Colleen's Pro Tips: Office Space Edition
Yay! You’ve finally figured out exactly what you need and you’re ready to start searching. After ten years in business, I have spent at least one year in each of the following: a coworking space, a sole practitioner space, a shared space in a therapy office, and my own suite.
I’m currently in the process of looking for space again, myself, as we need to move to an even larger suite!
This is the office in my suite that I use for myself. It’s bright and fun. I get a lot of compliments. I LOVE the Bekant conference table pictured - see below for the link.
Our waiting room - also bright but a little more soothing. I used Havenly to design it. Most of the furniture came from Wayfair, although the white shelving system is from Ikea. I liked it so much I got one for the editing office too.
There’s the shelf again - I love it! Ikea Vittsjo. Every piece of furniture in this room is from Ikea. It has all held up pretty well despite being heavily used.
Here are some tips I picked up along the way - whether you’re hunting on your own or alongside another professional for shared space:
Pro Tips: The Search
Make sure to check out Craigslist, Loopnet, and the Commercial MLS. They will have some overlap but will likely also contain different listings.
Some landlords will not list the space publicly. Do not be afraid to post on community facebook groups, Nextdoor, or any other community forums to try to find space.
Determine in advance if you will be responsible for build-out (honestly, I would recommend looking for a space that does not require build-out).
Look for a space marked as “full service” and avoid anything marked as “triple-net” or “NNN.” Landlords are responsible for paying for the maintenance and some janitorial and utility costs in full-service leases, while tenants are responsible for paying lots of extra fees in triple-net leases.
Pro Tips: Location
Figure out where your ideal client lives and what would be convenient for them, but also think about where YOU live and what would be convenient for YOU! I have two small kids and my eight-minute commute is a dream. I would not give this up for the world. Truth be told, I wish my office was in the direction of my son’s preschool - yes, it’s eight minutes from home, but in the complete opposite direction. Unfortunately, that would be a lot less convenient for my clients. Find the right balance.
In my experience, a location that has the perception of being “pretty close” to many different areas is better than one that is “very close” to one or two places.
Make sure to test out your cell phone service in the location. Also, check out the wifi signal strength from nearby offices. If you are underground, or partially underground, this could be an issue.
Like to order in lunch? Don’t forget to see who delivers to that address.
Check out what the location is like at night, especially if you are a female and will be walking to your car alone.
Pro Tips: Representation
Feel free to use a commercial real estate agent. They work for you at no cost to you! Just remember that the person is working to get the deal done and may not be giving you unbiased advice. Also, remember that the agent’s commission increases with the cost of the rent, and especially with the length of the lease term.
Determine your budget and stick to it. Don’t let anyone, including your agent or the listing agent, bully you into paying more than you think is fair. There will always be another space.
Pro Tips: Leases
Everything is negotiable - rent, lease term, and build-out. While commercial is very different from residential and you will likely have to sign a minimum lease of three years, you might find that your agent is pushing you to accept a five or ten-year lease term. This is because it benefits THEM, not you.
If you wind up needing to go with a sole practitioner office in a shared building, ask your landlord if it would be possible to put a couple of side chairs in the hallway outside your office to try to create some sort of waiting area. Be prepared that the answer will likely be no because of a fire hazard, but definitely make sure to ask and get this in the lease if the answer is yes.
Nothing exists if it’s not in the lease. Get every little thing in writing, even if it annoys the heck out of everyone.
Your lease is likely based on price per square foot, but the fine print probably says that the square footage is “estimated.” If you have reason to believe that the number may be incorrect, measure it yourself. Once you sign the lease, you are stuck paying the full amount even if the square footage number you were provided was incorrect. If you find that your measurements are inaccurate enough to make a real difference in the price, consider paying an architect to measure. ONLY do this after double-checking to make sure that the landlord will actually lower the cost of the rent if the space is smaller than you were told. Otherwise, it will be a waste of money to confirm what you already knew.
Pay for an experienced real estate attorney to review the lease to make sure that the terms are favorable to you.
Pro Tips: Decorating
I LOVE Havenly and would recommend them to anyone! So much that I actually used them for spaces in my home as well. I get compliments on my office all the time. If you use my referral link, you’ll get $50 off a “Full” package or $20 off a “Mini” package. I have always used the “Full” packages because I like them to tell me exactly where to put everything :)
I am a big fan of the Ikea Bekant system, which my Havenly designer found for me. It’s attractive, inexpensive, and incredibly practical because it’s all modular. Just a warning that it doesn’t look like anything special on the website. When I first saw the link, I was not impressed, but I fell in love with the white-on-white in the store and have never looked back!
Don’t forget to order everything in advance so that it will be ready when you move in, if you are operating on a tight timeline and want your space to be ready for clients.
I highly recommend finding a handyman or someone else to help you put everything together if you do not have staff who can help with this.