Residential Real Estate

Even for the most experienced homeowner, developer or investor, buying and selling residential property can still be uncertain and difficult. We balance your personal, legal and commercial needs to make the outcome successful and worry-free.

We handle all aspects of acquiring, financing and selling properties for individuals to investment companies with large residential portfolios and fund managers engaged in their residential property transactions.

Whether it’s dealing with a property in a prime city location, a new-build home, country house or estates or an entire property investment portfolio, through agents or at auction, we will help your transaction run smoothly.

As members of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme, you can be confident of our expertise.

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Enfranchisement and variation

Leasehold enfranchisement is a complex area of law. It gives you the right to purchase the freehold of your house, to extend the lease of your flat or to collectively enfranchise and buy the freehold with others.

We can advise on whether the leaseholders of your building are entitled to acquire the freehold from your landlord. We’ll set out the qualifying conditions and explain how the lessees should make contributions towards the purchase price and costs, via a Participation Agreement.

Our residential property and corporate lawyers are very experienced in helping with this type of transaction.

Residential Development

Our clients range from smaller property developers to some of the UK’s leading housebuilders, and we act for several large developers as the recommended lawyers for purchasers and investors.

Although our focus is on London and South East, we receive instructions for developments throughout the UK and internationally. We work with partners and lawyers in our wider real estate team, covering planning, construction, and estate management.

We understand the commercial necessity of a fast turnaround in exchanging and completing on plot sales. Our case management process is fast and efficient and follows best practice. This takes the pressure off you as the developer, since you can rely on us to lead the transactions once the heads of terms are agreed, and help you meet the exchange deadlines.

We can support you with:

• site acquisition
• funding
• site assembly
• construction, including litigation
• development, planning and environmental issues
• litigation
• commercial and contract issues
• residential and mixed-use new build projects
• sales and disposal

Variation

There are several reasons why you may need to change a lease with a formal deed of variation. Often it’s discovering there’s an error in the lease. Or it may have been granted a long time ago and no longer complies with today’s legal practice. We frequently draw up deeds of variation and can help you with yours.

New-build Property Purchases

Buying a new-build property is typically more complex than an existing property. Timescales for exchanging contracts are tighter, stamp duty rules may differ, and you may need to commit to the purchase before the build.

You need lawyers experienced in this area, to ensure you secure full legal ownership of your new home and to look out for any adverse provisions. From reservation to completion, we’ll give you reassurance and help progress the transaction smoothly and quickly.

We can help you with all leasehold developments and freehold purchases. Whether you’re buying, part-exchanging or tying the sale of an existing property to your new-build, our experience and developer relationships will make the process as seamless as possible.

Investment

the acquisition and the best way of structuring and financing the transaction. We work with our corporate and commercial teams to creating the ideal purchase vehicle and set up joint ventures, partnerships and real estate funds.

We advise UK-based and offshore clients, including listed companies, private companies, individuals, LLPs, trusts, funds and general partnerships. We work on all facets of investment transactions – acquisition, leasing, management and disposal of real estate investment assets, and the sale and purchase of residential property.

Wealth management

We can help with:

• tax and estate planning of your property portfolio to ensure tax efficiency, working with our private wealth team
• managing property portfolios that generate income or funds for beneficiaries, working with family trusts and offices, wealth managers and pension funds
• transferring assets or liquidating companies, particularly overseas, for tax planning purposes
• acquiring property in companies or trusts, and extracting them (de-enveloping) to minimise tax liability and your operating costs.

Finance

We work closely with major banks and other leading property lenders on every aspect of property finance. Whether you’re a lender or borrower, our residential finance lawyers can advise on the most secure structure for your transaction.

We conduct due diligence, acting for both borrower and lender on private finance transactions for development work or repeat financing arrangements.

We’ll also help you with:

• a re-mortgage
• moving to a lender with a better interest rate
• releasing equity in your property
• consolidating your financial commitments.

We have advised on re-mortgages for many years, for investment and owner/occupier properties. It means we understand how to ensure a smooth transition and deal with early redemption penalties when you leave your current lenders.