Commerical Real Estate

Anyone involved in CRE?

My Cousin owns a body shop and there is no place to rent in town so he thought about building a small shop. He really has no idea where to start though. Do you check zoning first, then buy the land, then find a builder?

Any insight into building CRE would be helpful or any suggested reading.

here you need be zoned Industrial to open a body shop. There are several layers of commercial zones .So check the zoning carefully prior to contract. I would do that first

His easiest route would be to buy an existing structure that is already zoned for that type of use. Depending on where he is, there are most likely tons of environmental hoops he'll have to jump through to get approval for a business that uses any harmful chemicals.

If he is set on building new, he should check with his local chamber of commerce, they'll be able to point him in the right direction.

I'd say he'd need to first check with Zoning to find out which zones allow for the use, then go land hunting. The use is not prohibitive as a result of the chemicals so much as it is for the potential noise and outdoor storage. Of course, the chemical storage will likely be scrutinized but that would be more on a life safety and building occupancy standpoint than for allowable land use.

All too often I see people who select their land, prepare their drawings for permit, and submit to fiond out the specific use is not permitted in the zone. all because they took the word of the seller or real estate agent assuming that any commercialized use would be allowed on a commercial zone.

I was a CRE developer for a few years. +1 to all above with the zoning check first. Make sure you get it in writing that the proposed use will be approved as a "Condition Precedent" to closing, ie that has to be in hand before you will close. The seller/sellers agent should be able to help track that info down. Even if he elects to buy an old shop/location similar to the use make sure the zoning still applies. sometimes various municipalities will have an automatic sunset on a zoning "permitted use" after a certain business fails to renew their business license. If an new license app. or certificate for occupancy triggers a new review if might not get passed...