Possible to live & work from same premises?

[laurabee]

I'd like to open a cafe when my husband & I move to nz next year. Can anyone tell me if it's possible to lease a property to work out of (ground floor) & live in (top floor)? Also is it possible to convert retail premises to catering premises? Just wondering if zoning laws are so stringent they would stop us doing this? I've checked out a few retail shops up for lease & wonder if we could convert to our cafe and new home...

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

No doubt someone already in NZ will have some comments for you. Do you know whereabouts in NZ you will be hoping to settle?

[mylesdw]

Certainly very common around Chch, here's one

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-me-pr...-272562999.htm

Shops (retail) are often converted to catering and vice versa.

[James 1077]

Lots of shops around us have accomodation above them so you should be able to find something.

Just please, please, please don't open up a cafe in Devonport - we have far too many of them already and a new seems to appear most months! Still, most do appear to be packed out on a sunny weekend day!

[ralf-nz]

Certainly very common around Chch, here's one

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-me-pr...-272562999.htm

Shops (retail) are often converted to catering and vice versa.

Generally it should be feasible. You just got to check the relevant district plans for the region you might be interested in.

(E.g. Dunedin: http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/district-plan.)

[Dell]

I've been thinking of the same thing. I'm an artist - thinking of having a gallery/residence in the same building. There are commercial buildings advertised for sale that have commercial/residential zoning for this purpose.