When it's time to expand your business and set up an office location, one of the most important choices you face is where to locate your office. There are many factors to consider when choosing the right location to set up your office, and much will depend on the type of business you own. Before you look for the right office space, here are some things to consider to help you decide on the right place for your office location.

Cost

Obviously, the cost of buying or renting your office space is going to have to be within your budget constraints.  But there's more to the cost of doing business than just the monthly rent on the office space.  It is important to thoroughly research the taxes and regulatory situations in your desired location. What are the sales and income taxes and how might they affect your business? What about regulatory requirements - are they excessive or is this area business-friendly? If you plan to locate your business in the US, you can find out how individual states ranked with the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council on policy measures and the various costs that impact small businesses.

Your Customers

Your business location needs to be where your customers are and be conveniently located for them. Consider traffic, parking and whether or not the area invites foot traffic.  How visible will your busines be in that location? 

Your Employees

Even if your type of business doesn't require customers to visit your location, you will have employees. Consider where your employees will be coming from, whether or not there will be a pool of qualified candidates for job openings and whether they will be able to easily commute to your location.

Other Businesses in the Area

If your business depends on attracting new customers, then the types of other businesses located near you is important. Consider what other retail and service businesses are in the area, what type of customers they draw, and whether or not they compliment or compete with your business's offerings. 

Once you've chosen the right place for your business to operate, contact us.  Whether you are looking to lease or to buy, we can help you find the right office space for your business venture.

Offles Space Planning Checklist

Office Space Calcualtor

Find Office Space

By: James Osgood

There are standard office needs—and then there’s yours. Whether you need to be particularly close to your client base, or your space needs are very particular, we can help you find that unusual office space for lease.

Let’s say your primary client base is college students, so you need to be within walking distance of the local university. The problem is that this university has become a magnet for student-oriented businesses and there doesn’t appear to be anything available in the area. This is where we can help. We have connections in all types of college communities, so we know about spaces that you might not hear about as you comb the space available ads or drive around the area.

Or perhaps you are seeking to expand your jewelry production business. You know that, in addition to a high class showroom space, you need both traditional office space and production areas with very particular HVAC and security needs, for working with and storing your expensive jewelry, metals and materials. We can help you find office space that will meet your exacting needs, or landlords willing to work with you on creating that perfect working environment.

On the other hand, perhaps you need a secure building because of your high profile client base. You want to make sure that your clients can enter and leave your offices without being seen by others. With our connections in the community, we hear about those low profile buildings that become available without advertising their presence—thus making them the ideal location for your low profile business.

Or is it that you need the highest profile possible, in order to break into a new niche? Perhaps you have the latest and greatest souvenir for the local ball team, and know that you cannot hope to make an impact in this particular niche market without having an office within a certain radius of the ballpark—or on the critical artery street between that public transit stop and the ballpark gates? We can help you find that perfect location from which to launch that new product.

So contact us today and let our expertise guide you to finding that perfect office. Success, after all, is just around the corner.

Find Office Space

By: James Osgood

Starting a business is hard work.  Actually, those words don't really do justice to the amount of work it is to begin a business from nothing and build it into something.  Along with finding the right location that will suit your needs now, as well as in the future, you have to conduct interviews and put your staff into place.  You also have to make sure your products or your services are ready for the launch of your new company.  In everything that you have to do to ensure the success of your business, finding an office for rent is a job that might be handled better by someone who is a professional, a tenant rep.

Every business owner knows that the real strength of your business lies in the strength of your employees.  The team you put together will be an indicator how of successful you are.  Once the right people are in position, you'll want them to focus on getting your business ready to make money. And your focus will be there too.

However, you still need an office to rent.

That's the part you should leave up to the pros.  At OfficeFinder, that's what we do.  We not only asssit exisiting businesses with their office space needs, but also help startups just like yours find the office space that will fit their needs perfectly.  We understand the challenges that come along with searching out properties, viewing them and trying to decide whether or not they'll work for you.  We've helped countless businesses find homes that have served them well for a very long time. We have the expertise and the track record that proves that we know what we're doing.  

We'd love nothing better than to help you find the perfect location for your business.  Let us, your OfficeFinder professionals locate the best location for your startup.  Once we find it, and once your staff is ready to go, you'll enjoy the growth you've always dreamed about.

For more information, contact us today.

Find Office Space

By: James Osgood

Despite—or perhaps because of—the slow economy, the office vacancy rate across the nation declined slightly in the last quarter of 2012, to 17.1%, according to the real estate analysis firm Reis, Inc. This is because new office construction is virtually at a standstill in this economy, so businesses must find office space within the existing supply.

What does this mean for you? It means that you will need to be aware of some trends when finding office space for lease in this tighter market.

• Asking and effective rents grew by 0.8% in the last quarter, meaning that it could cost you more to rent that new office space than it would have last October. This is also the ninth consecutive quarter in which rents have increased, meaning that while the economy is still generally sluggish, there is some recovery for commercial real estate.
• The sharing of office space is becoming increasingly popular. Small startups and shrinking businesses are sharing space, and rent, in an effort to save money. This can work, and if you find the right fit, it can even be synergistic for complementary businesses. However, there are also pitfalls to avoid, in terms of assumptions and expectations, differing company cultures, and—most important—making sure that you get the parameters of the relationship in writing.
• Leased office space per worker continues to shrink. According to the Memphis Business Journal, “Leased office space averaged 600 square feet per worker in the 1970s, but that number had dropped to 176 square feet in 2012.” Companies continue to find efficiencies, push for collaboration, and re-engineer existing space to accommodate more workers. This trend will doubtless continue in the face of increasing rental rates.

So how can you address trends such as these when seeking leased office space? We suggest that you start with us. Our tenant representatives are very familiar with these trends, and with local office trends, which vary from one metropolitan area to another. They will help you find the best possible options for leased space in your city, at no cost to you. Contact us today to get the process started!

Find Office Space

By: James Osgood

Finding the right office space can be a daunting task, even when you know exactly what you'd like.  You want to be sure you pick the right location because you're entering into a rental agreement.  This can be intimidating for most business owners, and can even cause you to put off making a great deal just because of the number of uncertainties you face.  

Getting the help of a professional, a tenant representative, who knows the right questions to ask is vital to making a good decision for your office space rental.  In fact, an office space professional has probably thought of key factors you haven't thought of.  One of those is making sure you have enough space to grow.

Where do you expect your business to be in two years?  How about in five or ten years?  If you have an accurate idea of where you're going, and how quickly you'll grow, you'll know how to plan for the space you'll need.  At OfficeFinder, we offer you an invaluable service.  You'll work with a Space Planner who is well-trained in this area and can help you predict your rate of growth with accuracy.  You'll have a great idea of the type of property you should be looking for and how much space you'll need to hold your growing business.

Once you find a location for your business, wouldn't it be nice to be able to stay there a while?  Of course, you want your business to prosper, but your space should allow for that, don't you think? We do, and that's part of our commitment to our clients.  We'd love the opportunity to talk to you about the needs for your new or existing business.  Finding office space is what we're great at. We'll make sure you find the perfect location so you can concentrate on what you do best, which is running a growing business.

For more information on Office Finder and how we can go to work for your business, contact us today.

Office Space Planning Checklist

By: James Osgood