Rolf Buch
German housing companies face increasing resistance to higher charges
A number of Germany’s largest residential landlords have been feeling a renewed wave of resistance coming from tenants no longer willing to accept extra charges for energy, sanitation and other refurbishment costs imposed upon them by... Read more
Vonovia gets green light for takeover of Sweden's Victoria Park
Shareholders representing more than 50% of voting rights including call options have accepted Vonovia’s $1.08 billion cash offer for Swedish counterpart Victoria Park, Germany largest real estate company said earlier this month. Read more
Vonovia tops Starwood with Skr9.5b bid for stake in Sweden’s Victoria Park
Germany’s biggest residential landlord, Vonovia, has outbid Starwood Capital to offer around €900m for a stake in Swedish residential group, Victoria Park, thereby cementing the latest step in its strategy to grow the business outside Germany. Read more
Vonovia takes over rival BUWOG in €5.2b deal
Germany's largest residential property company Vonovia is buying Austrian rival BUWOG in a cash deal which values BUWOG at €5.2b. The move will see Vonovia increase its housing stock from 350,000 to 400,000 units, and give it valuable access... Read more
Vonovia and SNI in innovative Franco-German housing tie-up
Germany's largest residential property owner, the Bochum-headquarter listed Vonovia, and the French group SNI have agreed to a partnership to “merge know-how and market expertise and identify common opportunities for growth and investment”. Read more
Vonovia’s 1H earnings up 18%
Germany's biggest residential landlord Vonovia has reported an increase in core profit (FFO 1) of 18% to €457.7m in the first half of 2017, it announced this month. Vonovia attributes the growth to its billion-euro investment program and organic... Read more
Vonovia turns project developer, pioneers low-cost building
As it gets ever more difficult to find residential portfolios at the right price, the larger players are looking at creating their own new stock of housing, and benefiting from the extra margin accruing to developers in Germany's bubbling housing... Read more
Deutsche Wohnen increases FFO, says 'not averse' to takeover bid
Germany's second-largest publicly listed residential property company Deutsche Wohnen reported a strong start to the year with an increase in most of its key perfromance indicators, and confirmed its forecast for the full year, independent of any... Read more
Louder calls for radical overhaul of German planning and approval process
The issue of Germany's housing shortage in the country's largest cities was much discussed at the recent annual Handelsblatt Immobilientagung in Hamburg. Delegates were unanimous that only a broader building programme had any hope of providing a... Read more
Germany housing numbers just don't add up. More price rises ahead.
2015´s unseasonally warm weather has provided us in Germany with the absurd sight of winter revellers hugging their Glühweins at the traditional Christmas market clad in nothing more than short-sleeved summer shirts. Read more
Vonovia gets green light for full-on Deutsche Wohnen bid
Shareholders in Vonovia, Germany's largest residential property company, gave their company the green light this week to go ahead with its bid for Germany's number 2 player Deutsche Wohnen AG. Deutsche Wohnen is resisting the takeover, and last... Read more
Vonovia (ex-Annington) promoted for inclusion in DAX-30
The Bochum-based listed Deutsche Annington, now renamed as Vonovia SE, has been promoted for inclusion in the DAX-30, the index of the top 30 German industrial companies, with effect from September 21st. Read more
Deutsche Annington unstoppable in search of growth after Südewo takeover
Rolf Buch, the CEO of listed Deutsche Annington, told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag recently that his company was looking at every residential portfolio that came on the market in Germany with more than 1,000 units, to see whether they might... Read more
Annington takeover of Gagfah complete, prepares for new start
Listed German residential landlord Deutsche Annington has concluded its merger with rival housing investor Gagfah after securing the votes of 94% of the Gagfah voting shares. The new company will be renamed Vonovia SE from April this year, and... Read more
Annington with more than 94% of Gagfah shares
German listed housing company Deutsche Annington has now secured 94% of shares tendered by investors in its public takeover bid of Essen-based Gagfah. Having secured the go-ahead from the Federal Cartel Office at the end of January, the... Read more
Green light for Annington takeover of Gagfah this quarter
Germany's Cartel Office last week gave the green light for the takeover by Deutsche Annington of fellow-listed Gagfah, removing a potential hurdle to the creation of the new giant residential housing company, with its more than 350,000 apartments. Read more
Newly MDAX-listed Annington raises fresh €450m
Listed German housing group Deutsche Annington said it successfully raised €451m in a private equity placement aimed at the acquisition of 5,000 apartments from CitCor Residential Group, a joint venture of Citigroup Property Investors and manager... Read more
Deutsche Annington joins MDAX, adds 5,000 new units
Germany’s largest residential housing company, the listed Bochum-based Deutsche Annington, took a step closer to its long-term goal when it entered the MDAX at the end of September – the second tier of Germany’s largest listed companies. The MDAX... Read more
Terra Firma exit sees Abu Dhabi fund take 13.4% in Annington
In a flurry of activity over a hectic couple of days, the ownership structure of Germany’s largest private landlord Deutsche Annington underwent a major transformation. The share sales roundabout has resulted in, among other investors, the Middle... Read more
Annington Q1 figures benefit from rising rents, refurbishment
It’s been a good start in 2014 for Germany’s largest landlord Deutsche Annington. The Bochum-based company boosted FFO in Q1 by a quarter to €61.9m, with CEO Rolf Buch forecasting a full-year figure of between €250m and €265m – well up on last... Read more