Zoning help

[xkravx]

Hi

New to this forum, hoping I can get some advice.

I am not a property investor, I am in fact a desperate tennent in Melbourne looking for a suitable place. The last place I turned up to in inner Melbourne had 70 people come through the door in 20 minutes and all of them put in an application.
I have been involved in secret bidding wars with estate agents to try to secure a place. I am now at the verge of trying to bribe an agent.

Basically I am now at the point where I am looking at leasing a commercial property to live in.
Being owners and investors, I wondered if you had any (helpfull) advice.
I dont understand the zoning system, it seems some comercial properties have residences attached - What is the situation with these? If I rented these properties would I have to be running business?

If I am forced to lease a property zoned purely for commercial purposes. Could I live in it on the sly and have a business that has zero turnover?

My other thought is doing a title search on some of the thousands of vacent commercial/industrial properties and approach the owners to see if I can lease cash in hand. How are owners likely to react to this, I am thinking litagation etc. Basically how should I approach owners?

I know some of you will frown on this but before you judge me maybe have a read of this article
http://candobetter.org/node/610
If the mods take umbridge to this, can you please just edit out what you deem inappropriate rather than deleting the whole thread.
Thanks

 

[Corey Batt]

Why do you want to live in a commercial property if you don't want to run a business at all?

 

[xkravx]

Space, can sure with a few peope to bring the cost down. Some are very habitable, luxurious even. For the cost relative to space, once you get a few people in it becomes cheap to live in a good area. I also have various non comercial projects I want to do and I need space for them

 

[weg]

If you're more than happy to have a few people share with you why not just move into someone elses share house instead?

 

[xkravx]

It all sounds so easy but share places get hundreds of applications in the inner city areas. It is hell out there!

Doesnt anyone have any advice on zoning?

 

[Corey Batt]

Yeah - Live in resi zoning, not commercial. You must be smoking something to suggest that its easier to find a commercial property with showering facilities, kitchen, function similar to a house, no open frontage so people obviously can't see you in day to day life, than to find a resi property.

Anybody here got a melb resi property going vacant soon that you want to stiff Krav in overpriced rent?

 

[mary&mat]

Perhaps you could check out uni/tafe noticeboards for share accom? Not sure what it'll be like this time of year with schools finishing up though.

Also, some overseas students may be heading home over the next few months so maybe you could pick something up inner city then?

Good luck!