Yes, I might be a bit crazy – actually, pretty sure I am. But that’s the only way it’s fun :-D
Let me start from the beginning:
I’m somewhat into cars, mainly classic cars. So, I have been looking for a property with a garage or workshop space for a while. This is really difficult around here; for every suitable property, you find about 150 regular houses.
Anyway, I ended up with a supermarket located on the ground floor of a large multi-family building. It has over 500m² (5,382 sq ft), and currently an electronics company occupies the space.
It’s a condominium community, and naturally, I have no experience with that. What should I be aware of? What I have learned so far is that any changes to the exterior require general approval from the community. I don’t plan anything except maybe installing a gate for the courtyard, which would also belong to me.
Inside, three walls need to be removed (toilets) to create a functional living room and bedroom. Of course, this will be checked by a structural engineer. The question is whether I also need approval from the co-owners for this?
Or is there anything else you think I should consider? I will also, of course, talk to the local authorities since I will be living in a commercial property, which is allowed as a manager’s apartment. I’m also unsure if I will need a building permit / planning permission if I remove the three walls and enlarge existing slit windows downward.
I’m sure I will think of more things, but these are the basic points for now.
Let me start from the beginning:
I’m somewhat into cars, mainly classic cars. So, I have been looking for a property with a garage or workshop space for a while. This is really difficult around here; for every suitable property, you find about 150 regular houses.
Anyway, I ended up with a supermarket located on the ground floor of a large multi-family building. It has over 500m² (5,382 sq ft), and currently an electronics company occupies the space.
It’s a condominium community, and naturally, I have no experience with that. What should I be aware of? What I have learned so far is that any changes to the exterior require general approval from the community. I don’t plan anything except maybe installing a gate for the courtyard, which would also belong to me.
Inside, three walls need to be removed (toilets) to create a functional living room and bedroom. Of course, this will be checked by a structural engineer. The question is whether I also need approval from the co-owners for this?
Or is there anything else you think I should consider? I will also, of course, talk to the local authorities since I will be living in a commercial property, which is allowed as a manager’s apartment. I’m also unsure if I will need a building permit / planning permission if I remove the three walls and enlarge existing slit windows downward.
I’m sure I will think of more things, but these are the basic points for now.
If it is a homeowners’ association, you will likely need to submit an application to change the property’s usage as well. Your main intention is to use the property primarily for residential purposes rather than commercial, right? Both the municipality and the homeowners’ association (depending on the ownership agreement) could potentially block this. Not every tenant is happy when someone is working on classic cars in the yard, which will probably generate a lot of noise while tuning engines and similar activities,...
B
Bauexperte1 Feb 2016 10:42Hello,
I don’t see this being automatically allowed at all; you are actually not registering a commercial business. First of all, a change of use must be approved. Only then does the tricky issue of the property owners arise: whether they agree to continue tolerating “noise” on Sundays is a completely different matter. It will likely be difficult to do one without giving up the other.
If you get past the hurdle of the local authorities, in my opinion it also depends on how long the owners have already been without rental income from the lower floor; how high the rent is, how long the lease term should be, measures against leaking oil, fire protection, possibly arrangements for restoration after the lease ends, etc. ...
Regards, Bauexperte
TriPower schrieb:
Of course, I will also speak with the local authorities, since I will be living in a commercial building, which is permitted as a manager’s apartment.
I don’t see this being automatically allowed at all; you are actually not registering a commercial business. First of all, a change of use must be approved. Only then does the tricky issue of the property owners arise: whether they agree to continue tolerating “noise” on Sundays is a completely different matter. It will likely be difficult to do one without giving up the other.
If you get past the hurdle of the local authorities, in my opinion it also depends on how long the owners have already been without rental income from the lower floor; how high the rent is, how long the lease term should be, measures against leaking oil, fire protection, possibly arrangements for restoration after the lease ends, etc. ...
Regards, Bauexperte
Q
QlriPower1 Feb 2016 15:07Thanks for the tips so far. It’s getting more complicated, especially with the bank, because although I want to convert the space for residential use, since about two-thirds will still be used as a warehouse, they would probably classify it as commercial. I will discuss the change of use with the local building authority.
Regarding the co-owners, something both interesting and disadvantageous has come up: I would have a 70% share in the property, allowing me to outvote everyone else. Now I also have the latest minutes from the meetings. The current owner used their voting right to allocate the common costs directly and equally among the four parties, including things like janitorial services, waste disposal, general electricity, etc. However, this was successfully challenged in court.
I should add that the ground floor only makes up about 30% or less of the total area of the building. So am I supposed to cover 70% of the common costs? That doesn’t sit well with me at all. It also explains the high costs of around 500€ (about $540) per month for common charges and reserves.
Regarding the co-owners, something both interesting and disadvantageous has come up: I would have a 70% share in the property, allowing me to outvote everyone else. Now I also have the latest minutes from the meetings. The current owner used their voting right to allocate the common costs directly and equally among the four parties, including things like janitorial services, waste disposal, general electricity, etc. However, this was successfully challenged in court.
I should add that the ground floor only makes up about 30% or less of the total area of the building. So am I supposed to cover 70% of the common costs? That doesn’t sit well with me at all. It also explains the high costs of around 500€ (about $540) per month for common charges and reserves.
TriPower schrieb:
can outvote everyone with that Not all decisions can be made by a majority; structural changes must be unanimously approved. But yes, you can block any decision.