Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - How does commercial zoning impact property values?

yournamehere · 02-24-2011, 10:23 PM

There are many types of commercial zoning, and office space or medical offices are about as close to residential as you can get. In fact, in many jurisdictions, office space is a separate zone; not always commercial. There's no noise, little traffic, and the building is usually empty from 5 pm till 8 am.

How it affects property value is not guaranteed, though. Your property is worth exactly what the next buyer will pay for it. They may like the fact that it's walking distance to a bar or retail stores; others may not want to live that close to a bar or a workshop. That's the way planning works, though - multi-family housing and light commercial zones act as a buffer between single-family residential and heavier commercial, such as auto shops and large retail areas.

In general, though, if you're buying residential, you want to be in the middle of the residential area. That way, your whole neighborhood is a buffer between you and more dense zoning. But there are other things to consider, too, like the quality and proximity of parks, schools, and emergency services. And of course, proximity to shopping, especially if you walk or bike more than you drive.

In a viable community, residential, commercial, recreational, and industrial land uses all have to coexist in a logical manner, usually arranged by density. Otherwise, if you have all residential, you create bedroom communities where everyone has to commute in order to work. That's the problem with a lot of suburbs - the only employment is low salary retail jobs. Some people love the quiet of suburbia; others prefer the excitement of living in a diverse urban environment.

I would say the south building is a better location than the east, but either way, it all depends on the overall feel and character of the neighborhood.

02-24-2011, 10:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
yournamehere Invisible Location: tentative, at best	There are many types of commercial zoning, and office space or medical offices are about as close to residential as you can get. In fact, in many jurisdictions, office space is a separate zone; not always commercial. There's no noise, little traffic, and the building is usually empty from 5 pm till 8 am. How it affects property value is not guaranteed, though. Your property is worth exactly what the next buyer will pay for it. They may like the fact that it's walking distance to a bar or retail stores; others may not want to live that close to a bar or a workshop. That's the way planning works, though - multi-family housing and light commercial zones act as a buffer between single-family residential and heavier commercial, such as auto shops and large retail areas. In general, though, if you're buying residential, you want to be in the middle of the residential area. That way, your whole neighborhood is a buffer between you and more dense zoning. But there are other things to consider, too, like the quality and proximity of parks, schools, and emergency services. And of course, proximity to shopping, especially if you walk or bike more than you drive. In a viable community, residential, commercial, recreational, and industrial land uses all have to coexist in a logical manner, usually arranged by density. Otherwise, if you have all residential, you create bedroom communities where everyone has to commute in order to work. That's the problem with a lot of suburbs - the only employment is low salary retail jobs. Some people love the quiet of suburbia; others prefer the excitement of living in a diverse urban environment. I would say the south building is a better location than the east, but either way, it all depends on the overall feel and character of the neighborhood. __________________ If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors: "If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too." It won't hurt your fashion sense, either.