How to Find Commercial Office Space for Rent
Whether you’re an ambitious startup, a scrappy solopreneur, or a motivated independent contractor, it is essential that you give yourself every competitive edge you can. Operating within budget is a must, and often, those budgets are tight. It is also necessary to present an image of professionalism, competence, and polish to potential investors, partners, talent, and clients/customers. You can’t do that in a coffee shop! The right setup is critical. Let’s look at a few ways to find commercial office space for rent – so you can get back to work.
5 Ways to Find Commercial Office Space for Rent
If your mission is to rent office space in Tampa or another upmarket location, you know the challenges ahead of you. Finding the right space at the right price is just the beginning. Will it grow with you? Contract with you? Strike the right note with stakeholders? Will it give you the freedom and flexibility you need?
Now, down to brass tacks. How do you find commercial office space?
1. Work With a Commercial Real Estate Broker
In the commercial real estate world, there’s no single all inclusive solution, like Zillow for residential folks. Working with a real estate broker gives you a shot at securing the right property, and they can give you invaluable advice and support throughout the process (including negotiating lease terms).
Since there’s no one-stop-shop database, your broker is your best line on what’s available on the market – and what’s going to be available in the near future. Take advantage of their networks. Best: the property owner pays your broker’s fees.
2. Ask Google
Internet research is a great way to get a feel for the commercial market in your area, as well to look into availability and pricing. This won’t replace a broker, but you can use sites like Craigslist and CREXi to get familiar with the playing field. You’ll also bump into commercial real estate brokers along the way, so it’s time well spent.
3. Reach Into Your Network
Digital tools are great, but old-fashioned talking works wonders! Speak to business owners in the area you want to be located, and see what they know. They often have an insiders’ knowledge of what’s available, what’s coming available, and what pricing ought to be. They also may have great insight into landlords in the area, and this can be tremendously helpful.
How do you do this? Pop into businesses, speak to your contacts, leverage the Chamber of Commerce, and look into merchants associations and business networking groups.
4. Take a Drive
This step does double duty: you can get a feel for the neighborhood in which you want to be situated. This may confirm your decision or cause you to rethink. Either is great! Get a sense of traffic during certain hours, which businesses are thriving, which are boarded up, etc.
You can spot opportunities. It may be as bold as a “For Lease” sign in the window, or it could be those boarded up windows are covering potential and opportunity.
5. Think Outside of the Box
When you rent office space in Tampa, you are looking at long-term leases and often exorbitant costs. This is the price you pay for doing business in such a dynamic, thriving area! But why not reconsider your office space needs? Do you want to be fixed into a contract, or do you want the freedom and flexibility to grow as you need? Do you want to be responsible for all of the overhead, or do you want to just work and apply your budget dollars where they’ll do the most good?
When you take advantage of Office Evolution’s fully equipped solutions in the Tampa Westshore area, you have the tools for success. Use shared workspaces, private offices, as-you-need conference rooms, virtual offices, and more – all of which are outfitted with the equipment you need, from furniture to wireless internet. This is a viable, cost-effective option for many businesses.
There are many ways to find commercial office space for rent – but, arguably, the easiest and most effective is to contact Office Evolution to rent office space in Tampa.