Real Estate
Local knowledge means everything in real estate. Our network of experts throughout the CEE/SEE region combine this knowledge with experience in the property cycle to provide your business with advice customised for your success. From sale and purchase to planning and zoning, design, construction and development, leases, facility and asset management, finance, dispute resolution and tax, we’ve got you covered. You can rely on our hands-on experience in local markets and track record of handling large-scale, cross-border transactions, including some of the most significant property developments in this part of the world in recent years.
Whether you are a developer, buyer, seller or financier on smaller or larger assignments: we treat every matter with priority. With our broad industry and local market knowledge, we can assist in finding the right property for your needs, the right bank for your financing, or the right buyer for your estate. We know the demands of a real estate project. Among other things, we can assist in the investor–friendly preparation of sales in setting up data rooms, and if you are the seller, we offer the same service package: experience, security and speed.
Real Estate Transactions
You can’t control risk if you don’t know how to look for it. Speed and accuracy are essential to the success of any large real estate acquisition. For your project, we will form a team of lawyers who efficiently and thoroughly assess existing legal risks and their possible impacts as well as ways to minimise them. We present the information to you, enabling you to make a well-founded, researched decision with awareness of all perceptible risks.
Leasing
The old days of short and simple lease agreements are gone. Today, they are highly complex legal instruments, the drafting and understanding of which requires a thorough understanding of the business and the relevant sector. Our philosophy is simple: we want to create and negotiate successful leases for your business. This means that we take both the interests of the landlord and the tenant into account to craft a functional lease that works for all parties.
Project Development
Every real estate project begins with an idea, and every idea brings with it a question or two. While you’re busy with the creative questions, let us handle the legal ones. We will advise you on purchasing or acquiring an option to purchase real estate, environmental impact assessment proceedings, planning and zoning issues, obtaining all permits necessary under public law, partitioning and joining of real estate, dealing with construction issues, architect contracts, general planning and financing agreements.
Real Estate Finance
We make it our business to understand yours. Domestic and foreign banks as well as project development companies and their sponsors regularly turn to us for advice in real estate project financing. We can help you with financial engineering, examining the regulatory environment behind the granting or receipt of a credit or loan, as well as drafting and negotiating financing agreements and related security packages. Learn more about our Banking & Finance practice.
Facility Management & Property Administration
Proper facility management is not only a quality element, but also a key cost factor of any real estate development. From knowing the industry and the needs of up to date building management and administration, we can advise you on how to optimize all related agreements by establishing appropriate service levels to minimize risks in the interest of all parties involved and to maximize the building value.
Planning and Construction
You can rely on our experience in all types of planning and construction agreements; from architects' contracts to plain construction contracts, from build-and-design agreements to total contractor agreements, from FIDIC contracts to joint venture agreements. From short and condensed contracts for tasks that are more simple, to long and detailed agreements for large scale projects. We cover them all. If necessary, we represent you in enforcing and defending claims before courts as well as before arbitral tribunals or dispute adjudication boards. Learn more about our Construction & Infrastructure Projects practice.
Dispute Resolution
Resolving disputes in real estate matters requires a high degree of knowledge and specialization. Legal systems regarding real estate and real estate related rights vary considerably from country to country. In addition to the law, there is always the tricky question of precedent and how courts actually apply the law. We can advise you on all types of real estate and construction claims, including claims for securing evidence, claims for compensation, defects and damages claims, claims regarding contractual penalties, disputes regarding building ground and other risks, and claims under securities. Learn more about our Litigation practice.
Real Estate Restructuring
Both healthy and troubled institutions sometimes struggle with their portfolios of non-performing loans and other real estate owned assets (OREO); trying to find solutions for effective NPA management and disposition. Our Real Estate team is specialized in particular in cross-border real estate restructuring, property financing restructuring and real estate work-outs, as well as in the distressed sale and acquisition of real estate. We can also help with drafting creditor stand-still agreements, assisting with the shut-down of properties as well as with the sale of real estate or leasing portfolios, and the granting and enforcement of securities. Learn more about our Insolvency, Restructuring & Crisis Management practice.
Real Estate Tax Planning
Tax planning plays a substantial role in many real estate transactions. With our expertise in real-estate related tax structuring we can assist you in finding the most tax-efficient manner to carry out your deal. In addition, we perform tax due diligences, review agreements from a tax perspective, issue tax opinions, advise on stamp duty and real estate transfer tax issues, collaborate with your tax accountants as well as prepare requests for tax rulings. Learn more about our Tax practice.
