Real Estate

Like the economy as a whole, the real estate sector has undergone major changes in recent years. New business strategies, the transformation of the capital market and the associated change in accounting regulations, innovative financing instruments and tight public budgets are having a lasting impact on the real estate sector. This is why a partner with broad financial expertise is becoming increasingly important for players in the real estate market.

Under the term Financial Real Estate, we combine highly complex consulting and auditing services for the real estate sector, in particular in the areas of audits of annual and consolidated financial statements, corporate transactions and international accounting. Our teams of experts, who have a high level of expertise in the sector, enable us to offer our clients comprehensive support in all financial issues in the real estate market.

Our services:

• Audit of annual and consolidated financial statements pursuant to German HGB, US-GAAP and IFRS
• Financial due diligence
• Business consulting for REITs (accounting, financing)
• Special audits
• Audits pursuant to the German Real estate agent and property developer ordinance (“MaBV”) 
• Audit of the internal control system and audit of company processes relevant to the annual financial statements
• Special audits in the area of Sarbanes Oxley Act, Section 404 in the real estate industry
• Due diligence
• Company and real estate valuation
• Risk management
• Advice on public-private partnerships
• Restructuring
• Audit and preparation of annual financial statements, reviews of reporting packages during the year in accordance with HGB, IFRS and US GAAP

Real estate tax advice at all levels: As part of our ongoing support, we assist you in all tax filing tasks and, as part of project-related tasks, with the tax structuring of international real estate projects to the development of strategies, for example, in order to avoid real estate transfer tax. Tax due diligence naturally also includes transactions. Furthermore, we also optimize your financing structures in the long term.

Our real estate experts always pursue the same goal: to provide our clients with consistently high-quality advice. So that you are always at the cutting edge.

Our services:

• Conceptual design of national and international fund structures
• Tax advice on real estate investments and investment properties with complex investment and financing structures
• Tax due diligence
• Tax advice for REITs
• Structuring the real estate assets of German and European corporate groups and companies
• Tax support for prospectus audits
• Bookkeeping, preparation of tax returns
• Special tax issues (expert opinions on monument depreciation, real estate leasing, etc.)

In portfolio or individual transactions, our interdisciplinary teams support both the buyer and the seller with their combined knowledge. From a large number of corporate and real estate transactions, we know the processes involved in transactions and the parties’ needs down to the smallest detail. A specialized transaction team will support you with a wide range of advisory services and guarantees a successful conclusion. We take into account all relevant framework data – financial, performance, tax and legal. Where appropriate, we expand our expertise to also include technical knowledge.

Our services:

• Advice on asset and portfolio transactions
• Support in purchase contract and financing negotiations
• Advice on the design of financing structures, acquisition financing
• Due diligence (financial, tax, legal, commercial), buy-side or sell-side
• Company and real estate valuation
• Post acquisition support

The range of consulting services in this area covers all phases of a property’s life cycle. From financing, land acquisition, project development, planning and construction to management, letting and sale. We support all parties involved: national and international companies, brokers, investors, banks, insurance companies and the public sector.

Our experts advise on the implementation of complex fund structures as well as on the drafting of purchase agreements or the preparation of an IPO. If the situation requires it, we call in other specialized lawyers from other areas of law, for example, capital markets and corporate law, as well as auditors, tax advisors or business consultants in order to develop a holistic solution.

Our services:

• Contract design (purchase agreements, property development contracts, commercial leases)
• Advice on (portfolio) transactions
• Legal due diligence
• Assistance with IPOs
• Legal advice for REITs (corporate and capital market law)
• Advising real estate funds on structuring and financing issues
• Advice on project development
• Asset management
• Receivership of real estate and restructuring of distressed real estate funds
• Implementation of institutional administrations for credit institutions
• Public law (public building law, specialist planning, planning approval, real estate regulations and reallocation, soil protection law and contaminated sites, development and development contribution law)
• PPP contract drafting
• Drafting of property encumbrances
• Drafting commercial rental and lease agreements

Commercial real estate trading, real estate transfer tax and VAT consequences are some of the tax-related pitfalls real estate investors need to be aware of. 

Real estate continues to be the most popular class of investments – both as a direct investment and as a real estate fund. In addition to domestic real estate, real estate abroad also offers attractive returns. Providers of open and closed-ended real estate funds as well as private and institutional investors need advisors with experience and foresight to ensure their real estate investments’ economic success.

We offer tailor-made concepts for every form of real estate investment. Benefit from our broad range of one-stop advisory services for your investment.

Our services for real estate investments

• Preparation of profitability and liquidity forecasts
• Support and advice in the purchase phase
• Structuring of funds
• Fund prospectuses
• Prospectus review
• Monitoring the use of funds
• Fiduciary activities
• Preparation of accounting and annual financial statements
• Tax and legal advice
• Audit of annual financial statements
• Advice on liquidation