
        federal and foreign laws or regulations with respect to environmental
        protection.

               (x) Neither the Company nor any Affiliate is an "investment
        company" within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company
        Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

               (y) The Company has been and is organized in conformity with the
        requirements for qualification as a real estate investment trust under
        the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and its
        method of operation has at all times enabled, and its proposed method of
        operation will enable, the Company to meet the requirements for taxation
        as a real estate investment trust under the Code.

               2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in
reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from
the Company, the Securities at the purchase price of $37.50 per share.

               3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the
Securities shall be at 7:00 a.m. (Los Angeles time), on August 11, 1997 at the
offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, 333 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles,
California 90071 (or such later date not later than five business days after
such specified date as the Underwriter shall designate), which date and time may
be postponed by agreement between the Underwriter and the Company or as provided
in Section 8 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the
Securities being herein called the "Closing Date"). Delivery of the Securities
shall be made to the Underwriter for its account against payment by the
Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to a bank account designated by the Company not later than two
business days prior to the Closing Date. Delivery of the Securities shall be
made at such location as the Underwriter shall reasonably designate at least one
business day in advance of the Closing Date. Certificates for the Securities
shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Underwriter
may request not less than two full business days in advance of the Closing Date.

               The Company agrees to have the Securities available for
inspection, checking and packaging by the Underwriter in New York, New York, not
later than 1:00 p.m. on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

               4.  Agreements.  The Company agrees with the Underwriter that:

               (a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the
        Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, and any
        amendment thereto, to become



                                        9
<PAGE>   10
        effective. Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities,
        the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or
        supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Final
        Prospectus) to the Basic Prospectus unless the Company has furnished you
        a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such
        proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object. Subject
        to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final Prospectus,
        properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed with the
        Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within
        the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the
        Underwriter of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the
        Underwriter (i) when the Registration Statement, if not effective at the
        Execution Time, and any amendment thereto, shall have become effective,
        (ii) when the Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission
        pursuant to Rule 424(b), (iii) when, prior to termination of the
        offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement
        shall have been filed or become effective, (iv) of any request by the
        Commission for any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement
        to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (v) of the
        issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
        effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or
        threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (vi) of the receipt
        by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
        qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
        initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The
        Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such
        stop order and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal
        thereof.

               (b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities
        is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result
        of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would include any
        untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
        necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the
        circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall
        be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final
        Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective
        rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) prepare and file with
        the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this
        Section 4, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement
        or omission or effect such compliance and (ii) supply any supplemented
        Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

               (c) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally
        available to its security holders and to the Underwriter an earnings
        statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will
        satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under
        the Act.



                                       10
<PAGE>   11
               (d) The Company will furnish to the Underwriter and counsel for
        the Underwriter, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement
        (including exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by
        the Underwriter or a dealer may be required by the Act, as many copies
        of any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any
        supplement thereto as the Underwriter may reasonably request.

               (e) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the
        Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the
        Underwriter may designate and will maintain such qualifications in
        effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities.

               (f) The Company will not, for a period of 90 days following the
        Execution Time, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter,
        offer, sell or contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of, directly or
        indirectly, or announce the offering of, any other shares of Common
        Stock or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of
        Common Stock; provided, however, that the Company may issue and sell
        Common Stock pursuant to any employee stock option plan, stock ownership
        plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the
        Execution Time and the Company may issue Common Stock issuable upon the
        conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the
        Execution Time.

               5. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriter. The
obligation of the Underwriter to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the
accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company
contained herein as of the Execution Time and the Closing Date, to the accuracy
of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

               (a) If filing of the Final Prospectus, or any supplement thereto,
        is required pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Final Prospectus, and any such
        supplement, shall have been filed in the manner and within the time
        period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order suspending the
        effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and
        no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
        threatened.

               (b)  The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter:



                                       11
<PAGE>   12
                      (i) the opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, counsel
               for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

                                a. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign
                        corporation to transact business and is in good standing
                        in the following states: Arizona, California,
                        Connecticut, Kansas, Maryland, New York, North Carolina,
                        Oklahoma, Virginia and Texas;

                                b. The Affiliates are validly existing and in
                        good standing under the laws of their respective
                        jurisdictions of organization, and Price/Texas,
                        Price/Baybrook, Price/Fry and Smithtown have all power
                        and authority necessary to own or hold their respective
                        properties and conduct the businesses in which they are
                        engaged;

                                c. To the best of such counsel's knowledge and
                        other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no
                        legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the
                        Company or any of the Affiliates is a party or of which
                        any property or assets of the Company or any of the
                        Affiliates is the subject which, if determined adversely
                        to the Company or any of the Affiliates, might have a
                        material adverse effect on the consolidated financial
                        position, stockholders' equity, results of operations,
                        business affairs or business prospects of the Company;
                        and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
                        proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
                        governmental authorities or threatened by others;

                                d. The Registration Statement was declared
                        effective under the Act as of the date and time
                        specified in such opinion, the Final Prospectus was
                        filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph
                        of Rule 424(b) specified in such opinion on the date
                        specified therein and no stop order suspending the
                        effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been
                        issued and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no
                        proceeding for that purpose is pending or threatened by
                        the Commission;

                                e. The Registration Statement and the Final
                        Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements
                        thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date
                        (other than the financial statements and related
                        schedules and other financial and statistical data
                        included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such
                        counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in
                        all material respects with the



                                       12
<PAGE>   13
                    requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations
                    thereunder; and the documents incorporated by reference in
                    the Final Prospectus and any further amendment or supplement
                    to any such incorporated document made by the Company prior
                    to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements and
                    related schedules and other financial and statistical data
                    included or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need
                    express no opinion), when they became effective or were
                    filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as
                    to form in all material respects with the requirements of
                    the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules
                    and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

                              f. The statements contained in the Final
                    Prospectus under the caption "Federal Income Tax
                    Considerations," insofar as they describe matters of law,
                    summaries of legal matters and legal conclusions, are
                    correct in all material respects;

                              g. To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there
                    are no contracts or other documents which are required to be
                    described in the Final Prospectus or filed as exhibits to
                    the Registration Statement by the Act or by the rules and
                    regulations thereunder, which have not been described or
                    filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or
                    incorporated therein by reference as permitted by the rules
                    and regulations under the Act;

                              h. This Agreement has been duly executed and
                    delivered by the Company;

                              i. The issue and sale of the Securities being
                    delivered on the Closing Date by the Company and the
                    compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this
                    Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
                    contemplated hereby will not conflict with or result in a
                    breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
                    constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument
                    which is filed as an exhibit to (i) the Company's Form 10-Q
                    for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 1997 or (ii) the
                    Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996
                    (other than purchase and sale agreements listed as Exhibits
                    10.38, 10.39 and 10.45 to 10.49 of such Form 10-K), nor will
                    such actions result in any violation of the provisions of
                    the charter or by-laws of the Company or governing documents
                    of any of the Affiliates or any statute or any order, rule
                    or regulation known to such counsel of



                                       13
<PAGE>   14
                    any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
                    over the Company or any of its properties or assets; and,
                    except for the registration of the Securities under the Act
                    and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations
                    or qualifications as have been obtained or made or may be
                    required under the Exchange Act and applicable state
                    securities laws in connection with the purchase and
                    distribution of the Securities by the Underwriter, no
                    consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or
                    registration with, any such court or governmental agency or
                    body is required for the execution, delivery and performance
                    of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation of the
                    transactions contemplated hereby;

                              j. To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there
                    are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
                    Company and any person granting such person the right to
                    require the Company to file a registration statement under
                    the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned
                    or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to
                    include such securities in the securities registered
                    pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities
                    being registered pursuant to any other registration
                    statement filed by the Company under the Act; and

                              k. The Securities have been duly authorized for
                    listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the New
                    York Stock Exchange.

                              l. The Company has been and is organized in
                    conformity with the requirements for qualification as a real
                    estate investment trust under the Code, and its method of
                    operation has at all times enabled, and its proposed method
                    of operation as described in the Final Prospectus and as
                    represented by management will enable, the Company to meet
                    the requirements for taxation as a real estate investment
                    trust under the Code.

                    In giving their opinion, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP shall
               additionally state that, nothing has come to such counsel's
               attention that would lead them to believe that the Registration
               Statement (except for financial statements and schedules and
               other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by
               reference therein, as to which counsel need make no statement),
               at the time it became effective, contained an untrue statement of
               a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to
               be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
               misleading or that the Final



                                       14
<PAGE>   15
               Prospectus (except for financial statements and schedules and
               other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by
               reference therein, as to which counsel need make no statement),
               at the time the Final Prospectus was issued (unless the term
               "Final Prospectus" refers to a prospectus which has been provided
               to the Underwriter by the Company for use in connection with the
               offering of Securities which differs from the Final Prospectus on
               file at the Commission at the time the Registration Statement
               becomes effective, in which case at the date of such prospectus),
               or at the Closing Date, included or includes an untrue statement
               of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact
               necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light
               of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                      (ii) The opinion of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll,
               counsel for the Company with respect to matters of Maryland law,
               dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

                            a.   The Company has been duly incorporated and is
                    validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
                    laws of the State of Maryland and has all corporate power
                    and authority to own, lease and operate its properties as
                    described in the Final Prospectus, to conduct the business
                    in which it is engaged and to perform its obligations under
                    this Agreement;

                            b.   The Securities have been duly authorized for
                    issuance and sale to the Underwriter pursuant to this
                    Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company
                    pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the purchase
                    price therefor, will be validly issued and fully paid and
                    non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to
                    the description thereof contained in the Final Prospectus
                    and will not be subject to preemptive or other similar
                    rights arising by operation of the MGCL or under the charter
                    or bylaws of the Company or any agreement or other
                    instrument known to such counsel;

                            c.   This Agreement has been duly authorized by the
                    Company;

                            d.   The form of certificate used to evidence the
                    Securities is in due and proper form and complies with all
                    applicable statutory requirements under the laws of the
                    State of Maryland;



                                       15
<PAGE>   16
                              e. The Company has an authorized capitalization as
                    set forth in the Final Prospectus, and all of the issued
                    shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and
                    validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
                    non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the
                    description thereof contained in the Final Prospectus and
                    are not subject to preemptive or other similar rights
                    arising by operation of the MGCL or under the charter or
                    bylaws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument
                    known to such counsel;

                              f. The information in the Final Prospectus under
                    the caption "Description of Stock" (except for the
                    information under the subsection thereof entitled
                    "Restrictions on Transfer"), to the extent that it
                    constitutes matters of Maryland law, summaries of legal
                    matters, documents or proceedings, or legal conclusions, has
                    been reviewed by them and is correct in all material
                    respects and the information under "Description of Stock --
                    Restrictions on Transfer," to the extent that it constitutes
                    a summary of the provisions of the Company's charter, has
                    been reviewed by them and is correct in all material
                    respects.

        References to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (b) include any
        supplements thereto at the Closing Date.

        In rendering such opinions, (A) Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP may rely as
        to matters involving the application of laws of the State of Maryland,
        to the extent deemed proper and specified in such opinion, upon the
        opinion of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll and (B) Gibson, Dunn &
        Crutcher LLP and Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll may rely as to
        matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of
        responsible officers of the Company and public officials.

               (c) The Underwriter shall have received from Latham & Watkins,
        counsel for the Underwriter, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing
        Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the
        Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus (together with any
        supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Underwriter may
        reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
        such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass
        upon such matters.

               (d) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a
        certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board or the
        President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the
        Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such
        certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement,



                                       16
<PAGE>   17
          the Final Prospectus, any supplement to the Final Prospectus and this
          Agreement and that:

                      (i) the representations and warranties of the Company in
               this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on
               and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the
               Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements
               and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or
               satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

                      (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
               Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for
               that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company's knowledge,
               threatened; and

                      (iii) since the date of the most recent financial
               statements included in the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
               supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change in
               the condition (financial or other), earnings, business or
               properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether or not
               arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
               except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus
               (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

               (e) (i) At the Closing Date, Ernst & Young LLP shall have
               furnished to the Underwriter a letter or letters (which may refer
               to letters previously delivered to the Underwriter), dated as of
               the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
               Underwriter.

                      (ii) In addition, at the Execution Time, Ernst & Young LLP
               shall have furnished to the Underwriter a letter or letters,
               dated as of the Execution Time, in form and substance
               satisfactory to the Underwriter, to the effect set forth above.

               (f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as
        of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive
        of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
        supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or
        decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e)
        of this Section 5 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a
        prospective change, in or affecting the business or properties of the
        Company and its subsidiaries the effect of which, in any case referred
        to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment of the Underwriter,
        so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to
        proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as



                                       17
<PAGE>   18
        contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment
        thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

               (g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished
        to the Underwriter such further information, certificates and documents
        as the Underwriter may reasonably request.

               (h) On or before the date of this Agreement, the Underwriter
        shall have received a lock-up agreement, substantially in the form of
        Exhibit A hereto, signed by each of the persons listed on Schedule I
        hereto.

               (i) Prior to the Closing Time, the securities shall have been
        duly listed on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official
        notice of issuance.

               If any condition specified in this Section 5 shall not have been
fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if
any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form
and substance to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter, this Agreement
and all obligations of the Underwriter hereunder may be canceled at, or at any
time prior to, the Closing Date by the Underwriter. Notice of such cancellation
shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed
in writing.

               The documents required to be delivered by this Section 5 shall be
delivered at the office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, counsel for the Company,
at 333 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90071, on the Closing Date.

               6. Reimbursement of Underwriter's Expenses. If the sale of the
Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the
obligations of the Underwriter set forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied,
because of any termination pursuant to Section 9(i) hereof or because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any material
agreement herein or comply with any material provision hereof other than by
reason of a default by the Underwriter, the Company will reimburse the
Underwriter upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in
connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

               7. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees
and agents of the Underwriter and each person who controls the Underwriter
within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or



                                       18
<PAGE>   19
several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the
Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common
law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration
statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any
amendment thereof, or in the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus
or the Final Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or
arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified
party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them
in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in
any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

               (b) The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration
Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either
the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from
the Company to the Underwriter, but only with reference to written information
relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such
Underwriter specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the
foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which the Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges
that the statements set forth in the last paragraph of the cover page, the
stabilization legend on the inside front cover page and in the second and the
fifth paragraphs under the heading "Underwriting" in the Final Prospectus
constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the
Underwriter for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing
indemnity, and you, as the Underwriter, confirm that such statements are
correct.

               (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i)
will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and
to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses
and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any
obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation
provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The



                                       19
<PAGE>   20
indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying
party's choice at the indemnifying party's expense to represent the indemnified
party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the
indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses
of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as
set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to
the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party's election to
appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified
party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel),
and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of
such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party
to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of
interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such
action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal
defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different
from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the
indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time
after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party
shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense
of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim,
action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution
may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or
potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

               (d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or
(b) of this Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriter agree to
contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or
defending same) (collectively "Losses") to which the Company and the Underwriter
may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company and by the Underwriter from the offering of the
Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall the Underwriter (except as
may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of
the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting
discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such
Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriter shall
contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and of the
Underwriter in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in
such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable



                                       20
<PAGE>   21
considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to
the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses), and
benefits received by the Underwriter shall be deemed to be equal to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover
page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to
whether any alleged untrue statement or omission relates to information provided
by the Company or the Underwriter. The Company and the Underwriter agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata
allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of
this Section 7, each person who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and
agent of the Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such
Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have
signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have
the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the
applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

               8. Default by the Underwriter. If the Underwriter shall fail at
the Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it is obligated to purchase
under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the Underwriter shall have
the right to make arrangements for any other underwriter to purchase all, but
not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed
upon and upon the terms herein set forth. In the event of a default by the
Underwriter as set forth in this Section 8, the Closing Date shall be postponed
for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Underwriter shall determine in
order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its
liability, if any, to the Company for damages occasioned by its default
hereunder.

               9. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in
the absolute discretion of the Underwriter, by notice given to the Company prior
to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such time (i) there
has been since the date of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement, any material adverse
effect on the consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity, results of
operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, (ii) trading
in the Company's Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the
New York Stock Exchange or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been



                                       21
<PAGE>   22
established on such Exchange, (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been
declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iv) there shall
have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the
United States of a national emergency or war or other calamity or crisis the
effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the judgment of
the Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or
delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Final Prospectus (exclusive of
any supplement thereto).

               10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective
agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the
Company or its officers and of the Underwriter set forth in or made pursuant to
this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or the Company or any of
the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof,
and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of
Sections 6 and 7 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this
Agreement.

               11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and
effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Underwriter, will be mailed,
delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to them, at Salomon Brothers Inc, Seven
World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048; or, if sent to the Company, will
be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at 145 South Fairfax
Avenue, Fourth Floor, Los Angeles, California 90036, attention of Joseph K.
Kornwasser, fax number (213) 937-8175.

               12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and
be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the
officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof,
and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

               13. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.



                                       22
<PAGE>   23
               If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon
this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the
Company and the Underwriter.


                                            Very truly yours,

                                            The Price REIT, Inc.

                                            By: /s/ JOSEPH K. KORNWASSER 
                                               ------------------------------
                                               Title: President/CEO
                                                     ------------------------



                                       S-1
<PAGE>   24
The foregoing Agreement is hereby 
confirmed and accepted as of the 
date set forth above.

Salomon Brothers Inc


By:   Salomon Brothers Inc

By:   /s/ STEVEN HASON
   -----------------------------------
      Vice President



                                       S-2
<PAGE>   25
                                   SCHEDULE I


Raymond E. Peet
Joseph K. Kornwasser
George M. Jezek
Thomas Scheers
Roy P. Drachman
William D. Jones
Walter Weisman
Keene Wolcott



<PAGE>   26
                                    EXHIBIT A

                               _________ __, 1997




Salomon Brothers Inc
Seven World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048

              Re: Proposed Public Offering by The Price REIT, Inc.

Dear Ladies and Gentleman:

              The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of
The Price REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), understands that
Salomon Brothers Inc ("Salomon") proposes to enter into an Underwriting
Agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement") with the Company providing for the
public offering of shares (the "Securities") of the Company's common stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"). In recognition of the benefit that
such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder [and an
officer and/or director] of the Company, and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
undersigned agrees with Salomon Brothers Inc that, during a period of 90 days
from the date of the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without
the prior written consent of Salomon, directly or indirectly, (i) offer (or
announce any offering of), pledge (other than a pledge to a lending institution
as collateral or security for a bona fide loan), sell, contract to sell, sell
any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell,
grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or
transfer any shares of the Company's Common Stock or any security convertible
into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or
hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned
has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file any registration
statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of
the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any
transaction



                                       A-1
<PAGE>   27
that transfers in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic
consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or
transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery
of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

                                         Very truly yours,



                                         Signature:  _________________________

                                         Print Name: _________________________




<PAGE>   1


                                                                    EXHIBIT 5.1

              [ LETTERHEAD OF BALLARD SPAHR ANDREWS & INGERSOLL ]

                                 August 5, 1997



The Price Reit, Inc.
7979 Ivanhoe Avenue
Suite 524
La Jolla, California 92037

     Re:  The Price Reit, Inc., a Maryland corporation, (the "Company") --
          Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-16787), as
          supplemented pertaining to an additional one million (1,000,000)
          shares (the "Shares") of common stock, par value one cent ($.01) per
          share ("Common Stock")
          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     In connection with the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act
of 1933 as amended (the "Act"), by the Company on Form S-3 (Registration No.
333-16787) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
on or about November 25, 1996, as amended, as supplemented to date, including
that certain Prospectus Supplement filed or to be filed on or about the date
hereof (collectively the "Registration Statement"), you have requested our
opinion with respect to the matters set forth below.

     We have acted as special Maryland corporate counsel for the Company in
connection with the matters described herein. In our capacity as special
Maryland corporate counsel to the Company, we have reviewed and are familiar
with proceedings taken and proposed to be taken by the Company in connection
with the authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares, and for purposes of
this opinion have assumed such proceedings will be timely completed in the
manner presently proposed. In addition, we have relied upon certificates and
advice from the officers of the Company upon which we believe we are
justified in relying and on various certificates from, and documents recorded
with, the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the
"SDAT"), including the charter of the Corporation (the "Charter") consisting of
Articles of Amendment and Restatement filed with the SDAT on July 9, 1993,
Articles of Amendment filed with the SDAT on May 31, 1995, and Articles of
Amendment filed with the SDAT on June 13, 1996. We have also examined the
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company adopted as of June 9, 1993 (the
"Bylaws") and Resolutions of the
<PAGE>   2


BALLARD SPAHR ANDREWS & INGERSOLL

The Price Reit, Inc.
August 5, 1997
Page 2

Board of Directors of the Company adopted on or before November 21, 1996,
January 8, 1997, January 17, 1997 and June 16, 1997 each in full force and
effect as of the date hereof; and such laws, records, documents, certificates,
opinions and instruments as we deem necessary to render this opinion.

     We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of
all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the originals
of all documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic or conformed copies.
In addition, we have assumed that each person executing any instrument, document
or certificate referred to herein on behalf of any party is duly authorized to
do so, and that the Shares will not be issued in violation of the restrictions
on transferability or ownership set forth in Article VIII of the Charter.

     Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications
set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date of this letter, the
Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part
of the Company, and the Shares will, upon issuance and delivery in accordance
with the terms and conditions described in the Registration Statement against
payment of the purchase price therefor as determined by the Board of Directors
of the Company or a committee thereof, be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

     We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement, and further consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to
the applications to securities commissioners for the various states of the
United States for registration of the Shares. We also consent to the
identification of our firm as Maryland counsel to the Company in the section of
the Prospectus (which is part of the Registration Statement) entitled "Legal
Matters."

     The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of
Maryland and we express no opinion concerning any laws other than the laws of
the State of Maryland. Furthermore, the opinions presented in this letter are
limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall
be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated.

     The opinions expressed in this letter are solely for your use and may not
be relied upon by any other person without our prior written consent.

                                        Very truly yours,
<PAGE>   3


BALLARD SPAHR ANDREWS & INGERSOLL

The Price Reit, Inc.
August 5, 1997
Page 3


                                /s/ BALLARD SPAHR ANDREWS & INGERSOLL
                                -----------------------------------------------



<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 8.1


                  [LETTERHEAD OF GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP]


                                 August 7, 1997


(213) 229-7000                                                    C 72752-00036

The Price REIT, Inc.
145 South Fairfax Avenue
Fourth Floor
Los Angeles, California 90036

        Re:  The Price REIT, Inc.

Gentlemen:

        We have acted as special counsel to The Price REIT, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the issuance by the Company of
1,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value, pursuant to a registration
statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-16787) (the "Registration
Statement"), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange
Commission on December 23, 1996.

        You have requested our opinion concerning certain of the federal income
tax consequences to the Company. This opinion is based on various assumptions,
and is conditioned upon certain representations made by the Company as to
factual matters. In addition, this opinion is based upon the factual
representations of the Company concerning its business and properties as set
forth in the Registration Statement. We have made such legal and factual
examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals or copies
certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such documents, of
corporate records and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or
appropriate for purposes of this opinion.

        We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only
of the federal income tax laws of the United States and we express no opinion
with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of other
federal laws, the laws of any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of
municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state.


<PAGE>   2


GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP


The Price REIT, Inc.
August 7, 1997
Page 2


        Based on such facts, assumptions and representations, it is our opinion
that:

        (1)     Commencing with the Company's taxable year ending December 31,
1991, the Company was organized in conformity with the requirements for
qualification as a real estate investment trust, and its proposed method of
operation has enabled and will enable it to meet the requirements for
qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust under the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").

        (2)     The information in the Registration Statement under the caption
"Federal Income Tax Considerations," to the extent that it constitutes matters
of law, summaries of legal matters or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by
us and is accurate in all material respects.

        This opinion is based on various statutory provisions, regulations
promulgated thereunder and interpretations thereof by the Internal Revenue
Service and the courts having jurisdiction over such matters, all of which are
subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Also, any variation or
difference in the facts from those set forth in the Company's representations
may affect the conclusions stated herein. Moreover, the Company's qualification
and taxation as a real estate investment trust depends upon the Company's
ability to meet, through annual operating results, distribution levels and
diversity of stock ownership, the various qualification tests imposed under the
Code, the results of which will not be reviewed by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of the Company's
operation for any one taxable year will satisfy such requirements.

        We hereby consent to the use of our name and our opinion under the
heading "Legal Matters" in the  Prospectus that forms a part of the
Registration Statement.

                                        Very truly yours,


                                        /s/  Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

                                        GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP



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