Real Estate Finance

At Simmons & Simmons, we are your global partners in real estate finance. Our extensive network spans Europe, the Middle East and Asia. We have the commitment, resources, experience and know how to get deals done, whatever and wherever they are.

We advise a diverse client base, including top-tier UK banks, leading international investment banks, insurance lenders, alternative lenders, debt funds, private wealth lenders and an extensive base of investors and developers. Our team, recognised experts in navigating complex matters, delivers comprehensive solutions in a broad range of transactions including high-value investment and development deals involving real estate assets in the UK and overseas, senior and mezzanine financings, private credit, real estate restructuring and insolvency work and back leveraged transactions.

• ‘Strength and depth in knowledge and the team has a deep bench. More importantly, the ability to work from a commercial and solution orientated perspective.’
• ‘Very responsive and reliable and able to handle large portfolio deals as well as acting on smaller more asset management type workstreams.
• ‘A very well-organised and coherent team’
• ‘Great team, really good at getting a deal closed and managing transactions.’

Legal 500 2024

Specialist Expertise

With our local knowledge and extensive international network of offices and multidisciplinary teams, we are well placed to navigate our clients through complex regulatory frameworks for optimal structuring of local and cross-border real estate finance transactions.

Investment

With extensive experience in the field, we specialise in financing the acquisition and refinancing of a diverse range of investment properties. Our expertise encompasses all asset classes from office spaces, retail units, mixed-use and leisure facilities to distribution centres, industrial and business parks, including landmark buildings and large portfolios.

Development

Representing lenders, owners, and developers, we excel in managing a wide range of development finance transactions. Our expertise spans from facilitating large scale “ground up” developments to refurbishment and capex projects. We work closely with our large team of construction experts to identify and effectively manage construction risks.

Student accommodation

We have advised on leading student accommodation projects including structuring and advising on development and investment facilities, equity investments and bond financing for both on-campus and off-campus projects, and involving leases and hard and soft nomination arrangements.

Healthcare and life sciences

We have broad experience across the healthcare sector, financing the acquisition and development of research facilities, hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities using a number of financing techniques such as whole business securitisations, sale and leasebacks, PFI/PPP and leveraged buy outs.

Retirement living

We are well-positioned in this growing market and have advised on complex financing and refinancing transactions for lenders and borrowers, including green loan financing for energy-efficient retirement villages.

Hotels and leisure

We act for owners, operators and financiers in connection with secured and unsecured financings, securitisations, hotel and restaurant management arrangements, asset management, franchising, branding, regulatory advice, and dispute resolution in the hotels and leisure sector.

Real estate funds and debt funds

With our market leading Asset Management & Investment Funds practice we advise on the establishment of all forms of real estate funds (closed- and open-ended, corporate and partnership, onshore and offshore) and debt funds (including specialist tax and regulatory structuring) and related financings including, loan on loan financing structures, fund level equity bridge facilities and capital call facilities and asset level financings.

Private credit

Our clients include private credit real estate funds and other alternative investment funds of all sizes who originate UK and international commercial real estate finance loans. Our strong experience in back leverage facilities allows us to offer tailored legal advice to our clients to help put in place funding that will support them in their origination strategy.

Loan on loan/Back leverage

Our real estate finance and securitisation teams work seamlessly together to advise on commercial real estate loan on loan or "back leverage" transactions. Our team is well placed to advise our clients (both bank and sponsor side clients) on optimal transaction structuring for single and portfolio loan on loan and warehouse line transactions.

Capital markets

Acting for originating lenders, issuers, borrowers, rating agencies, loan servicers and more, we structure, arrange, restructure and repackage a range of capital market transactions, including agency and conduit securitisations, B notes and junior pieces in capital structures involving both single assets and portfolios.

Corporate loans

We act for lenders and borrowers in the property sector in connection with their working capital and unsecured borrowing requirements.

Islamic and Shariah structures

We advise conventional and Shariah-compliant financial institutions, fund managers, financial advisors and corporates globally on all aspects of Islamic finance. With our presence in the Middle East and a deep understanding of Shariah principles and close relationships with many of the world’s leading Shariah scholars, we offer a leading capability in advanced Islamic product development and transaction management.

Distressed real estate

We regularly represent a diverse range of stakeholders, including senior and mezzanine lenders, agents and insolvency office holders, in all aspects of security, restructuring and enforcement. Our services span from initial security review and strategy development to the appointment of administrators, asset disposal, and advising on restructurings outside formal insolvency processes.

Distressed and non-performing loan portfolios

We regularly act for sellers, purchasers and funders in connection with all aspects of trading distressed and non-performing loan portfolios and bonds including running and managing bidding processes and data rooms for sellers, due diligence for purchasers and their funders and structuring and executing the sale and purchase of single loans and portfolios and bonds.