Is there anyone out there who owns a small business and lives there too?

Question

I currently own a small resale shop, and own a home. The problem is my shop is a little more than a half hour drive from my home one way.... so I thought about moving closer to my business. My location doesn't seem to be thriving so well after a year in business, and there is towns around here that allow you to live above your business. I found an awesome location, however I am pre-approved for 150k on a home loan, now I've stepped up and asked for a 250k loan on this location. Is there any secrets to getting a package loan on a peice of commercial property that I plan on living at as well? Or is it considered strictly a home loan? This is a new one for me. This may even be a good question if you are a real estate agent or loan officer. Any help in this matter is appreciated.

Answer 1

I'm unemployed and live under a bridge so i suppose the answer would be yes

Answer 2

Well, first of all, you can't expect your business to fly off that soon. One year is too soon to judge. The first year is always the year you'll make a huge loss in. That's when you analyse. Find the problem (usually, its not just the location) and think of a reasonable and non-drastic solutions.

Secondly, it seems to be that your priority is moving closer to your business area. In that case, I'd say get an agent. Usually, these agents will be able to get your applications approved quicker and easier. But they don't come cheap.

Or if you're just somewhat convinced that there's nothing you can do to improve your business in that present location, I'd suggest you get a consultant. He/she will be able to help you analyse the improvements that can be made.

Hope that helps.