Real Estate in Israel and Germany
The real estate department of our firm provides comprehensive legal support and consultation on a wide range of real estate transactions, including sales and lease agreements for apartments, private houses, lots, estates, shops and businesses in Israel as well as in Germany. We will also handle sharing agreements or dissolution claims in real estate, registering nots in the land registry, gift agreements and provide advice in the field of real estate taxation including the filing of objections and appeals.
The fact that the firm avails of a German speaking notary usually enables a quick and cost-effective realization of cross border transactions on real estate.
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1. Real Estate Transactions in Israel
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Our team avails of extensive experience in working with foreign clients wishing to purchase or sell real estate in Israel. On the side of the purchaser, we will thoroughly investigate the asset you wish to purchase, will calculate the real estate purchase tax for you well before you sign the transaction. When on the side of the seller, we will evaluate in advance, if necessary, together with your tax adviser at home, the tax burden on the relevant transaction.
Our real estate department has extensive experience in dealing with the taxation aspects applicable to real estate transactions in Israel and abroad.
We maintain long-standing relations with relevant authorities in Israel, including land registrars, the Israeli Land Authority, tax authorities, planning and construction committees, municipalities and other governmental bodies. Our goal is to ensure the quick and efficient execution of the transaction to the satisfaction of the client.
Besides the handling of real estate transactions, our firm has been representing clients in real estate-related lawsuits for many years. We handle claims for declaratory relief regarding ownership of real estate, breach of a real estate agreement, breach of a lease agreement, liquidation of land sharing and the cancellation of a transfer or mortgage.
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2. Real Estate Transactions in Germany
Our firm has been advising foreign and Israeli clients in performing real estate transactions in Germany and Switzerland. Our education and extensive experience in these jurisdictions as well as in Israel enables us to provide our clients with tailored advice taking into account the regulatory framework of each state involved in the transaction.
Our firm maintains long-standing relations with the relevant authorities in Germany and Switzerland and, of course, avails of notarial services in German and French.
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3. Real Estate Taxation
In particular where an estate includes one or several real estate assets, it is advisable to appoint an estate administrator who will be able to manage these assets until an inheritance certificate is obtained and will distribute them subsequently between the heirs as set out in the will.
Under Israeli law, the estate administrator is under supervision of the family court and has to file regular reports on her activity. Her task is usually to locate the estate assets, to manage them on an ongoing basis (such as managing a company or renting out real estate), locate the heirs, pay the debts of the estate, collect payments from third parties for the estate and to finally distribute the assets between the heirs.
Our firm has acted as an estate administrator in numerous cases including complex estates with a large number of assets and heirs in several jurisdictions. Our lawyers are all fluent in German, English and French and knowledgeable in various European jurisdictions, such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which enables them to effectively co-operate with the foreign authorities and communicate with the heirs domiciled abroad.
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