Demand for live-work properties is in tune with changing times
Dolly Parton’s hit song 9 to 5 may spring to mind as more people look for homes with businesses attached. reports.
The pandemic and now the war in Ukraine have had a transformative effect on the way many of us are approaching life and work.
Some of those who heavily identify with the words of Dolly Parton’s classic hit: “Working nine to five, what a way to make a living. Barely getting by, it’s all taking and no giving….” are now looking at live-work properties as a way to jump off what Dolly calls “the boss man’s ladder”.
Simon Burbridge, of Nationwide Business Sales, says: “Before the pandemic we’d get one person every couple of months enquiring about lifestyle properties and now it’s one a week so interest has definitely risen.
“The ability to work from home has also allowed more flexibility for couples as they aren’t tied to a specific location because of one person’s job.”
Sales are also brisk at Leedsbased Ernest Wilson, who specialise in selling a wide variety of commercial properties.
The choice of going concerns that also offer living accommodation includes the obvious and most popular option: guest houses/B&Bs, many of which are in beautiful areas.
Tearooms and cafes with living quarters above are a draw for those who love to cook, while animal lovers have a choice of catteries and kennels.
There are also plenty of freehold pubs with owner quarters, along with shops with living space above.
Michelle Dobson, of Walker Singleton’s commercial property department, is selling a freehold cafe/shop with upper floor accommodation on Market Street, Hebden Bridge, for £350,000.
She says: “We are seeing more people who want a live-work property and a lot of investors buying property like the one in Hebden Bridge, then letting the ground floor shop and the accommodation above separately.”
Those who want to explore what’s for sale will find that the listings on the commercial section of property portals are a good place to start.
Here, the owners of some live-work properties for sale in Yorkshire reveal how swapping the nine-to-five worked for them:
Ebor House B&B in Hawes, £600,000, www.nbscorporate. com
Stuart and Janie McLoughlin bought Ebor House 16 years ago and carried out a sensitive modernisation of the Victorian property, which has eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, two reception rooms, four additional rooms, sensational views, private parking and a garden.
At the head of Wensleydale in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the B&B has always been popular and it is in Band A for council tax and has zero business rates.
“Having a B&B is something I’d always wanted to do,” says Stuart, who has a ‘no children, no dogs and no wedding groups’ policy, which goes down well with those who crave peace and quiet.
He and Janie work seven months of the year and take five months off and Stuart, who also keeps cattle on land nearby, says: “It’s not hard work, it’s just time consuming. We are up at 7.30am to do breakfast between 8.30am and 9pm, then we clean ready for check-ins and we’ll have a few hours off in the afternoon.”
He adds: “The key to success is having nice rooms and being kind to people.
“The location is great and there isn’t a lot of competition for business. Hawes used to have 33 accommodation providers and now it has 12. Most of our bookings come through word of mouth.”
The McLoughlins are selling to follow a dream of buying a smallholding in the Borders.
The Brown Cow pub, Hinderwell, between Staithes and Runswick Bay, £325,000. www.brownsestateagency.co.uk
This freehold pub has a catering kitchen, a beer garden, car park, a two-bedroom flat and four letting rooms.
Owner Mark Yeoman manages a local textile factory and bought his local in October 2018 and says: “The previous landlord wanted to retire and I thought ‘why not?’,”
In winter, the hours are Saturday, Sunday, Monday noon until late, Tuesday closed and Wednesday and Thursday 5pm onwards and in summer it opens full-time, though hours can be changed.
“I’d worked at the pub for 10 years before I bought it. It is an old-fashioned village boozer, which is rare, and I wanted to preserve that while giving it a new lease of life with new furniture and a new sign, among other things.
“The majority of my trade is locals and I’m grateful because they see the pub through winter and in summer we get people from the caravan park nearby and holiday makers.”
Mark has invested profit back into the freehouse pub and selling it after making it more viable was always his plan.
He says: “I love this place and
I’ve been coming here since I was 18. All I wanted to do was to make sure the pub could look after itself and it does. The takings can support a couple nicely and there’s more potential with the food side.”
The takings can support a couple nicely and there’s more potential with the food side.
Wentvale Court B&B, Knottingley, £699,950, www. ernest-wilson.co.uk
This pristine property, close to the M62, has 15 en-suite bedrooms and owners accommodation set over two buildings and two annexes. It also has half an acre of beautiful gardens and a car park.
Christine Martin and Philip Durbin created it 27 years ago and businesspeople and those visiting relatives in the area are its bread and butter and many are regular guests so there has never been a need to advertise.
“Running it is a way of life,” says Christine. “It’s been hugely enjoyable and a lot of guests have become friends but we are now selling to retire and start a new adventure.”