United Value Change Management

Unconventional, innovative, transparent and truly sustainable –
our answer to modern real estate management

Answer is unique – in every respect

We are consultants, managers and co-investors. As cross-sector specialists, we define our own approach of United Value Management & Real Estate Repositioning. With innovative solutions, we ensure the sustainable transformation of portfolios and repositioning of properties and rental space to meet the changing needs of the real estate market.

Thanks to our 25 years of experience as real estate consultants and in project management – with over 150 successfully completed projects in various usage classes and property sizes – we already cover a broad spectrum of the real estate market “out of the box”.

  • Today’s challenges require solutions for tomorrow.

    The real estate industry is facing a decisive upheaval. Business as usual will no longer bring the success we are used to in the future. New paths must be taken in order to interpret the signs of the times in a targeted manner and to be able to operate profitably. In addition to a change in interest rate policy, a tense political environment and the spread of crises, the stricter ESG requirements imposed by the legislator are also having an impact on the real estate market.

    On the other hand, the demands of existing tenants have increased and rental requests for office and residential space have changed. The only way out of this dilemma is to offer creative solutions. In other words, by finding the right answers to the burning questions for the real estate industry of the future. That’s why we call ourselves Answer!

    Changed rental requests for office space, including:
    • Office experience
    • Return from the home office to the office
    • Trend towards less space, but with higher quality
    • Central location and proximity to infrastructure hubs
    • Flexibility and more shared spaces & services
    Serious new requirements in the residential sector, including:
    • Public transport links and local amenities
    • more energy-efficient buildings
    • Green recreational areas
    • Workplace in the immediate living environment through share units
  • 2024

    Foundation

    12

    Employees

    Hamburg, Berlin, Munich

    Locations

    5

    Projects

    100.000

    Surfaces

    685 million €

    Assets under management
  • Unconventional thinking opens up new perspectives.

    The Answer Group tackles the challenges with its own approach, rethinking real estate management and going beyond conventional methods. We meet current and future requirements at an early stage, before they become mandatory – and find solutions that are long-term, creative and sustainable. We call it United Value Change Development.

    In doing so, we apply our ESG strategies and reposition existing project development to strengthen value – creating future-proof, sustainable and profitable properties for partners and investors. With innovative solutions, we ensure the sustainable transformation of portfolios to meet the changing needs of the real estate market.

  • The management at a glance

    150

    Realized projects

    1.28 million

    Realized development areas

    8.9 billion €

    Managed assets (AuM)
    Jan Rouven Künzel
    Managing Partner

    The graduate engineer and business graduate has already successfully co-founded several companies and developed them sustainably in management positions. As an experienced manager, he has many years of know-how and a broad network in the industry. He has a penchant for sophisticated design and sustainable concepts and is regarded as an initiator and creative source of ideas.

    Luis Walther-Kraft
    Managing Partner

    His many years of experience as a real estate expert at renowned companies, particularly in the investment sector and in acquisitions and sales, make him a central figure in the strategic development of AnswerGroup. His keen sense for the international real estate and fund business gives him particular expertise.

    Luis Walter Kraft studied at IREBS Regensburg and Henley Business School in Reading, UK, and graduated with a Master of Science in Real Estate.

    Thomas Eirich
    Managing Partner

    Thomas Eirich most recently led the commercial project development business at QUEST Investment Partners. Prior to that, the economist and real estate professional worked as a fund manager at Invesco Real Estate in London, Munich, and Madrid, where he was involved in cross-sector opportunistic and value-add real estate strategies and built an international network.

    He holds degrees from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, the University of Regensburg (IREBS), and Henley Business School in Reading, UK.

    As long-standing companions, the partners form a well-coordinated team in which trust is a top priority.

  • We have the best team in the world. For everything that follows.

    Answer Group brings together experts from various disciplines such as project development, construction, asset management and investment. Thanks to the employees from construction companies in our team of experts, we have a direct connection and can access valuable experience that enables us to better adapt to the specific needs of the construction industry. By pooling the expertise of specialists who think and act like entrepreneurs, we can offer our partners the best possible service and performance.

    Answer Management GmbH

    For us, a property is more than just a building. We focus on the crucial interfaces: the point of contact between real estate and people, real estate and technology, and real estate and the neighborhood. Our goal is to provide you with what you need to improve your life. We take a holistic approach to real estate investment management that gives our investors a clear competitive advantage. Through precise trend analysis, extensive local market knowledge and in-depth operational expertise, we are able to quickly identify opportunities and optimize every aspect of a property to create the greatest possible value.

    Answer Asset Solution GmbH

    We focus on the operational and strategic management of existing properties in order to maximize their value and income in the long term. We offer everything from project acquisition to planning, technical management and marketing from a single source. Our aim is to increase the return and long-term value of the assets through efficient management and optimization of the properties – always in the interests of the investors involved. To this end, we work closely with experienced partners to achieve optimum results. By utilizing synergies within our team and updating values, we guarantee permanent and proactive property management.

    Answer Construction Solution GmbH

    We plan, organize, manage and monitor our construction projects using the latest techniques, methods and technologies. We are always looking to optimize our construction processes in order to improve the efficiency, quality and sustainability of our properties.

    Answer Investment Solution Holding GmbH

    Our investment management focuses on the acquisition, valuation and sale of real estate in order to achieve maximum returns. Our aim is to generate profits through strategic investments and green repositioning in real estate projects or portfolios. To this end, we analyze the real estate market for lucrative investment opportunities and also assess the profitability and ESG compliance of real estate projects. We also carry out due diligence on potential investments.

  • Trust and transparent communication

    The foundation of Answer is transparency and competence. All investors are given a say on the advisory board during the joint investment to ensure their voices are heard. This approach guarantees transparency in terms of management fees and profit distribution – and also enables a partnership-based qualitative cooperation. We communicate transparently, bindingly and comprehensibly, with open cards and regular reporting.

    Sustainable standards and renewable energies

    We are aligned with the most important German and European climate protection targets and focus on sustainability certificates, mobility factors, green rental contracts and energy certificates. We also promote the installation of renewable energies such as photovoltaic systems and focus on the creation of green spaces to improve air quality in urban landscapes, regulate temperatures during hot spells and promote biodiversity.

    Sustainable real estate development thanks to green repositioning

    Our aim is to protect the climate, increase property values and actively shape urban development. With this demand on ourselves, we select sustainable properties, check each property for its suitability for refurbishment and its potential forCO2-optimized refurbishment and work with energy-saving building materials to transfer buildings into a long-term usage cycle.

    Sustainable office worlds

    Expanding, consolidating and optimizing or even reinterpreting ensure the optimal use of spatial resources. Changing working models create challenges: Nine-to-five jobs are a thing of the past. Office buildings are becoming meeting places, a second home in multi-use buildings with a diverse infrastructure and social, sustainable qualities. With human and artificial intelligence and creation, Answer can implement models for tomorrow today.

Acting sustainably is a need of the times

We are responsible. And act accordingly.

A new value for office and commercial real estate.
  • We always keep our primary goal in focus: sustainable buildings are future-proof, versatile, environmentally friendly and offer added social value. To achieve these benefits, we focus on two key points as described below.

  • We combine new creative office concepts, develop the new sustainability in green repositioning, ensure ESG-focused management, establish AI-controlled tools in office operations in the future, format existing properties and transport them into a new phase of life with sustainability certificates. Our repositioning not only preserves property values, but also increases them through future-proof design.

Competence and innovation hand in hand
  • Consultants, service providers and co-investors for portfolio repositioning
  • Focus on sustainability, marketing value retention, especially green repositioning
  • Know-how through direct practical knowledge
  • Ensuring value stabilization and value growth of the respective portfolio
  • Best conditions for higher sales opportunities and off-market acquisitions
  • Pioneer for listed buildings
  • Preserving sustainable building fabric and creating a new life cycle for ageing existing properties
  • A head start of almost two decades through the implementation of such projects
Enabling value change in real estate

We focus on social & communal living and working in sustainable and efficient construction. This is the field in which we see the most opportunities for office and residential properties that retain their value. Our green repositioning also plays a major role here.

    • CO2 management
    • Resource utilization
    • Progressive performance
    • Further construction/conversion instead of demolition/new construction (avoidance of gray energy)
    • Digital management of energy management
    • Improving air & water quality
    • Renovations with ecological materials
    • Implementation of waste management systems
    • Promotion of biodiversity
    • Use of subsidies
    • New contemporary utilization concepts (developed by the Answer Group)
    • Establishment of new AI-controlled usage concepts
    • Many years of experience in portfolio refurbishments and real estate repositioning
    • Independently developed tenant and letting management
    • Concept development and individual property marketing, in-house and/or with long-standing partners
    • Planning control & obtaining building rights
    • Management of property refurbishment & tenant fit-out
    • Cost optimization through our own Construction Solution Unit: Experienced project managers from the contractor side control our supplementary and cost management tasks. The contractor is managed and controlled by experienced contractors.
    • Building insulation & refurbishment
    • Inspection/improvement of building services
    • Review of heat generation & use (centralization or decentralization)
    • Reducing operating and administrative costs through software solutions
    • Reduction of individual areas in favor of increasing communal areas: Work & rest zones, sport & relaxation
    • Creation of communal recreational areas in outdoor areas or on roofs
    • Offer of shared spaces & services: Postboxes, 24/7 self-service supermarket, daycare center, sports/event spaces, care & support
    • Integration into the neighborhood & promotion of the neighborhood concept
    • Reducing thecarbon footprint is a key goal for many tenants and leads to a preference for sustainable properties. Refurbished buildings are preferred over new buildings due to their lower gray energy.
    • Simplified architecture with a high degree of repetition
    • Reduction of complexity in floor plan design, load-bearing structure and building services
    • Use of prefabricated elements such as wet rooms & technical shafts – as well as modular prefabricated construction of entire building structures, also applicable in commercial construction
    • Holistic energy and consumption planning
    • City center reachable in 15 minutes
    • Offering mobility alternatives to your own car
    • Security of supply

Our portfolio

Hamburger Hof

A project by

MEAG MUNICH ERGO AssetManagement GmbH

Area of responsibility

Consultant

Location

Hamburg-City

Address

Jungfernstieg, Große Bleichen & Poststrasse

Project implementation

Expected completion
end of 2029

Project type

Development

Project utilization

Office, retail, residential

Surfaces

approx. 21,000 (rental space)

Parking spaces

70 (underground parking garage)

After picture: View from Jungfernstieg to the future new Hamburger Hof
Visualization: Diener & Diener

Ostermannsche Wiese

A project by

MK1 Investment GmbH and the Answer Group

Area of responsibility

Project initiator & developer

Location

Quickborn

Address

Market street

Project implementation

In the project planning phase

Project type

Development

Project utilization

Living

Surfaces

12,000 to 20,000

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