Practice Strengths

Our Real Estate Asset Program (REAP) lawyers assist businesses through the evaluation of their real estate and facility portfolios -- to identify ways to gain fiscal, management and financial value. Additionally, we assist businesses in managing their real estate holdings so the companies can focus on core business objectives. Our goal is to convert real estate holdings from a liability to a performing asset.

Asset Program
Although some business entities view real estate as ancillary to their core businesses or as an inevitable expense, innovative management of corporate property and facilities poses tremendous real impact opportunities for both cost savings and core industry advantage. We can assist in lease negotiations, corporate relocations, acquisitions, dispositions, financings, tax incentives and many other creative ways to create value.

Portfolio Evaluation
Our experience has revealed that many companies decentralize the treatment of real estate assets due to its transactional and regional nature leading to missed opportunities. Our REAP lawyers evaluate your portfolio as a whole, considering lease arrangements, occupancy, excess space, locations, tax and environmental considerations.

Our recommendations have included creative methods for maximizing property use, alternative ownership structures, and the utilization of tax incentives and abatement programs.

Portfolio Management and Advisory Services
We can function as your global real estate portfolio advisor and manager, through our comprehensive experience and multi-office locations. The REAP team comprises lawyers from our multi-disciplinary practice areas, including real estate, tax, environmental, litigation and estate planning. We will offer strategic planning for your real estate operating structure and process, and counsel you in assessing excess properties and coordinate the disposition of the same. Our preferred provider relationships make us a leader in outsourcing management.

Real Estate Holdings
Our team can assist you in most aspects of owning, leasing and financing your headquarters, multi-locations, distribution facilities and/or production centers.  Our multi-office practice covers most locales within the United States, offering centralized service.

Our goal is to be the single source for your real estate portfolio management needs.

Leadership in Action

Real Estate Finance: Achieving advantages in connection with relocation of distribution facility

Client: National mail order produce supplier

Type of Matter: Real Estate Finance

Our Client's Challenge:  Secure development grants and favorable tax treatment in connection with relocation of regional distribution facility

The Goal:  Negotiate with Ohio Department of Development to achieve client's goals.

Our Strategy:  On the ground meetings and creation of competition between potential sites.

Results: Ohio Department of Development low-interest loan, job creation tax credits, training grants, equipment grants and 75%, ten-year personal property tax abatement and 100%, fifteen-year real property tax abatement and establishment of local enterprise zone for $40 million refrigerated distribution facility.

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About Our Real Estate Team

Baker Hostetler's Real Estate team has a history of getting projects developed and deals done. Our firm has the multidisciplinary strengths to solve all the complex contractual, environmental and tax problems that can arise in single-use or multi-use developments. We regularly work on multimillion dollar projects, and our team includes lawyers recognized by their peers as being at the top of their game.