Real Estate

OUR CLIENTS

Thanks to our extensive expertise we work with every category of player, Belgian and foreign, on the property market: investors (for example Belgian and foreign investment funds and closed-end real estate funds), developers, corporate users, retailers, contractors and consultants, high net worth individuals, public and governmental entities.

OUR APPROACH

We emphasize clear, practical but sound solutions regardless of the complexity of the matter. Being cost-effective is essential to us. We make sure that we understand our clients’ objectives and their internal decision processes, we anticipate the issues and tailor our services accordingly in order to achieve the best possible results.

OUR TEAM

Our core real estate practice is led by partner Yves Delacroix. The team works closely with the firm’s other practices, in particular the tax department, the regulatory department (city planning and environment) and the corporate and finance department, each of which is likewise renowned as being amongst the best in the country.

Altogether our firm counts some 25 specialists in the real estate sector who are experts in all legal disciplines intrinsic to real estate.

OUR SERVICES

We cover all aspects within the sector: retail and leisure property, office property, industrial property (warehouses and industrial sites) and residential property (generally acting for professional companies or firms active in the residential property market).

We assist Belgian and foreign clients at all stages of their property projects whether the need is for advice, drafting and negotiation of documentation, or dispute-resolution.

Our services include:

Up-front audits
We carry out due diligence to enable our clients to assess the risks of a real estate project and advise how to exclude or mitigate them.

The structuring of real estate projects
In close collaboration with the specialized Real Estate Tax Group we advise clients about possible structures (options, asset or share deals, acquisition or assignment of real rights, split-sales, sale & leaseback transactions). We also assist them with negotiating and drafting agreements and other documentation for their projects.

Negotiation and drafting of occupancy contracts
Leases, long leases, financial leases, building rights, rights of use, and others.

Tax aspects
We devote particular attention to tax aspects. Together with our specialized Real Estate Tax Group we also help clients apply for a tax ruling when necessary.

Assistance in relation to permits and soil
Our regular contacts with the relevant authorities enable us to assist clients efficiently in the process of obtaining the necessary permits for a project (town and planning and environmental permits, socio-economic permits).

Finance
Together with our banking and finance department we advise clients about all aspects of financing a development or acquisition project, including the relevant securities.

Negotiation and drafting of contracts with the parties involved in the construction or marketing process
Builders, architects, project managers, real estate brokers, and others.

Litigation.