How to lease office space: Nine Steps

Business owners have a wide array of options these days when it comes to finding a commercial building to operate their business out of.  Leasing office space for business operations has its benefits as you can pick and choose what type of office you want to lease and get a good rate on the monthly rent.  Before signing the lease for office space, the following will provide a helpful guide on the ten steps to lease office space.

Step 1:  Evaluate Your Office Space Needs

Before you even consider heading out the door to look at possible office space locations, you need to evaluate your office space needs.  This consists of looking at your business industry type and determining what type of office space will suit your business needs best.  For example, a law firm will need a different type of office space than a call center.  Think about what areas your business will do best within and think about what type of office space in general you need to lease.

Step 2:  Determine Your Desired Office Building Location

Location is the next step in the office leasing process.  Decide whether you want to be in a city setting or a suburban location.  Also, think about whether you want to be relative to major expressways or in an industrial park.  Knowing what type of location you desire will help you to narrow down options and make the leasing journey much easier.

Step 3:  Figure Out Your Leasing Budget

You also must zone in on a leasing budget.  This will ensure that you can pay for your rent and will help you to lease within your means.  It also will make the office space search much more successful.

Step 4:  Contemplate the Size and Layout of Office Space Needed

Contemplating the size of the desired office space is the next step.  You must lease an office which will accommodate all of your employees comfortably and take into consideration any possible new employees which may need office space in the future.  The interior layout of the leased office space is another important consideration.  Whether you will be using private interior offices or cubicle areas, you have to figure out if there will be enough of either one to fit all of your staff in addition to your own working space within the office.

Step 5:  Determine Your Parking Needs

Parking is another factor which many business owners must consider.  Most employees like to have access to parking so this should be a consideration when seeking out office space possibilities.  Also, think about the cost factor if the office building landlord requires parking fees of all who park on the property.  Finding an office space where parking will be free for all is ideal.

Step 6:  Consult With an Office Tenant Representative

Before you contact a realtor or start looking at properties, it is a wise idea to consult with an office tenant representative.  These individuals look out for the best interest of the business owner tenant and will guide you through the leasing process from start to finish.

Step 7:  Review Properties

Now that you have done the initial steps, it is now time to review the available office properties.  Your office tenant representative will schedule a tour to look at commercial office  leasing properties which fall within your criteria.

Step 8:  Narrow Down the Options

Once you have reviewed your options, the next step is to narrow down the potential properties to the best ones.  Considering location, cost, size and overall aesthetic qualities of the office space will help you to choose the right office space to lease. 

Step 9:  Sign the Lease

When you have found the ideal office space which you want to lease, it is then time to put pen to paper and make it happen.  Have your office tenant representative review the lease with you and speak with the landlord about any issues you may have concerning the lease prior to signing it.  Once everything looks good, you can sign the lease and tell your employees when it will be time to move in to your new office location.