We arrange commercial mortgages in Eastbourne for business owners buying premises, investors buying let commercial property and owners of mixed-use buildings, from the town centre to Hampden Park and Sovereign Harbour.
Eastbourne's main shopping area runs along Terminus Road and around The Beacon shopping centre, with independent shops and cafés in the Little Chelsea area around Grove Road and South Street. The seafront is lined with hotels, from large ones on Grand Parade to smaller guest houses in the streets behind. The Congress Theatre, Winter Garden and Welcome Building bring conference and events business into the town.
For industrial and trade premises, the main locations include Brampton Road, Lottbridge Drove and the Hampden Park industrial area, with retail and leisure businesses around Sovereign Harbour. Many local trades and small manufacturers own their units, which is a common reason for an owner-occupier commercial mortgage.
Mixed-use buildings, typically a shop with one or more flats above, are a large part of Eastbourne's town-centre stock. We also see hotel and guest house owners looking to refinance after the last few years, which is specialist lending that depends heavily on trading figures.
Our commercial mortgage service covers four main situations:
Seafront hotels and guest houses are trading businesses, so lenders focus on accounts, occupancy and seasonality as much as the building. Fewer lenders cover them, and we know which ones are likely to look at a case.
Speak to a friendly, expert Mortgage Adviser about your unique mortgage needs.
We'll search 1000s of products for the best mortgage and present our advice to you.
Your Adviser will complete your application, liaise with the lender and you, keep you informed until completion.
For owner-occupied premises, the lender looks mainly at the business: usually two or three years of accounts, how profitable it is and whether it can afford the repayments. For investment property, the focus is on the lease length, the strength of the tenant and the rent compared with the loan. Lenders commonly lend up to around 60% to 75% of the value, depending on the property and the borrower, and terms often run up to 25 years.
Valuations take longer than on a house, and lenders' solicitors look closely at leases, planning use and title. Where a purchase needs to happen faster or a building needs work first, bridging finance can be used and then refinanced onto a commercial mortgage. Business owners can sometimes buy premises through a SIPP or SSAS pension; that needs pension and tax advice alongside the lending.
Russell Braiden CeMAP and the team arrange commercial and semi-commercial finance across Sussex and Kent. We are directly authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 925926) and rated 5.0 stars from 109 Google reviews. We are based in Hastings and most Eastbourne clients work with us by phone or video, with documents uploaded securely; you are also welcome at our Hastings office.
We explain our fee and how we are paid before any work starts. Contact us or call 01424 444597 for an initial chat.
Yes, through specialist lenders. They will want trading accounts, often for two or three years, and a valuation of the business as well as the building. Larger deposits are common.
Yes. A semi-commercial lender will look at the shop lease, the residential income and the building as a whole. Refinancing can also be used to release equity for another purchase.
Some business owners buy premises through a SIPP or SSAS. The pension owns the property and your business pays it rent. This needs advice from a pension specialist and your accountant; we can arrange any borrowing alongside.
It is usually longer than a residential mortgage, often several weeks to a few months, because of commercial valuations and legal work on leases and title. If timing is tight, bridging finance may be an option.
Typically 25% to 40% of the value, depending on the property, the business and whether you will occupy it or let it. Stronger cases can sometimes borrow more. We will give you a realistic figure once we know the details.
Important: Commercial mortgages are generally not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you or a close family member will live in at least 40% of the property, the loan may be regulated and we will tell you which applies. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a loan secured on it.
Transparent Mortgage Services is a trading style of Transparent Financial Associates Limited, which is directly authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 925926). 17 Havelock Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1BP. Telephone 01424 444597.
