How to Find Office Space with LoopNet

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In today’s commercial real estate industry, there are many options when it comes to locating and buying or leasing commercial real estate.  One popular commercial real estate go-to website is LoopNet.com.  LoopNet provides a place for sellers and landlords of commercial real estate to highlight their office space options and find interested parties to buy or lease their commercial office space.  It is also an excellent place for business owners to look when they are interested in leasing office space.  The following will highlight some easy ways to find office space with LoopNet.com.

Zone In On a Specific Locale

One of the great aspects regarding LoopNet is that you can zone in on a specific locale on this commercial real estate website and find the area in which you want to rent your next office building space.  Being able to zone in on a specific locale on LoopNet limits the time spent searching aimlessly and gets business owners to their commercial real estate options quickly and easily.  Whether you are searching for office space in a small town or large city, chances are that you will be able to find quite a few options on LoopNet to meet your needs.

Determine Your Office Space Specifications

In order to provide business owners looking to lease office space with the most expeditious ways to search, LoopNet allows searchers to put in specifications such as price, square footage and any other keywords which may help to limit the offerings to only those properties most desirable to the searching party. Prior to looking on LoopNet, determine what specific cities you want with the office space and then enter in the key terms on LoopNet to bring up the best options for your commercial real estate needs.

Consider Your Desired Budget

When you search on LoopNet for commercial office space to lease or buy, you can narrow down the choices to your desired price.  When you have a budget in mind you will be able to easily locate those office space options which fit within your price range.  There are many offices for lease as well as for sale which are reasonably priced and perfect for a wide variety of commercial business types.

Research Your Options through LoopNet

In addition to locating offices for sale and lease on LoopNet, you can also research the commercial real estate locales to determine if such a location is perfect for your business dealings.  There is also a way to look at sales comps which will give you a feel for what other businesses locations have sold and leased for which will provide you with a good estimate on property values and more.

If you are seeking out commercial office space for lease or commercial office space for sale, using LoopNet will work to your advantage.  Not only will you be able to pull up available commercial office space properties but you will also be able to learn about the local area as well as sales comps in that area.  LoopNet is the go-to website for business owners seeking property to lease or seeking property to buy, no matter what the location is or what the business owner’s budget may be.

Suburban Office Markets

Chicago Suburban Office Markets

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Suburban Office Markets

The Chicago area is prime real estate for commercial businesses of all varieties.  From restaurants to salons to insurance agencies, there is something for all businesses to enjoy when it comes to leasing real estate in this locale.  The Chicago suburban office markets are also high in demand as this location offers a close proximity to the city of Chicago while keeping the business out of the center of the city.  Chicago suburban office markets are readily available and no matter what type of business you own, you are sure to find the ideal Chicago suburban office space for lease in one of the following prime locations.

North Suburban

The North Suburban area of Chicago is a location which includes towns such as Prospect Heights, Des Plaines and Mount Prospect.  In all of these towns you will find excellent accommodations, dining options and, of course, a wide array of businesses.  Prospect Heights has popular destinations such as the Prospect Heights Park District and the Rob Roy Golf Course.  Those with businesses in Mount Prospect will have neighbors like the River Trails Park District and the Northwest Symphony Orchestra.  If opening up a business or relocating your company to Des Plaines, there are plenty of restaurants such as Cuzzin’s Restaurant and Taco Village nearby including other area businesses including medical offices, legal offices, architects, retail shops and more.

O’Hare

The O’Hare suburban area has a few different towns within it including Elk Grove Village, Northlake, Schiller Park, Bensenville, Rosemont and Franklin Park.  These towns surround the Chicago O’Hare Airport and provide residents and business owners with a taste of the city outside of the city limits.  Various offices as well as industrial complexes intermingle with smaller companies in the O’Hare suburban area.  Residential housing mixes in with the commercial buildings making for a diverse suburban Chicago locale which draws in business owners as well as customers from the surrounding areas.

Northwest Suburban

Business owners and company officials searching for ideal Chicago suburban office markets often find themselves headed to the Northwest suburban region of Chicago.  Towns including Schaumburg, Buffalo Grove and Arlington Heights comprise the Northwest suburban Chicago area and offer a variety of residential and commercial options.  The intermingling of residential and commercial buildings offer a place for business owners to open up shop as well as plenty of customers to utilize the various business offerings.

East-West Corridor

The East-West Corridor of Chicago is continually being developed and offers many different commercial office space leasing options to choose from, no matter what your business genre may be.  This suburban locale is attractive for many reasons, one being the close proximity to Chicago.  Business owners can open up their business doors in a suburban locale such as the East-West Corridor but have easy access to and from the city.  This means that not only can your employees get to you with ease but so can your customers as well.  Restaurants, retail shops, sole practitioners and large corporations all call the East-West Corridor their commercial home.

Leasing office space in any of the aforementioned Chicago suburban office markets is a smart move.  These locations provide you with easy access to Chicago but a suburban feel which is perfect for businesses of all sizes and varieties.

Top 10 Mistakes Companies Make When Leasing Office Space

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Leasing commercial office space is a wise move for business owners to make.  With that said, there are certain times when the company leasing the office space makes an error when it comes to leasing an office building or office space.  Here are the top 10 mistakes which companies make when leasing office space:

Leasing Office Space Which Is Too Small

One big mistake which some companies make when they lease office space is to choose an office which is too small to accommodate their business and employees.  It is extremely important to consider how large of an office you need to lease and stick with that figure when looking at and ultimately leasing offices.

Leasing an Office That Is Too Big

It is also not advisable to lease an office which is too big for your company.  Leasing an overly large office space can be a costly mistake.  Not only will your company pay more for the rent but it will also cost more with regard to the utilities being paid on a monthly basis.  An office space which is too large can be burdensome to the business owner and the employees.

Obtaining an Office Lease Which Is Outside of Their Financial Means

It is easy at times to get off track and become smitten with an office space which is simply not within the financial means of the company.  This can be a costly error and put the business owner in a financial crunch when it comes time for the monthly commercial lease payments.  Always know what is within your budget and what isn’t when shopping around for an office space to lease.

Choosing an Office Space That Is In an Inconvenient Location

Business owners who lease office space should always choose an office which is in a convenient location.  This relates not only to public transportation but also relates to the surrounding businesses and population.  The office space for lease should be close to other commercial businesses and be in a spot which is sure to attract the usual clients in addition to those who simply are in the neighborhood and happen across the business.

Not Choosing the Office with the Right Amenities

Another mistake which companies sometimes make regarding the leasing of office space is to choose an office which does not have the right amenities.  For example, a business that has 50+ employees should not choose an office space location where there is only one bathroom.  Looking into the amenities before leasing an office is important to ensure that the office space has all the right amenities included.

Obtaining an Office Lease That Is Restrictive In Its Terms

Commercial leases have a tendency to be strict in some of their terms.  However, companies will often find that some office space leases are more restrictive than other ones are.  Always review the lease thoroughly to make sure that you are agreeable to all of the terms in the lease as once you sign it you are bound by the terms and must adhere to them throughout the duration of the lease.

Choosing an Office Space Too Quickly

Some companies may jump into leasing office space too quickly.  The business owner may think that the office space may get leased to another or they may be so eager to find an office location that they sign the lease and find out later that it may not be the best choice.  Therefore, it is important to shop around and not jump into leasing office space without thinking it through and making sure that the office space chosen is the best of the bunch.

Selecting an Office to Lease Where Parking Is Not Readily Available

An additional mistake which companies may make when leasing commercial office space is to choose one where parking is not readily available.  Although this is not a deal breaker for all companies by any means, it can be a bit cumbersome for those companies which see a lot of customer traffic and need ample parking for their customers.

Choosing an Office to Lease That Is Non-Conforming with One’s Business

It is important to make sure that the office space a company chooses to lease will be conforming to their business.  Some companies may choose a business location which is not suitable for their business and find themselves in a tough spot when they move in and acknowledge this fact too late.

Not Reading the Fine Print on the Office Space Lease

Lastly, company officials and business owners can make the mistake of not reading the fine print on their commercial office space lease.  There may be certain terms which restrict their business in some way and make the leased premises less than perfect for the needs of the company.

By having an idea as to the top 10 mistakes which companies make when leasing office space, business owners can make sure that when the time comes to lease commercial office space they take all measures necessary to avoid making these mistakes in their next business leasing transaction.

Chicago office space

Chicago Office Space Search Using Craigslist

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Chicago office space

There are plenty of avenues to pursue these days when searching for Chicago office space.  Whether you are looking to rent a small, two-room office or a large corporate center, you are sure to find it in Chicago.  But the question which many people ask is how do they go about getting the office space they want in Chicago.  One way to do so is to use Craigslist.  Many business owners and landlords use Craigslist to lease Chicago office space.  Since there may be a risk of scams when it comes to online real estate dealings, it is a good idea to follow the tips listed below so that your Craigslist search for Chicago office space can be as productive and secure as possible.

Use the Search Option

In order to find your Chicago office space options as quickly as possible, go to the Chicago main page of Craigslist and use the search option first and foremost to get the most direct responses to your inquiry.  Simply type in phrases such as “Chicago office space lease” or “office space Chicago” and you will find a good deal of options coming your way.

Read the Ad Carefully

Once you have found the Chicago office lease options, you can then go through and narrow down the choices.  First review the ads which are most on point with your leasing request and see if the advertisement provides you with enough information at first glance.  When reading over the ads, make sure that they offer full insight into the properties and provide specifics regarding what type of Chicago office space is being offered for lease.  As soon as you have pinpointed the best of the bunch, you can then get on to contacting the landlords or leasing agents who posted the ads.

Obtain Concrete Contact Information from the Landlord or Leasing Agent

When you first contact the landlord or leasing agent, make sure that they can provide you with concrete contact information as this will allow you to get a better feel for their legitimacy.  Ask for email addresses, phone numbers and the name of their business.  Once you have this information you can do a little independent research online to ensure that they are legitimate and are truly offering Chicago office space for lease and not gaining contact with you for the purposes of a scam operation.

Ask For Pictures of the Chicago Office Space

Another way to check the validity of a Craigslist Chicago office space listing is to ask for pictures of the location prior to meeting with the individual who posted the Craigslist advertisement.  By getting photos of the office space listing ahead of time you can get more of a feel for the property and also be more confident that the location is truly for lease and not a scam.  When you get the photos and the address of the Chicago office space, use the Internet to do some background research and this too will make you feel more at ease prior to seeing the office space for lease in Chicago.

All of these tips will help to make your Chicago office space search using Craigslist a more favorable and efficient one overall.

Office Relocation Checklist

Office Space Relocation Checklist

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Office Relocation Checklist

There will be a time when you need to relocate your business and move elsewhere.  Sometimes the move is due to the need to acquire a larger office space whereas in other instances it may be due to the fact that you wish to relocate to a different part of town.  Regardless of the reason for the move, it is always helpful to have a game plan ready so that your move will go as smoothly and as uneventful as possible.  The following is a handy office relocation checklist you can keep in your back pocket and this checklist will help to make your office relocation an easy and efficient one.

4 Months Prior To the Move

Many business owners make the decision to move at least three or four months prior to the desired move date, on average.  This allows the business owner time to survey the options, choose a location and get a game plan set so that the move in and of itself is effortless.  Here are some things which should be accomplished four months prior to the move:

  • Obtain a real estate agent
  • Visit potential commercial properties
  • Determine the desired new office attributes
  • Create a basic timeline for the move
  • Let your employees know about the move
  • Set the date of the move
  • Locate and obtain the new property

2 Months Prior to the Move

The primary move requirements should already be obtained, including having the location secured and letting your employees know of the impending move.  As the two month mark prior to the move approaches, the requirements will start to get more specific in nature.  Here are the things which you should take care of two months prior to the move:

  • Hire a moving company
  • Order new signs for the business exterior
  • Order new stationary, letterhead, business cards, etc.
  • Contact clients and let them know of the upcoming move
  • Set up utilities for the new business location
  • Arrange for future cancellation of your current utilities
  • Order new furniture
  • Start organizing documents and office furniture for the move

1 Month Prior to the Move

As the time of the move approaches quickly, you will need to start focusing on things such as acquiring packing material and notifying government offices of your new address.  The following will list some other pertinent issues to address one month prior to the move:

  • Contact insurance provider for new office space insurance
  • Order new office keys
  • Assign office space to current employees
  • Order new checks
  • Update bank information
  • Inventory and tag current electronics and furniture
  • Obtain packing materials
  • Notify USPS of address change
  • Pack non-necessity items (those which won’t be needed prior to the move)

1 Week Prior to the Move

In just a few days, you will be relocating to your new office space.  Here are some of the final things you should address before the big day:

  • Back up office computers
  • Pack remaining office items
  • Label packed office items
  • Pack up desk items/employee personal items
  • Inspect new office
  • Remind clients of the move
  • Remember not to schedule client appointments until post-move
  • Assign staff members moving duties

Day of Your Office Relocation

The day has arrived and it’s time to move into your new office space.  Here are some things to take care of on moving day:

  • Only have essential employees present
  • Post signs in new office space to direct movers
  • Direct movers in both locations
  • Have food/drinks available for movers/staff members
  • Final cleanup of old office

This is a general checklist which should help to make your move an efficient one.  Feel free to make revisions to the list by adding other pertinent details or omitting ones which may not apply to your individual business.