Your commercial site selection is going to have a huge impact on your business, and you should get it right. In your office search and leasing process, site selection may be the most important activity. In this article, we will discuss the commercial site selection items to know.
1. Safety and Security
While you don’t want to have your company in an environment where there is a high crime rate, you should view the environment from the perspective of your clients or shoppers. Ideally, there will be proper lighting in the parking area as well as in the common area. You also have to check if there are security personnel in the parking area. Finally, you may want to check the ground floor windows to check if they are breakage resistant. The safety of your employees is an important consideration too, so check that wiring, fire alarms and sprinklers, restrooms, and other parts of the space to comply with security standards.
2. Investigate the Surrounding Area
You may want to investigate the surrounding area at different times of the day. Check the traffic in the area in the morning and also in the evening, as well as ease of access to public transportation. In addition, you should pay attention to the different businesses that are close to the site. Take a walk through the neighborhood at different times of the day and see how safe you feel coming and going. Finally, check if there any major constructions in progress or in future plans.
3. The Basics
When investigating the surrounding area, you may want to develop a shortlist of factors that you will seek for in each site you visit. The basics may include the size of a lot, local taxes, building or floor, and ease of access to major roads. In addition, you may want to check incentives at the local, state, and federal levels that could influence your decision. For instance, on state and local levels, there are expert assistance, market analysis, or even cash incentives from economic development organizations.
4. Signage
The right signage can draw people to your business. Hence, you may want to pay attention to signage considerations by observing the current practice of tenants in the building. Poor quality signage can give your potential customers the wrong impression of your business. If your business will need any kind of signage, it is essential that you pay quality attention to it when conducting your site selection process. You can use the following questions as guides:
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Are there signage locations on the site?
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Will you be charged for additional signage requests?
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Are there charges for grand opening banners and pull-away signs?
5. Work With A Tenant Rep
A tenant rep can help in every step of the site selection process. Brokers have excellent experience and can match you with offices that are likely to fit your needs. They can even assist you with negotiations with your landlord. In addition, landlords are responsible for covering the fees for your broker. Your tenant rep will also help you with surveying the market to find available options that meet your criteria.
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