Guest blog by Becky Holton. Becky is a journalist and blogger.  She is interested in education technologies and is always ready to support informative speaking.  Follow her on Twitter, @HoltonBecky1.

If you're anticipating the need to expand into more space, lease your first office or relocate your company, you may wonder just when you should begin your search for the perfect office. The answer is probably earlier than you think. Read on to learn more about the time factors to consider when determining when to begin your search.

While many small business people dream of buying their buildings, many of the largest and savviest companies choose to lease their commercial real estate. Opting to stay a tenant doesn't just reduce up front costs. It also lowers ongoing expenditures while also giving your business greater flexibility. If you're on the fence between leasing and owning, here are five great reasons to stay a tenant.

Typically, companies start looking for new commercial real estate space as little as nine months before their existing lease ends. Unfortunately, they're doing it wrong. To successfully find and negotiate a new space, the savviest tenants can spend two to three years planning for a move.