Commercial property makes an excellent investment, but beware of the pitfalls

COMMERCIAL property mortgages differ quite significantly from their residential counterparts, and first-time investors may find themselves underprepared for the process of getting finance approval.

Jason Gregoriades, a member of the Rawson Property Group’s commercial business development team, shares his insights on obtaining finance.

“Commercial bonds differ in four main aspects: term, lending rates, bond size and fees,” he says.

“A commercial property is considered an income-generating asset, so banks expect the loans to be paid off faster than residential mortgages. The maximum loan term is typically 10 years, with rare excep- tions extending to 12 or 15, compared to the normal residential mortgage term of 20 years.”

The resulting higher monthly repayment isn’t the only expense to consider, however, as commercial bond lending rates can be up to 2 percent higher than residential rates.

Banks also require larger deposits from commercial buyers, and seldom grant bonds of more than 65 percent to 70 percent of the total purchase price. They also charge far higher initiation fees for commercial applications – often a minimum initiation fee of 1 percent plus VAT of the loan provided by the bank, whereas residential transactions are generally currently capped at R5 700.

“In light of the additional expenses of a commercial bond, it’s important for potential buyers to be properly prepared financially,” says Gregoriades, “and take all the costs into account during their prof- itability assessment on the property in question.

“This kind of preparation will stand you in good stead when it comes time to file your bond application, as an income and expense analysis of the property is a vital component of your submission. This type of analysis is known as a tenant or rental schedule, and should list the details of any existing tenants, as well as the income and expenses generated by the property. The bank uses this information to determine whether the net income of the property will cover the proposed bond instalments.”

Along with a tenant schedule, you’ll also need to supply the bank with Fica details for all parties involved in the pur- chase. That includes the name and registration number of the legal entity (or individual) in whose name the property will be registered, as well as the personal details, identity documents and proof of residence of any directors, members and shareholders of the purchasing entity.

“Applicants will also need to supply the financial details for any additional income sources like salaries, other businesses, or investments,” says Gregoriades. “These serve as proof that you will be able to continue servicing your loan if something goes wrong with the original property.”

After submission, bond approval can take up to three weeks, so it’s important to do everything you can to strengthen your application to avoid having to go through the process more than once.

“A strong application shows a healthy financial history for the property and the applicant,” says Gregoriades.

He cautions against first time buyers attempting to buy untenanted properties, as it can be extremely difficult to prove financial potential without any kind of track record.

“It’s always better to opt for properties with existing tenants, especially well- known national brands,” he says. “They can significantly lower your risk profile.”

Gregoriades also advises approaching the bank with which the property is already bonded, if possible, as it will be familiar with the property and its financial performance and may well wish to keep it on its books.

“You can give them the opportunity to gain a client and retain a profitable investment,” he says. “It’s a fairly safe bet for them, which is what banks prefer.”

If the property is not already bonded, or if you’re unsure of your likelihood of success with the bank that currently holds the mortgage, Gregoriades suggests approaching your own bank as the next best option. If, however, you’re in the position to apply to both, feel free to play them off against each other to get the best offer.

“Banks never put down their best offer first,” says Gregoriades, “so if you have any leverage to negotiate, by all means do so. That can mean offering additional security on the loan by way of a residential property, for example, or using one loan offer to drop the lending rate of another.

“Commercial property can be an excellent investment, however preparation is the key to success. You need to be confident you’ve found the right property and the right tenants before you even think about signing that offer to purchase. The lower your risk, the better your chances of finance approval, and the more likely it is your investment will prove profitable in the long term.”