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Feb 14, 2023 · Most church buildings are going to require extensive renovations to convert a church building to a home. In early, 2021 we sold Arbela United Methodist Church (1,180 square feet on the upper floor) for $70,000 ($59 per square foot). Homes in the area were selling for $110 to $150 per square foot.
- Budget
- Ministry Needs Guide Your Facility Needs
- Ingress/Egress
- Parking
- Capacity
- Land Development Costs
- Zoning
- Change of Use Requirements
- Audio Visual Costs
- FF&E
Understand what you can afford. Is this a cash purchase? Will you get a loan? If so, what is your loan capacity? 1. Market Capacity: Understand what it costs to buy a building in your market. Costs and Supply and Demand vary from market to market. 2. Loan Capacity:What is the amount that you can borrow? Just because a lender may loan you $2,000,000...
A building is a tool for ministry. Your ministry should dictate the facility you need. If you have an adult Bible Study on campus, then you need more classroom space. If youth and sports are a vital ministry, you will need a gym. Before you owned a building, there were vital ministries that were important, and a new facility should not change that ...
As a church grows, more people usually come to your building. Accessing your property can be a real issue as growth occurs. It is critical to have a minimum of 2 points of access. A church site larger than 5 acres with a seating capacity of more than 500 will need more than two access points. 1. Ingress –In other words, how people can get into your...
One of the critical things for church properties is making sure you have enough parking. Many old church buildings are on small sites, less than 2 acres, and often have limited parking. If the building was built in the early to mid-20thcentury, then many people may have walked to their neighborhood church. Parking requirements differ from city to c...
Capacity can be looked at in two ways: current seating capacity and growth capacity. 1. Seating Capacity – What is the ideal sanctuary size for your church? Today I see more churches with 500-600 seats with multiple services as the solution as they grow. If you are a church-planting church, then a smaller sanctuary with multiple services may be mor...
When buying land, you must know what it will cost to develop the site before you commit to the purchase. Some sites are “great deals” because utilities and roads are not near the property. A cheap site can become an expensive site when you find out your first phase is to spend $500,000+ to bring the necessary utilities to the site. Utilities like w...
In many cities, church use is allowed by right. Other cities may require a Special Use or Conditional Use Permit. A city is not allowed to keep a church from using a property with zoning. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act protects churches in this situation. If a city is citing zoning as a reason, a church cannot use a proper...
When a church buys a building to convert it to church use, the city building inspection department will be vetting the property under an Assembly Use. This may change the building and code requirements for the finish-out. Items like fire sprinklers, fire alarms, exit doors, ADA are all items to consider. When a church buys an existing church buildi...
Understand the audio and visual costs. The AVL budget may be critical. I have worked with churches that determined the most important thing was that they wanted to ensure that people would hear and see the message. AVL is sometimes overlooked early in the process. New spaces may need a sound system designed for that space. There are purchase and le...
These are the items that fill your space. From the lobby to classrooms and offices, all these items cost money. I have seen churches that have selected the things they want for the room and then allowed members to tour the space and choose the items they would like to buy for the building. When moving from leased space to a larger facility, there i...
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Nov 28, 2018 · We offered legal guidance recently for a church in a community where the lowest priced home for sale was $1.6 million. The church could buy a home to use as a parsonage—but that can backfire on the pastor. For many pastors, one of their largest assets when they retire is their home.
Apr 28, 2023 · Buying a church is quite like buying a house; there is lots of paperwork you’d have to get through and forms to fill out and sign before you can purchase a church building. Understanding your financing options informs you of what you can afford and where it’s essential to reduce the budget.
Mar 31, 2022 · But how much does it cost to convert a church into a space fit for living in? We’ve broken down the typical church conversion cost to help you budget. Out-of-use churches can make unique and striking houses.
Jan 3, 2024 · According to data from the National Association of Realtors, the median price for an existing home — one that’s already standing, not new construction — was $387,600 as of November 2023. If...
Oct 15, 2020 · Churches should prepare to budget $120 to $150 per square foot for the church building itself. After the building’s cost, factor in the indoor material costs—flooring, paint, sound and lighting equipment, furniture, and outdoor material costs—sidewalks, pavement, landscaping, and playground equipment.
