Finding a new space for your business can be a total pain in the ass. The first thing you need to know as a tenant is that working with a commercial real estate agent does not cost you any $$$. The landlord has to pay any commissions, so you’re not on the hook financially. The industry is not set up very well for tenants to be able to find spaces to lease without involving a commercial real estate agent to assist in some manner. Most prospective tenants aren’t sure what the going market rate is for different commercial spaces, areas, etc. and there are no websites that will readily hand over that information.
Finding properties for sale on the commercial side is a much easier task. All the listings can be found in a variety of spots such as MLS, LoopNet, and many other sites that migrate information regarding for sale properties. On the lease side, tenants only have a few options. Here are a couple of the best websites where to find buildings for lease near you:
- Loopnet.com This commercial real estate website will show you enough listings to give you an idea of what is available around you. Keep in mind some commercial agents (including myself) have premier subscriptions that gives access to a significant number of more properties than the “free” version does.
- Craigslist.com Some agents post their listings in the Commercial section of CL to reach more potential tenants and some owners also post their own “for lease” listings.
- CDAforLease.com Is a newer site that migrates the majority of commercial lease offerings in Kootenai County.
- CALL A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGENT – Here’s some food for thought on this: Not all agents like to work on the tenant representation side, so if you call an agent and they don’t answer, or return your call in a timely manner, move on to a commercial agent that does tenant representation. Cory Turnbull, 208-691-2995 specializes in tenant representation.
- Googling: Search google for such terms as “office space near me” “commercial space to lease near me” “office space in CDA” “industrial building for rent in hayden” “buildings for lease near me” are all good starts. Most likely it will pull up one of the websites above but if not it is a good place to start.
At the end of the day when you are searching for a building to lease near you, I would start online, get familiar with what’s available and what the market rate would be for something you like. Then I would reach out to a commercial agent. If you don’t know one yourself, ask your friends, or just call me (208-691-2995) and get a plan together. Most agents, myself included, can send you a full list of all properties available that match your search parameters. You can then determine which properties fit your plan, tour the properties with your agent and make a decision.
Out next blog will highlight what is next after you locate a property you like…
