Tag: plots

The Reuben Brothers Buy 5 Plots of Land in Mallorca

4 January 2019 – Eje Prime

The Reuben brothers are continuing to invest in Spain. The British billionaire businessmen Simon and David Reuben have purchased five plots of land in Manacor (Mallorca). The price of the operation is not known nor is the identity of the former owner.

The plots are located close to the house and tennis academy of Rafael Nadal and include 1.5 kilometres of beach, a natural lake and several caves, according to Voz Pópuli. The Reuben brothers will be able to build on their new plots, although parts of them are protected.

With this new operation, the Reuben Brothers are increasing their commitment to the Spanish real estate sector. Just a month ago, the group submitted the highest bid to acquire Santander’s Ciudad Financiera in Madrid.

The investment manager also has assets in sectors such as luxury real estate, including the Portosole Sanremo marina in Italy and the British racetrack company Arena Racing Company. The Reuben brothers’ fortune amounts to more than USD 14.2 billion (€12.4 billion), according to Forbes, which places them in 75th position in the ranking of the richest people in the world.

Original story: Eje Prime 

Translation: Carmel Drake

Inditex Caused the Ministry of Development’s Results to Soar in Galicia in 2017

13 November 2018 – Economía Digital

Inditex purchased more square metres of land from the Ministry of Development’s land manager than the Xunta sells in one year. In a single transaction, the company owned by Amancio Ortega acquired 218,000 m2 of land last year spread over 26 plots on the A Laracha industrial estate (A Coruña) from the company Suelo Empresarial del Atlántico, controlled by the department led by José Luis Ábalos.

The implementation of the multinational’s new logistics hub to complement the group’s central complex in Arteixo, multiplied the revenues and profits of the Ministry of Development’s land manager, which has 13 industrial estates up for sale in Galicia, but which faces serious difficulties when it comes to selling the plots unless it offers them  significant discounts.

The Inditex effect: revenues multiplied by six

Last year, Suelo Empresarial del Atlántico multiplied its revenues by six, up from €2.5 million in 2016 to €15.7 million in 2017. Of that amount, €13.4 million proceeded from the plots sold in A Laracha, the industrial estate chosen by Inditex. The remainder (€1.1 million) was invoiced in Rianxo or was received through subsidies to the business parks of Cee, Muros, Vimianzo and Rianxo itself, given that the entity is a recipient of European funds.

The dependence on a single operation in 2017, the one involving Inditex, shows the difficulties faced when it comes to finding companies to set up shop in Galicia, both for the property developer of the Xunta, which in just two years since its creation has sold 200,000 m2, as well as for the Suelo Empresarial del Atlántico, formerly Plan Galicia promoted by José María Aznar in 2003 to compensate the Prestige disaster.

The purchases by the textile giant also caused the profits of the land manager to soar, up from €53,554 to €444,500, an eight-fold rise. Suelo Empresarial del Atlántico is owned by the Xunta (15%) and by Abanca (1.6%), although the bulk of its share capital, more than 83%, is in the hands of the Ministry of Development through the Public Land Management Company (‘Entidad Pública Empresarial de Suelo’ or Sepes) (…).

Original story: Economía Digital (by Rubén Rodríguez)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Dragados is Asking for c. €180M for 88,000 m2 Buildable Plot in Tetuán (Madrid)

6 August 2018 – El Confidencial

A new and powerful land operation is taking shape in the centre of the Spanish capital. The star is Dragados, one of the heavyweights in the construction sector in Spain. The subsidiary of ACS has been trying to sell several plots, which together span a buildable surface area of just over 80,000 m2, on Paseo de la Dirección in the Tetuán district in the north of Madrid and just 2 km from the Cuatro Torres, for almost a year. And this area has just received the green light from the Town Hall of Madrid, which approved a Partial Plan on Tuesday that will undoubtedly favour land transactions since it means the urban planning risk has disappeared.

According to the sources consulted, the plots have been on the market for a year, but the high price expectations of Dragados – which amount to around €180 million – have prevented the sale from being closed, until now. Large property developers, investment funds and family offices have all expressed their interest. The construction company is being advised by Colliers International, which declined to comment on the deal.

On the table is a real gem, given that the plots are all finalist, in other words, ready to be built on. Such assets are in very short supply inside the M-30. Specifically, the site comprises two plots for the construction of private housing and two other plots for the construction of social housing properties (VPPL) and mixed-use assets (offices and tertiary).

For the former, which have a buildability of around 40,000 m2, Dragados is asking for around €2,500/m2 (…), in other words, around €100 million, which would make it one of the largest land operations in the capital in recent months. “That price would mean selling the future homes at prices of around €5,000/m2, which is way above current market prices in the area”, say the same sources. House prices in the area amount to around €2,400/m2 – €3,000/m2, depending on the types of homes.

For the plots to be used for social housing and offices – which also have a buildability of approximately 40,000 0m2 – the vendor’s price expectations amount to around €80 million. Despite the boom in the capital, these figures exceed the prices that the potentially interested parties are willing to pay.

Ten years in the making

With the approval this Tuesday from the Town Hall of the new planning order for the area, it seems that finally, and after more than a decade, work is going to begin on this ambitious urban remodelling project. It will involve the construction of around 2,000 new homes, most of which will be protected in some way (VPPB and VPPL), including two rehousing buildings and several 25-storey towers. To put that into context, the Cuatro Torres have between 45 and 58 floors (…).

Historically, Paseo de la Dirección has been a downtrodden area in the north of Madrid with numerous substandard homes that would benefit greatly from the definitive launch of Madrid Nuevo Norte – formerly Operación Chamartín – just 2km away. What’s more, the site is very close to the capital’s financial district par excellence, Azca, as well as to Plaza Castilla, the hub for much of Madrid’s land transport network (…).

Original story: El Confidencial (by E. Sanz & R. Ugalde)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Quabit Invests €15M Buying Land in Madrid & Málaga to Build 320 Homes

10 July 2018 – Eje Prime

Quabit is continuing to expand in Spain. The property developer is pushing ahead with its growth plan and, to this end, has completed the purchase of new plots of land in Estepona (Málaga) as well as in the Madrilenian towns of Azuqueca de Henares and San Agustín de Guadalix, for a total investment of €15.2 million. On these plots, the property developer will be able to build 320 new homes.

The operation follows another that the firm recently signed in Menorca, where it acquired a portfolio of residential land for €24.6 million. During the first half of the year, the company led and controlled by Félix Abánades (pictured above) invested €32 million in new land in total.

On these surface areas for residential use, which span a buildable area of 108,3000 m2, Quabit is going to build almost 900 homes, with a forecast turnover of €162 million.

Since the company launched its strategic plan 2017-2020, the real estate company has invested almost €200 million in the purchase of land for the construction of 4,850 homes. If we add those units to the ones still to be developed, the company has already fulfilled 75% of its development objective for 2022, which amounts to 7,900 homes.

Currently, Quabit has 45 developments up for sale with almost 3,300 homes being marketed, after ending 2017 with 1,700 units under construction located all over Spain. The property developer’s land bank exceeds 1.1 million m2 of buildable space, with capacity for the development of up to 8,800 homes.

Original story: Eje Prime 

Translation: Carmel Drake

Aedas Homes Exceeds its Annual Land Purchase Target by 182% in First 6 Months of 2018

8 July 2018 – Expansión

The property developer Aedas Homes has acquired land for the development of more than 1,900 homes during the first six months of 2018, which means that it has exceeded by 182% the target that the company set itself for the whole of the year, which forecast the purchase of raw materials for 1,042 units.

In a statement to Spain’s National Securities and Markets Commission (CNMV), Aedas Homes describes that it closed a total of 16 investments amounting to €96.6 million between January and June, buying up land located in the three provinces in which it already operates (Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia) and in two new provinces (Granada and Valladolid), whose management will depend on the Regional Teams in Andalucía and the Centre, respectively.

The purchases undertaken by Aedas Homes have involved an investment of around €51,000 per home in land, an amount that includes the costs of converting all of the portfolio into ‘ready to build’. By area, the unit costs have amounted to €69,100 in Madrid, €55,900 in Valencia, €55,500 in Valladolid, €50,700 in Granada and €36,800 in Sevilla.

“These operations are undoubtedly the best example of the investment discipline of Aedas Homes, based on the search for and acquisition of opportunities that offer high returns”, said the Director of Strategy and Investment at the property developer, Sergio Gálvez, who described the current climate tor the acquisition of land as “magnificent”.

In this sense, he highlighted that the company has closed one operation every ten days and has almost doubled the target forecast for the whole year. “Our vision of the market reinforces the plan to continue with new investments as we identify new business opportunities that meet our strict investment criteria”, he added.

In terms of the new enclaves in which Aedas has acquired its first plots, Gálvez highlighted that they are markets “in clear recovery and real estate expansion”, and he added that in each city, the firm has focused on areas “with the greatest demand and with a shortage of supply in terms of new build properties and land”, thanks to the local knowledge of its Regional Teams and the advantage of having been monitoring these markets for many years.

Original story: Expansión

Translation: Carmel Drake

Realia Starts Building Homes with the Launch of 5 Developments

1 July 2018 – Expansión

The real estate company controlled by Carlos Slim has resumed its property development business with the launch of five new promotions, comprising 594 homes that, when they are handed over, will generate revenues of €208 million.

Realia is planning to continue to launch new developments on the portfolio of land that it owns, but it is also investing in new plots, such as the one it purchased recently from the Ministry of Defence in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) for €27.5 million.

This is the first acquisition of land that the company made since the Mexcian magnate took control, which saw it join the wave of investments that companies in this area are undertaking in the land segment in light of the reactivation of the sector.

Nevertheless, after Realia stopped building homes at the beginning of the crisis, it now has a land portfolio spanning 1.85 million m2. The company says that it now has some of these plots under development in Madrid, Cataluña and Levante, areas that currently account for the greatest demand in terms of housing.

The real estate company includes the launch of new developments as a key strategy in the new phase that it is undertaking following the clean-up carried out since Slim acquired his share capital

This week, at its General Shareholders’ Meeting, Realia said that it is “ready” for the new real estate cycle, following the reduction and restructuring of its debt and the cutback in expenses, measures that it considers “are already reflected in the income statement”.

Original story: Expansión

Translation: Carmel Drake

Former Bacardi Factory Plots in Málaga to go up for Sale for €15M

7 June 2018 – La Opinión de Málaga

Yesterday, the consultancy firm Savills Aguirre Newman announced the upcoming sale of almost 75,000 m2 of land on the site of the former Bacardi factory in Málaga, an operation for which it is acting as the broker and which could reach a market value of around €15 million.

The land, which is classified as buildable industrial, could prove very attractive for investors, given the current lack of available spaces of this kind in Málaga on which to locate industrial or logistics facilities. The director of the consultancy in Málaga, José Félix Pérez-Peña, described the land as “one of a kind”, despite the fact that it is located on the Guadalhorce flood plan, and mentioned several high-profile “international funds” as possible interested parties. The consultancy firm, which indicated that the plots will come onto the market “soon” is placing the focus on the use of the site for office buildings.

Another attractive plot that Savills Aguirre Newman is brokering the sale of is the former Salyt brick factory, spanning almost 13,000 m2, although it is still unknown whether that will be allocated to industrial or commercial use. A Dutch group had expressed interest in building a shopping centre on the site although the price being requested by the Town Hall paralysed that operation. There has also been talk recently of the land housing a logistics warehouse. Pérez-Peña said that the final destination of these plots would be revealed over the next few months.

In terms of Astoria, he said that “several international groups are interested”, including one in particular that has properties of this kind in Spain and Europe and which may soon make contact with the Town Hall. In theory, the Town Hall is planning to convene a tender at the end of this year or the beginning of 2019 in which anyone who wants to will be able to participate (…).

Another one of the projects that is being “followed very closely” by Savills Aguirre Newman is that of Martiricos, where two residential towers are going to be built, plus an office building measuring 7,000 m2 and another commercial building measuring 3,000 m2. The consultancy firm classified it as one of the “star projects” in Málaga, which “is going to change” the city.

Pérez-Peña also summarised other matters such as the future of Pier 4, which has a surface area of 26,500 m2 and which, in his opinion, could become a great space for offices or homes. He also said that Repsol, spanning 117,000 m2, could be a wonderful enclave for making a city of offices, although that would be up to the Town Hall and Sareb to decide. And he also alluded to the potential of the Correos building (3,352 m2) as an office block, although he admitted that it would generate higher yields if it was allocated for residential or hotel use.

Original story: La Opinión del Málaga (by José Vicente Rodríguez)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Hermes Properties Buys 2 Plots in Madrid from Sareb for €4M

5 June 2018 – Eje Prime

Hermes Properties is making its debut in Madrid. The company has purchased two plots of tertiary land with a surface area of 4,000 m2 in Madrid from Sareb for €4 million. The operation has been carried out through its second real estate investment vehicle, called Hermes II.

Specifically, the plots are located next to the Islazul Shopping Centre in Madrid, located in the Ensanche de Carabanchel, between the districts of Carabanchel, Latina, the Toledo motorway and the M40 motorway, on the border of Madrid and Leganés.

The plots have been previously leased to two operators, namely, Burger King and Carl’s Jr, who will undertake construction work imminently to open two restaurants in free-standing and unique buildings with drive-thru services.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake

Oaktree Joins Forces with Sabadell to Promote Iberdrola Land

17 May 2018 – El Economista

Oaktree and Sabadell, through its subsidiary Bitarte, have requested permission from the European Commission to constitute a joint venture through which they will dedicate resources to residential development in Spain. Most of this new joint venture’s portfolio, at least initially, will comprise land that the US fund is going to buy from Iberdrola Inmobiliaria, which has declined to comment in this regard.

According to experts in the sector speaking to this newspaper, Oaktree is going to close the operation to acquire at least five plots of land worth approximately €100 million during the course of this month. As soon as the US fund’s alliance with Sabadell has been approved, the land will be integrated into the new company, whose purpose is going to be to continue growing through new land acquisitions.

Sabadell has chosen its subsidiary Bitarte, an instrumental company dedicated to the world of real estate, to carry out this association with Oaktree, although its stake in this new company is going to be managed by Solvia Desarrollos Inmobiliarios, the arm of the bank that is responsible for property development. The entity constituted that firm, which owns land worth around €1.2 billion when it completed the carve out of Solvia Servicios Inmobiliarios.

According to explanations from the same sources, Sabadell’s role in its alliance with Oaktree will be that of industrial partner with experience in the property development market, and so the fund will have a financial role, contributing the majority of the capital.

Assets

At first, the possibility was raised of an alliance between all three parties, which would see Iberdrola not only contribute assets, but also hold onto a stake in the company, and for that deal, the figures that were bandied around at the time amounted to around €130 million.

In the end, the alliance will be signed between the fund and Sabadell, and so the electricity company will contribute somewhat fewer plots. Of the chosen sites, in the absence of the definition of the final plots to be transferred, one in Móstoles (Madrid) stands out, where Iberdrola has already started work on a residential development project: Villas del Sur 2. This development comprises 22 terraced homes with three and four bedrooms and a private garden.

The other plots selected are located in Salamanca, the Costa del Sol, Pamplona and Pozuelo de Alarcón. This is a small part of Iberdrola’s land portfolio, which owns assets with a buildable surface area of 3.5 million m2. Specifically, the real estate company is working on the construction of more than 330 homes located in different places around Madrid, Murcia, Santander and Valencia.

Original story: El Economista (by Alba Brualla)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Quabit Strengthens its Commitment to Cataluña

3 May 2018 – Eje Prime

The Madrid-based firm Quabit is setting its sights on Cataluña. The listed property developer, chaired by Félix Abánades, is going to invest €100 million in the region, where it plans to construct up to 1,000 homes throughout the Barcelona area.

This move, which comes days after the firm approved a €63 million capital increase, forms part of the real estate company’s business plan for 2022. Of the €100 million that it is going to invest in Cataluña, 70% will be spent on the development of around 1,000 homes in the capital. The remaining €30 million will be used to purchase new land in the autonomous region and to build developments in municipalities where it already owns plots.

The company, which owns more than 100,000 m2 of buildable land in Cataluña, has plots on which to build homes in cities as diverse as Granollers, on the outskirts of Barcelona, and Cambrils, the tourist town on the Costa Daurada (Tarragona), according to Expansión.

Abánades has confirmed that, for the time being, the property developer is going to focus on the residential sector. As such, plots in other segments, such as the industrial land that it owns in Reus, will be put up for sale.

Currently, the Catalan market accounts for 12% of Quabit’s total business, a figure that the President and majority shareholder of the company expects to maintain or even increase to 15%.

The property developer’s plans in Spain for 2018 involve the hand over of up to 210 homes, before increasing that figure to up to 900 properties next year. After that, the rate of home handovers will increase to 3,000 units per year from 2020 onwards, according to forecasts shared by Abánades.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake