Timeline: A journey back to the markets
1963
Crest Homes founded by Bryan Skinner
1968
The housebuilder floats on the London Stock Exchange
1972
Crest buys Camper & Nicholsons, the leading yacht maker, and changes name to Crest NicholsoN
1983
Skinner retires and the company starts to sell-off its non-housing businesses
2005
Stephen Stone appointed chief executive of the company
2007
Crest is taken private in a debt-fuelled £1.2bn takeover by Scottish entrepreneur Tom Hunter’s West Coast Capital and mortgage lender HBOS
2009
Crest becomes majority owned by a consortium of 24 banks after a £648m debt-for-equity swap
2011
US distressed debt specialist Varde Partners takes control of the firm with Deutsche Bank after buying up Crest’s £500m debt pile.
2011
William Rucker, the chief executive of Lazard London is appointed chairman.
2012
Crest signals that a float is one of a number of options being explored by its owners Varde Partners and Deutsche.
2013
Crest announces its intention to return to the stock market and also announces a return to profit.