Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Defence Housing Australia (DHA) on the establishment of DHA Investment Management Ltd, a funds management platform to help finance the creation of housing for Defence members and their families across Australia.

DHA Residential Property Fund No 1 is the first investment fund for DHA. The fund will acquire a portfolio of up to 83 properties across Australia with an aggregate value of up to $50 million and have a fund term of 10 years.

Despite global uncertainty, there has been a strong interest in Australian retail assets over the past year. Major retail investment transactions are on the rise with significant activity being driven by capital partnering, according to Herbert Smith Freehills partner Michael Back.

Chicago, USA, October 4, 2013 – Baker & McKenzie represented 1500 K Street LLC in the $77 million refinancing of an office building located at 1500 K Street NW in Washington, D.C. Baker & McKenzie acted as counsel for the borrower in connection with this financing.

Clifford Chance advised a fund company of Conren Land on the sale of the "Astraturm" building in Hamburg. Deka Immobilien GmbH acquired the property for its "Domus-Deutschland" fund.

The 68-metre high "Astraturm" is one of the tallest buildings in Hamburg. It is located in the St. Pauli district of the city and offers around 11,000 m² of office space.

Global legal practice Norton Rose Fulbright has advised The Hongkong Parkview Group Limited on the HK$14.2 billion acquisition of a commercial property portfolio from COFCO Land Limited.

The Hongkong Parkview Group Limited is a Hong Kong listed company and controlled by COFCO (Hong Kong) Limited.

Global legal practice Norton Rose Fulbright has advised CA Immo Deutschland GmbH and CA Immo Frankfurt Tower 185 Beteiligungs GmbH on the successful finalisation of an agreement to sell part of Frankfurt’s landmark office building “Tower 185“. Two German pension institutions are each to acquire one-third of the Frankfurt office property which has a market value of around € 500m. Contracts were signed on September 30, 2013.

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised CIMB TrustCapital Advisors Singapore Pte Ltd (CIMB TrustCapital) on its recently completed AUD$279 million acquisition of 3 Collins Square, Docklands from Walker Corporation. The property is a 16 level A grade commercial office building in the Collis Square development in Docklands. The property is fully let to the Australian Tax Office.

Herbert Smith Freehills advised on the Australian corporate, funds and property aspects of the acquisition.

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised Austreo Property Ventures, a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs, on its acquisition of 157 Ann Street, in Brisbane for approximately $40 million.

The 13-level, 6650 square metre building situated between Edward Street and King George Square was purchased from the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation. Anton Capital, the Sydney based boutique real estate advisory group, represented Austreo Property Ventures on this transaction.

Slaughter and May advised Taylor Wimpey plc on the implementation of a pension funding partnership in connection with the merger of the George Wimpey Staff Pension Scheme and the Taylor Woodrow Group Pension & Life Assurance Fund to create a single new pension scheme called the Taylor Wimpey Pension Scheme.

Slaughter and May advised Derwent London plc, a leading London property developer and investor, on its new £550 million, five year, unsecured revolving credit facility.