Real Estate Finance

Financing is perhaps more important to the real estate industry than most. The link between the availability of finance and real estate asset values was all too clear during the worst of the global financial crises. Real estate continues to be an area with significant scope for growth in the Asia Pacific region with the industry facing the challenges of urban consolidation and competition for development sites, as well as the consolidation of industry participants. Recently, we have witnessed foreign interest in the Australian real estate market with many foreign players having an appetite for Australian assets. All of this suggests an ongoing demand for debt finance in the real estate sector and an active real estate finance market into the future.

Real estate finance is a strength of Minter Ellison. Our real estate finance group are market leaders on all aspects of real estate financing from structuring through to dispute resolution. We advise a broad range of market participants, acting for senior and mezzanine debt providers, borrowers, issuers, sponsors and REITs.

We regularly structure and execute complex construction and development finance transactions across the residential, retail, commercial, industrial, hotel and tourism and aged care sectors, often involving joint venture or co-ownership arrangements and public private partnerships. We have had leading roles in a number of landmark urban renewal projects.

We are also active in the financing of REITs (both listed and wholesale) and managed investment schemes and have acted for the financiers in many of the significant A-REIT debt transactions (and restructures) over the past few years.

Our debt capital markets team regularly acts for real estate industry participants in DCM raisings including commercial mortgage backed securities and bond issues.

Recent Work
Publications
Awards & Recognition
Syndicated Construction Facility - Central Park, Sydney

Advised on A$550 million syndicated construction facility for the first four stages of the Frasers Property Group (Singapore) / Sekisui House (Japan) joint venture development of Central Park, Sydney. When complete the site will comprise approximately 11 buildings, 1900 residential apartments, student housing, a hotel, a 16,000sqm multi-level retail centre and a 75,000sqm commercial office campus, including a precinct-wide tri-generation plant and water treatment facility.

Revolving Cash Advance & Bank Guarantee Facilities - SCA Property Group

Advised on the stablishment of a A$150 million revolving cash advance and bank guarantee facilities to the newly-formed SCA Property Group in connection with the spin-off of Woolworths' property portfolio in Australia and New Zealand (consisting of 69 neighbourhood, sub-regional and freestanding shopping centres) valued at approximately A$1.4 billion.

Syndicated Facility - Charter Hall Office REIT Takeover

Advised on A$1 billion syndicated facilities in connection with the takeover of ASX-listed Charter Hall Office REIT by scheme of arrangement, by a consortium comprising Public Sector Pension Investment Board, Reco Ambrosia Pte Ltd and Charter Hall Property Trust.

Term Debt Facilities - Riverside Hamilton Harbour

Acted for Commonwealth Bank of Australia in relation to A$132 million construction and term debt facilities to a joint venture between the Leighton Property Group and the Devine Group in connection with the 'Riverside Hamilton Harbour' precinct development in Brisbane.

Syndicated Facility - Prima Tower

Advised on the provision of a syndicated facility of $275 million to a joint venture comprising PDG Corporation and the Schiavello Group for the construction at Queensbridge Road, Southbank, Victoria of the residential apartment tower to be known as 'Prima Tower', comprising approximately 678 residential apartments.