Real Estate Services

The lease: It’s not just paperwork — it’s the foundation of your business.

At Helbraun Levey, we know that your lease can make or break your restaurant. That’s why our Real Estate Group is laser-focused on negotiating the strongest, smartest deal for you — whether you’re locking in your first space, expanding your empire, or planning your exit.

We bring deep hospitality knowledge, fierce negotiation skills, and a collaborative approach that pulls in our top-tier licensing and litigation teams when needed. From your first site visit and term sheet to planning your exit (and everything in between), we’ve got your back.

Commercial Lease Review and Negotiation

A bad lease can crush your business. A good one can set you up for years of smooth sailing. Rent is your biggest fixed expense, and your lease defines your relationship with your landlord for the next decade (or more).

Helbraun Levey negotiates more restaurant and bar leases than any other firm in New York. We know the tricks landlords pull, the language that matters, and the terms that give you power. We’ll make sure your lease protects your future and frees you up to focus on what matters — running your hospitality shop.

Due Diligence Services

Before you sign anything, we’ll make sure the space can legally support your vision. Can you get a liquor license there? Are there hidden DOB violations that could delay your buildout or block permits? What about outdoor dining?

We dig deep, ask the right questions, and uncover the red flags before they become expensive problems.

Purchase & Sale Agreements

At some point as a business owner, you may consider expanding your business or selling it. In the hospitality industry we refer to these types of transactions as Key Money Deals. You buy or sell a business for cash and in return, you get the advantage of the infrastructure of the existing business.

Whether you are a buyer or seller, we can help you structure, negotiate, and execute every element of that purchase or sale. Properly structured purchase and sale agreements help small companies become big, and help big companies expand. Because we serve as strategic business advisors, we help clients evaluate risks and rewards and decide which issues are paramount. With our straight talk approach, in depth knowledge of the industry and extensive experience with Key Money Deals, we give our clients a valuable competitive edge.

Key Money Deals are tricky as there are many moving parts, whether it be navigating the negotiation process with the landlord, or making sure that all liquor license issues are addressed effectively.  Our real estate, corporate and licensing are seamlessly integrated and we all work together to provide comprehensive service for your transaction. Specifically, our team can help you structure, negotiate and execute any of the following:

• Transaction Structuring
• Term Sheets
• Asset Purchase Agreements
• Membership Interest Purchase Agreements
• Due Diligence Investigations
• Formation (or winding down) of your Entity

Lease Surrenders & Releases

Need to get out of your lease? We’ll help you exit cleanly and smartly.

Whether you’re pivoting, downsizing, or shutting down, our team can negotiate lease surrenders that protect you from ongoing liability — so when you hand back the keys, you walk away free and clear.

Subleases and Lease Assignments

Taking over an existing space? You’re inheriting someone else’s deal — and it might not be a good one.

We’ll review every clause to make sure you’re not stepping into a mess. If there’s room to renegotiate with the landlord, we’ll go to bat for better terms. And if you’re subletting, we’ll help you navigate the added complexity of having two landlords — your actual landlord and the tenant subleasing to you.

The bottom line:
Helbraun Levey is the gold standard in restaurant real estate. We speak your language, understand your challenges, and protect your business like it’s our own.