The stellar growth in property as an asset class in South Africa, coupled with heightened awareness of land and property issues as part of the upliftment of communities in the country has resulted in a particular demand for expertise in property law, both in the public and private sector.

The Real Estate Practice's combination of extensive experience and keen insight into immovable property law has proven invaluable to a number of our clients, including major domestic and international financial institutions, listed and unlisted corporations, property developers and property brokers, the commercial, industrial and residential real estate sectors and private individuals.

We currently represent a range of clients including black empowerment companies, national property groups, banks, investment companies, national chain stores, local government, and insurance companies to name but a few. In recent years the Cape Town tourist boom, the unprecedented growth of the local leisure and entertainment industries, and the influx of international investors into our region have opened up new areas of interest and practice for The Firm in the property arena.

We are always cognisant of the underlying commercial transaction behind the legal documents and thus we ensure a quick turnaround without sacrificing a comprehensive and thorough service.

The practice has extensive experience in the following areas:

• Deeds of sale (residential and commercial);
• Transfers (including liquidation, auction, deceased estate, court orders);
• Registration of notarial & mortgage bonds;
• Loan agreements for property transactions;
• Structuring of property transactions;
• Securitisation of property purchases;
• Registration of Servitudes;
• Commercial and Residential developments (sectional title and freehold);
• Supervision of purchases;
• Sectional Title and Share block schemes;
• Project development/joint venture consultancy;
• Property joint ventures;
• Letting of property;
• Structured finance;
• Proclamation of townships;
• Hotel developments;
• Timeshare schemes;
• Rental pool schemes.

Recently, the practice has provided legal advice on a number of significant property transactions, including: the transfer of properties in excess of R500 million rand for the listing of the Siyathenga Property Fund, and the transfer of about 80 properties valued at R1.4 billion from Transnet Retirement Funds Property Trust to Pangbourne Properties Limited, being one of the largest property transactions in the property industry.

Clients

Some of our clients include: Absa Commercial Property Finance, Pangbourne Properties Limited, Siyathenga, Sipan and iFour.

Panels

Some of the panels that we are on include:

• Absa Commercial Property Finance
• Absa General Advisory
• Absa Capital
• Absa Business and Corporate Banking
• Absa Personal Banking
• Absa Human Resources
• BOE Private Clients
• Eskom
• Investec
• Nedbank Commercial Property Finance
• First National Bank Commercial Property Finance
• Standard Bank Commercial Property Finance

For more information please click here to read the section on "Real Estate" in Investing in South Africa.