Finding the best location for your business involves many factors, including location, size, configuration, and zoning. Working with a commercial realtor can help you find the perfect space for your business and negotiate a rate that works for your budget.
What to Look for in a Commercial Realtor
Just like when you look for other professional services like a dentist or doctor, you want to feel comfortable with them. Combining common sense with independent research is the ideal way to find a commercial realtor best suited to help you. Below are some things to look for in a commercial broker.
- Some brokers work primarily in the residential market. As talented as they may be in that area, they don’t have the expertise or knowledge to help you navigate the commercial market.
- Within commercial real estate, brokers represent either tenants or landlords. Assuming you’re not planning to become a landlord, look for a commercial broker who’s primarily focused on working with tenants.
- Years in business. The longer a commercial broker has been in business, the more connections and knowledge of the market they’ll have. More established brokers are also likely to have the financial stability to put your needs first.
- Ask other established business with a similar focus for recommendations. If you have a particular building or street corner in mind, talk with business owners there to see who they used.
Finding a Commercial Realtor
Before making your final decision about which commercial realtor is best suited to help you, ask them some questions to get a sense of how they work – and how they’ll work with you.
- Experience with similar needs? Your research should have shown you some of this, but it’s always a good idea to hear people’s assessment of themselves. It gives you a sense of their comfort and confidence levels.
- Size of their office. Smaller businesses may get lost in the shuffle of a large commercial real estate office. While larger businesses may benefit from a team of commercial realtors.
- How are they compensated? In many cases, commercial realtors rely 100% of commissions. This may mean they feel pressured to find higher priced properties and close deals quickly. On the other hand, some realtors are given a small salary and may feel more relaxed about the process.
Bottom line, you need to find a commercial realtor you’re comfortable with and who can best work for your business. Our team of commercial realtors looks forward to speaking with you.