Newton-based real estate investment trust Senior Housing Properties Trust has priced a public offering of 5.5 million common shares of beneficial interest at a price of $17.30 per share.

The settlement of this sale is expected to occur Feb. 9. The trust expects to use the net proceeds for "the repayment of borrowings outstanding under its revolving credit facility and for general business purposes, including funding in part pending acquisitions or possible future acquisitions of properties," the trust said.

The underwriters have been granted a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 825,000 shares to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering size has been increased from the previously announced 4 million share offering because of investor demand.

The joint book-running managers for this offering are UBS Investment Bank, Citi and Morgan Stanley. The co-lead managers for this offering are Wachovia Securities and RBC Capital Markets. The co-managers for this offering are Robert W. Baird & Co., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Morgan Keegan & Co. and Oppenheimer & Co.