Real Estate

The professionals of Collins Barrow specialize in providing industry specific advice to companies and individuals in all segments of the real estate market. We understand the audit, tax and financing issues faced by the industry whether you are a residential land developer, a homebuilder or a private investor seeking to diversify your holdings.

Although the real estate industry in recent years has experienced healthy performance and a strong level of earnings sustainability, it has not escaped the consequences of the current turbulent economy. Today, we see an intensified "credit crunch", heightened liquidity and financing risks, corporate governance demands, evolving taxation legislation, risk management concerns and organizational and integration challenges resulting from consolidation and growth. We create innovative financial and business solutions to resolve these wide-ranging challenges and opportunities.

Our team draws upon the deep sector experience and technical skills of our Real Estate professionals situated across the country. Both local market knowledge and cross border experience complement our ability to offer independent advice and help clients across all segments of this sector improve returns, mitigate risks and even address some of the broad issues including: International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), securing debt and developing optimal financing strategies, addressing the pressures of a green economy and providing REIT advice. Whether you are a real estate owner, lender or investor, working with the right partner to build lasting strategies and solutions is just good business. Contact a Collins Barrow professional today.

Building Success

The Real Estate professionals at Collins Barrow are focused on providing the highest level of expertise to the real estate development sector and related industries.

Accounting and Taxation

Our clients range in size from single unit rental operations to some of Canada's best known residential land developers. Our experience with the real estate industry allows us to assess the common risks and reporting problems experienced by real estate companies, thus providing efficient, cost-effective services to meet your reporting requirements. At the same time, our experience allows us to compare your systems to industry norms, giving us the opportunity to provide advice to optimize your financial and other business systems.

Our taxation team is experienced in the unique tax issues faced by the real estate industry. Whether you are developing, leasing or managing property, we can identify existing and emerging taxation issues and help your business address them in a timely manner. When the time comes to sell, we can advise you on how to structure the deal to consider the effects of capital gains, capital dividends, refundable taxes and other associated tax planning issues. Our tax department has extensive knowledge of the implications of investing in foreign real estate, especially in the United States, and can provide country specific advice through our globally based Baker Tilly International affiliates.

Managing Growth

Companies face new challenges as they become larger and more complex. In response, Collins Barrow helps refine financial controls and enhance reporting systems so that managers have the timely and accurate information they need to make good decisions. Further, if you are looking at acquisitions, we can provide corporate due diligence and assist with the Take-Over Bids and Information Circulars required in the public arena.

Financial Planning

Real estate can be an attractive investment for individuals seeking to diversify their financial portfolio. We can assist clients in making these decisions based on an overall analysis of their personal and business financial situations. Our expertise allows us to help structure real estate investments in the most tax effective manner possible. We can explore the advantages and disadvantages of investing in foreign real estate and we can offer insights on financing arrangements, investment decisions, shareholder disputes, litigation support, divestiture, merger or acquisition, estate planning, succession planning, insurance coverage and assessing the value of intangible assets including goodwill.

Financial Reporting

Collins Barrow Real Estate professionals are situated across the country with each possessing a unique knowledge of the accounting systems, reporting requirements and taxation issues faced by our real estate clients. All of our team is versed in industry specific accounting requirements and understands the workings of the real estate industry so that our time working with you is productive time. We have the experience to offer insights into your systems and business to help your operations thrive.