Barton Group
Dominik Barton, head of the family-owned Barton Group
REFIRE caught up with Dominik Barton recently, the third-generation head of the family-owned Bonn-headquartered asset and property management company, Barton Group.
Given the gloomy background for real estate transaction in the current market, the company is laying increasing emphasis on professionally managing German real estate for third parties, many of them international. The company's subsidiary and own operating platform, Immobilien Barton-Schreiber GmbH (IBS), accessible to its business partners, is gaining importance as a central portal enabling property owners to remain externally fully informed on all aspects of their holdings.
As Barton says, ''The professional management of real estate is increasingly in demand. In view of the current lack of value increases due to market cycles, it is becoming all the more important to generate income from the ongoing management and further development of existing properties. The Real Asset Platform" enables 360° management of the respective portfolios, whereby "individual services" can also be commissioned. We are gearing up for further growth in this business area in particular."
The company is currently managing about €23m of new projects, mainly conversions and building renovations. It concluded more than 800 leases on various residential and commercial properties last year on behalf of its institutional Barton funds. Overall it has assets under management of more than €1bn.
Last year Barton Holding took a strategic stake in ARCIDA Advisors, a specialist adviser for restructuring and distressed debt situations. Barton said of the decision to closely co-operate with ARCIDA:
"The real estate market is undergoing a paradigm shift, 'riding the cycle' was yesterday. That's why companies that can generate appropriate returns from real estate are in demand right now. The potential of the market for real estate secured loans will become even more significant in the future, as people will take over existing loans, e.g. in order to lead real estate projects combined with corresponding investment expertise to a successful conclusion.
"We want to step into this 'vacuum', for which attractive opportunities will arise in the future. With the debt expertise of ARCIDA Advisors and the engine room as well as the institutional know-how of Barton Group, investors have access to a fully functional platform that maps the entire workbench of debt investments and real estate restructuring advice."
Michel Anter, managing partner of ARCIDA Advisors, offered his perspective: "We are currently witnessing the beginning of a new market cycle, as we experience inflation, the interest rate turnaround, the Ukraine war and the late effects of the pandemic. In the coming months even solid real estate projects will come under increasing pressure, and there will be a growing need for capital. Distressed debt situations will increase overall. Our collaboration with Barton Group combines the real estate and restructuring expertise of ARCIDA Advisors with Barton Group's strong positioning in the institutional investment market, which will help us make targeted investments into real estate and debt investments with potential."
Barton Group's own restructuring expert Dr. Jörg Dornbusch will be joining the ARCIDA top management team of Andre Barth, Michel Anter, Oliver Platt and Renaud Linclau to oversee the joint operations.