Buying next to an industrial estate

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Does anyone have any recent experience of getting a mortgage on a property immediately beside a commercial property?

We have a seen a great home next to a small industrial unit, 4/5 units, not 24 hour on one side and a larger unit and commercial business on the otherside. All business are long standing and surrounded by either houses or fields. At present none of the businesses present any unwanted noise/smells or heavy traffic. The house is actually on a private road which serves just one other house.

We today got our mortgage in principal so are keen to progress but the agent said he house is in with is useless and not local.

Short of having an offer accepted and starting the mortgage process we are unsure if there is something else obvious we need to consider.

So if anyone is either familiar with this during your own purchase or you are a mortgage advisor please do share your knowledge. Thanks

This sounds very similar to my house, it was never mentioned during the mortgage process. We used a broker and they never asked about commercial properties nearby.

@TiredandLate sounds promising! Thanks

I'd also get your solicitor to check the conditions imposed on the industrial units (eg can they up to 24/7 vehicle traffic, could an industrial solvent manufacturer move in, can they use security lights throughout the night) but also get him/her to check specifically for any extension of the industrial premises in the county or local plan. Green fields aren't always green fields.

I think I would be wary of any of those units changing ownership and becoming something much less amenable.

The proximity of commerce also makes the surrounding fields more likely to be built on.

@crosstalk and @electriclight both good points to consider. I am not too worried about the possibility of additional new builds though as there is already a new development being built a field over. The house we are interested in isn't in close relation over all to the existing fields and already has houses to one side.

We just moved away from living opposite a small industrial business. It was a special kind of hell with the vehicles and people in and out all day long. When we moved in it was fine for a few years then new owners took over and it became the busiest little business in the world. All sorts of breaches of allowed use and the council didn't want to know or care about it. Just be aware if it seems ok now, things can change drastically for the worse.

@Disco123456 I think the unknown for future is the biggest thing for us to consider. However the house it's self has a private drive off a dead end which goes into a track beyond before ending at a farm house so traffic should not be an issue we would need to contend with. We are viewing tomorrow so will get a better feel for it and if we like it we will visit at different times of the day

I did and it was never raised.

I would recommend going round at different times to gauge noise.

I have no issues generally apart from the summer when my windows are open
and lorries arrive at 6am. I get up at 6am
for work anyway but I know it bothers other neighbours

Obviously I don't really know the set up there, but when I posted I was thinking of a friend who bought next to some quiet industrial units but one is now a dog grooming business and the barking drives her mad.

A new build estate near me had some commercial units. The agent was telling everyone they would probably be something useful for the development - a bakery, a grocers. One is now a Greggs and the other two are empty with much nervous anticipation of what they might be.

Presumably, pretty much any business could move in or apply for change of use. I think it would have to be my dream house at a bargain price to take that risk.

@electriclight that's is exactly the potential is has! Great plot, awesome size and affordable price tag!

The units whilst next door are not within a stones throw. There is a road, a dyke, bushes and the yard before the units themselves. The tractor dealer on the other side is immediately next door but less of a concern I think.

I've decided to attach a photo with the house pinned. You can see several other houses in close proximity.

The place we lived opposite bulldozed all the massive trees and bushes that had mostly covered it for many years. Completely cleared the land and exposed everything and then did a massive bonfire and left it all to rot. Plenty of fly tipping around industrial estates too. You may feel like you're getting a bargain but you couldn't pay me to live near one again.

I would investigate regulations around noise, as there might be none and this could seriously affect your quality of life if you are noise sensitive ie trucks unloading, machinery etc all at ungodly times

Does the tractor dealership also include tractor repairs? They often have to run tractors up for ages to get them to replicate engine faults, get up to temperature etc. Also repairs aren't necessarily quiet! Also lorries arriving at all times to move machinery (often park up for the night and set off in the morning etc), but it's hard to tell from the picture how big a business it is.