What are warehouse conversions?

Older warehouses are often converted into trendy apartments by developers and then sold to the public. Some prominent examples of this style of building are the Sydney Woolstores conversion in Ultimo / Pyrmont or the stylish Leicester House office conversion in Flinders Lane in Melbourne.

Although the apartments are often trendy, they have large open plan living expenses that may be difficult to heat and to furnish so they do not suit every buyer. Warehouse conversions are also known as industrial conversions or commercial property conversions. From a lenders point of view these are are the same style of building and the same lending policies generally apply.

How much can you borrow?

• First home buyer: 95% of the property value (restrictions apply).
• Investor: 95% of the property value.
• Low doc: 80% of the property value.
• Discounts: Competitive professional package and basic loan discounts are available.
• Guarantor loans: Borrow up to 105% of the property value by using a guarantor.

Note: You may be able to borrow up to 95% for a converted warehouse on a case by case basis. The banks favour apartments where the conversion has been fully completed and that are in a good location with strong market demand.

Do you need help financing your purchase? Our mortgage brokers know which banks can approve a loan for the property that you are buying. Please call us on 1300 889 743 or enquire online to find out how we can help you.

Why are the banks so conservative?

Converted warehouses may be in an industrial location, have design features that have limited appeal or have an inflated sales price due to overzealous marketing that all cause the banks to see them as a higher risk for a home loan.

In addition to this many of the converted properties are close to or in the CDB of a captial city. If the conversion contains more than 30 units then some lenders will consider it to be a high rise building and will limit the amount you can borrow. Thankfully, not all lenders have this policy and we are normally able to finance converted units in the inner city.

Finance is available for apartments that are very similar to standard apartments whereas strange or unique designs tend to have fewer lenders willing to use them as security for a mortgage. That being said, we are usually able to find a lender that can help as long as you are in a strong financial position and have a good income.

Finance your warehouse conversion

If you are interested in buying or refinancing a property that is a warehouse conversion then please call us on 1300 889 743 or enquire online and we can help you work out how much you can borrow. Our mortgage brokers have financed all sorts of properties that have been converted for residential use and so they can quickly find you a suitable lender with a competitive home loan.