These days it seems that everyone is choosing renting over buying. Starting businesses, growing businesses - they all prefer to rent office space and sometimes even rent the whole equipment. It is no surprise that this is happening in the hard financial situation most of Europe is in. Consider that finding the right office space to rent is not an easy task. When you have hundreds of business owners on the lookout it can be very frustrating. With some help, research and recommendation, however, you can find the right place for you and your business. The good thing about renting is that if you find the right location, you can rent the place for years to come - providing security to your employees, yourself and your work. The perfect spot can be found in a few steps.
First of all you need to think about what you actually want, and what your business would benefit from. It is shocking how many owners sign an office contract after just one viewing. There are many things which look appealing at first, but are not enough for a successful business place. Determine how many employees you have and how many do you plan to have in the next few years. Are you making an expansion? If the answer is yes, then rent a space which will be for your team. You cannot expect two employees to share one desk just because you haven't thought about the space properly. An office should be big enough for your employees and equipment, but not too big, because this means paying for space you are not using. The next thing to do is find an agent. Even if you think you don't need one, once you start looking and discussing contract terms you will be proven wrong. A great agent or broker can do most of the hard work and ask the right questions at a viewing. He can also save you some time viewing places which are simply not suitable. Having someone to guide you and negotiate terms for you will save you time, money and stress. Agents also have good connections and can show you places which are not listed yet. Determine your budget - this is a very important step. If you find the perfect office space for your business and it is already equipped with most of the things you need, then a higher rent is worth the investment. But paying a fortune for an empty office space is not reasonable, especially if you are only starting your business and need to purchase furniture and equipment. Find a space which is affordable and suits your needs - if your business grows, you can rent more space later. Inquire about any hidden charges, read the fine print and make sure you are aware of what is included in the rent and what's not. This is where the good agent helps a lot. After you have chosen the space, negotiate the rent - that is your agent's strongest skill - negotiating the payment for you. Try making a counteroffer if you aren't pleased with the offered amount. If you think the offer is too high try to negotiate what this amount will cover - cleaning, repairs and utilities? If you are willing to sign an agreement for a long term, try lowering the amount based on that. Don't agree to terms which you are not happy with - continue looking until you find the best space with the best offer. Last but not least, think about the future and discuss any changes you might do in the office space. Discuss whether there is available adjacent space in case you need to expand in the future.
Follow these tips for finding the best office space for your business.