Your Platform for Real Estate Funds
Global
Transparent
Tailor-Made
Your Platform for Real Estate Funds
Institutional investors such as pension funds or insurance companies can tap into the expertise of our team of over 100 real estate fund specialists. With decades of expertise in structuring, launching, and administering globally diversified real estate funds, our professionals operate across Universal Investment's platforms in Germany, Luxembourg, and Ireland. We offer a wide range of vehicles, investment structures, jurisdictions, and service models. If needed, we can also
provide selected administrative tasks, such as accounting and reporting, tailored to your needs.
Our mission is to provide in-depth expertise in the practical implementation of ESG-based real estate strategies. As a one-stop shop, we connect you with a wide network of professional partners.
- Open- and closed-end real estate funds compliant with German or Luxembourg law, available as German institutional AIFs or master funds
- Option to contribute of properties into co-ownership fund or a German investment limited partnership
- Domestic or global structures covering various asset types and risk classes
- Support in developing a sustainability strategy, including regulatory compliance (e.g., for funds under Article 6, 8 or 9 of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation)
One-Stop-Shop: Key Benefits and Strengths
We are specialists in both funds and real estate. With extensive expertise and years of experience, we provide end-to-end support in structuring and administering real estate funds, executing global real estate transactions (in collaboration with local transaction advisors), and navigating administrative and regulatory requirements. As a one-stop shop, we take care of every aspect involved in real estate funds.
Client-oriented
Quality-focused
Sustainable
International
Market-leading
Real Estate in Figures
33.8
1.800
53
>55
As of December 2024
As an independent fund services platform, we offer institutional investors a holistic service approach tailored to their individual requirements.
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Tailored Fund Conception
- Support in establishing funds and developing sustainability strategies for German-, Luxembourg- and Irleand-domiciled institutional AIFs and master funds, including tailored segments for individual asset managers, if required
- Optimal fund structuring in full compliance with regulatory requirements
- Assistance in obtaining the distribution licenses from the relevant supervisory authorities (BaFin, CSSF, CBI)
- Technical fund setup, including contract drafting (with SLAs); account opening; and coordination with depositaries
- Structured, streamlined onboarding of asset managers and investors
- Access to a broad network of experienced partners, including custodians, property valuers, ESG-consultants
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Global Real Estate Portfolio Management
- Review of portfolio strategy with a focus on regulatory/contractual fundamentals
- Review of purchase, sale, and loan agreements for international real estate investments
- Corporate investment management, including oversight of tax- and legally- optimised investment structures, and provision of managing directors
- Real estate valuation services
- Extensive network of specialised service providers, including surveyors and accountants
- Ongoing support across all aspects of real estate investing
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Professional Fund Administration
- Fund accounting: Preparation of monthly and annual financial statements, including annual reports
- Taxes: Assistance in compiling tax data and preparing tax reports
- Liquidity management: Preparation of capital calls and distributions
- Reporting: Comprehensive reporting for real estate, fund, and regulatory purposes; access to our online reporting tool PowerPortal
- Risk management: Risk controlling and stress tests
- Additional services: Coordination of required approvals from supervisory authorities and depositaries; communication and coordination with external service providers
We leverage our global real estate expertise to support institutional investors in executing their investment strategies. Our commitment includes actively supporting and monitoring global real estate transactions (in cooperation with the required due diligence service providers).
Since the launch of our real estate platform in 2011, assets under administration have habe grown to more than 33.8 billion euros (gross fund assets as of December 2024), reflecting the strong trust our clients place in us.
From Direct Holding to Co-ownership.
Given the increasing legal and regulatory requirements – as well as the complexity of property management (e.g. the risk of “Stranded Assets) – directly holding real estate is becoming more challenging. In addition, hidden reserves cannot be utilised, and depreciation and amortisation of the properties reduce the distributable income.
One solution is to contribute properties to an open-ended domestic structure (Spezial-AIF under §284 KAGB) through a capital management company, set up as a Co-ownership fund. This model allows for the strategic optimisation of the real estate portfolio creates space for the portfolio’s optimization, whether from a balance sheet, financial, or structural perspective – all without changing legal ownership.
Transferring properties into a Co-ownership fund does not incur property transfer tax, as the investor retains ownership. The KVG (ManCo) only receives the right to dispose of the assets – including land register entry. The KVG also assumes responsibility for fund administration. In return, the investor receives shares of the Spezial-AIF, which can be recognised directly on the balance sheet – with no consolidation requirement, as per §290 of the German Commercial Code (HGB).
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