Homburger advised UBS Switzerland AG in the establishment of key4 by UBS, its new open online mortgage platform for the financing of self-occupied real estate

UBS Switzerland AG (UBS) has established key4 by UBS (key4), an innovative real estate financing platform offering selected third parties as financing providers (such as pension funds, investment foundations, insurers or banks) as well as UBS itself the opportunity to invest in mortgage loans for the financing or refinancing of self-occupied real estate properties.

Designed to meet the needs of digital-savvy clients, the platform offers an uncomplicated way of extending existing mortgages and, in a next phase following in autumn 2020, to conclude new mortgages. key4 is available on desktop, smartphone or tablet, where prospective clients may enter their individual financing parameters. Within minutes, the most attractive non-binding offers from the various investors are displayed. If the client expresses interest in a binding offer, he/she selects his/her preferred time slot for a telephone advisory consultation. The client will receive a personal offer along with the scheduling confirmation as a basis for the discussion during consultation. Once the financing has been completed, key4 manages, supports and administers the mortgage from a single source, regardless of the financing provider the client has chosen. key4 allows multi-party financing, i.e. a client can finance its real estate property through one or more tranches financed by the same or different financing providers.

Homburger advised UBS on the structuring and the setup of key4. The Homburger team included partners Benedikt Maurenbrecher (Financing and Investment Products), Marcel Dietrich, Richard Stäuber (both Competition) and Stefan Oesterhelt (Tax), associates David Borer and Alexander Wherlock (both Financing and Investment Products) as well as junior associate Claude Humbel (Financing and Investment Products).