Southcreek News

Avoiding Renter’s Regret Over Your Office Space Lease in Overland Park

Small businesses that jump into renting a space without doing the necessary research ahead of time can often end up regretting renting the space they chose—or even renting, period. Here are a few common regrets to be aware of and avoid when looking for your own office space, as suggested in the article “What Do Small Businesses Regret After Renting Office Space?”:

Renting – Sometimes small businesses regret renting at all and wish that they had continued to work at home. The reason for this is usually that money is too tight and they cannot comfortably afford the space that they lease. Sometimes it is better to take the time to save a little more before renting, or wait for growth—and certainly to make sure that a space is within your budget.
Not Reviewing the Contract – Small business owners often make the mistake of signing a lease without really reading it closely. Particularly if you are a first time commercial real estate lessee, it is important to have an attorney go over your lease with you to warn you of clauses that could be dangerous—such as a personal guarantee, which could put your home, car, and other personal assets at risk if your business is unable to pay rent.
Bad Location – If your business needs foot traffic for sales, it is essential that you choose your location wisely. Even if you find a beautiful office for a great price, it is not worth your money if it doesn’t have the foot traffic potential that you need. Avoid this regret by researching the demographics of an area. Who lives there? Will they be interested in your product or services? What is the competition in the area? Do your homework to make sure that you don’t find out the answers to these questions the hard way.
Too Much Luxury – It might be tempting to go for a higher priced space in an upscale area or with all of the gadgets and features you want, but be wary of spending too much on flashy luxury elements. That money could be used for more practical business purposes, such as increased advertising. You will be in that lease for at least a few years, so be careful not to sacrifice functionality and growth for slick looks.

Be sure to do research before renting a space to avoid regretting it later!

If your business is interested in office space in Overland Park KS, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!

8 Tech Tips for Your Office Space in Kansas City

Technology in an office can be a fickle thing to deal with, but in this day and age, it is so necessary to have fully functioning technology at all times. Here are a few common problems with technology that arise in offices, as well as tips for how to troubleshoot, as outlined in the articles “Toby’s Tech Tips: Part 1 & Part 2”:

#1 Slow Computers

Slow performing computers are extremely common tech complaints, but fortunately a little maintenance can usually speed things up. One explanation is that your computer is experiencing a virus, but if you rule out this option, it is more likely that you are using too much data storage. Storing essential personal and work related documents is so important, but you can save space by moving documents that you don’t need frequently to either a USB device or an external hard drive in order to free up space on your computer. If you find files that you do not need, don’t be afraid to put them in the “Recycle Bin.”

#2 Too Many Windows

If you are losing efficiency because you constantly have multiple windows open on your computer, consider getting another monitor. You can even set up dual monitors in the same stand, and these monitors can swivel, rotate, and tilt to adjust to your preferences. You might find that you can increase your productivity without decreasing your desk space.

#3 Trouble with Email Attachments

If you are having issues with email, particularly opening attachments, you might want to look into a software upgrade. If your software is outdated, the files you are trying to open might no longer be compatible with what you are using.

#4 Printer Problems

These always seem to arise at the worst possible times, but there are a few quick fixes you can try. First is simply turning the computer off and on, but if this doesn’t work, try unplugging it altogether and then plugging it back in. You can also double click the printer icon on your computer to check the print queue and see if there are several documents waiting.

#5 Download Speeds

If your computer is taking way too much time to download things from the internet, you might check to see that you aren’t downloading or uploading things without knowing it. Sometimes torrent programs run in the background of your computer and are minimized to your systems tray–without you even noticing them.

#6 Unreliable Wi-Fi

The first step when dealing with unreliable Wi-Fi is to check to see if your router or your computer is the problem. If it is just a matter of improving the signal strength from your router, look into purchasing a Wi-Fi range extender, which can strengthen the signal from a router in different parts of a building.

#7 Laptop Upgrades

If you are frustrated with your laptop but still unsure of whether to make the leap to a tablet, consider some devices that are somewhere in between. Many laptops with full keyboards also feature touchscreens that can rotate 360 degrees, giving you some of the best features of both options. If you know you want to be on the go and work from something smaller altogether, then maybe downsizing to a tablet is the best option for you—look into your choices to see what will serve you best.

#8 Losing Power

Sometimes documents can be lost simply because of the battery dying on your computer—inadvertently erasing hours of hard work. One way to prevent this from happening is to look into a UPS (uninterruptable power supply), which gives you time to back up your work before losing power.

Consider trying some of these tips if you are having tech problems in your office!

If your business is interested in office space for rent in Kansas City, give Kathy Woodward at DDI Commercial a call at 913-685-4100!

6 Things to Look For When Touring Commercial Realty In Kansas City

When searching for commercial office space for lease, it is essential to take a tour of all properties before singing anything so that you know exactly what is included in the space. Be sure to make yourself a checklist of things to investigate before you go to a space so that you can make sure it meets all of your requirements and easily compare it to other spaces. Here are six things to check for when you are looking at a prospective location, as suggested in the article “Commercial Real Estate Corner”:

Safety. A safe environment is a top priority in any kind of space, and a landlord’s concern for safety should be apparent on a tour. Check for locks on both doors and windows, lighting in parking lots in common areas, and cameras or a watch staff for after hours. You can also ask about getting access to any incident records.
Handicap Accommodations. Make sure that the premises are equipped with elevators, wheelchair ramps, wide entry doors, and handicap accessible restrooms in order to sure that all guests and employees feel welcome and comfortable. If these accommodations or not present, keep in mind that adding them could be quite expensive.
Condition of the Space. Check to see if the space is in good physical condition by looking for any signs of structural issues or problems with tenants. Check for unpleasant stains, odors, or cracks. Don’t hesitate to ask the landlord about anything you see before agreeing to sign the lease.
Common Space. Check to make sure that common areas that are not technically in your office space are still well maintained, including restrooms, elevators, lobbies, and hallways, as these spaces will still make an impression on visitors.
Amenities and Services. Find out if there are businesses nearby that could be convenient for your company, such as a bank or an office supply provider, or even places that our employees might like to be near, such as gyms, restaurants, coffee shops, or day care.
Parking Lots. Check to make sure that there is enough parking for both your clients and employees, and make sure you are aware of any parking fees, versus what is included in the lease. If weather is an issue in your location, ask about snow plowing services.

Be sure to include these essential items on your checklist as you tour spaces!

If your business is interested in setting up a tour of an office rental space in Kansas City, give Kathy Woodward at DDI Commercial a call at 913-685-4100.

Environmental Concerns to Consider When Looking for a Kansas City Office Space

Before you sign a lease on a space, you will want to make sure that you are not violating any environmental regulations and potentially even get an environmental inspection of the space. Here are some things to consider about environmental laws, the consequences for violating them, and what types of businesses should be concerned, as outlined in the article “Environmental Issues in Commercial Spaces”:

Environmental Laws

There are laws at the federal, state, and local level that combat contamination by hazardous waste and other byproducts created by companies. Here are a few pieces of legislation your business should be familiar with if you handle anything that could qualify as hazardous:

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
Clean Air Act
Toxic Substances Control Act
Occupational Safety and Health Act
Federal Water Pollution Control Act

These laws deal with chemical contamination of various kinds, including from underground tanks and other storage containers, as well as air pollution and the safety of employees when handling dangerous substances. You might want to look into local laws that are instituted only in your area as well.

Consequences of Violating Environmental Laws

Here are a few potential consequences to consider:

Safety and Lawsuits – The most obvious reason to be concerned about environmental contamination is because it directly affects your health, your employees’ health, the health of your customers, and the health of your community. An environmental disaster could be both personally and legally devastating to deal with, particularly if employees, customers or community members decide to sue your business.
Clean-up Costs – You might have to pay the bill for the clean up of any sort of contamination, even if you were only partially responsible for it. For instance, if you had a leak from storage tanks that other tenants had been using for years, the responsibility will be fully on you. Government agencies are capable of demanding payment solely from you, bypassing your landlord or other tenants who might have been the original source of the problem.
“Compliance with all laws” clause – Most leases include this clause, which holds you responsible for any contamination issues that may arise during your lease term, regardless of whether or not you were aware of the problem, or if the leak began before you moved into the space.

Types of Businesses With Potential Contamination Problems

A lot of businesses will never have to worry about these issues, but businesses in the following situations need to be extra aware:

Businesses that work with potentially toxic substances – remember that even if you only make a small contribution to a larger problem, you could still be held financially responsible.
Spaces near gas stations or former gas stations, where underground tanks could potentially leak into surrounding soil.
Businesses considering large remodeling projects that involve digging – i.e. paving a parking lot or building an addition to a building.
Spaces where prior neightbors or tenants worked with toxic materials – i.e. mechanics or dry cleaners.
Properties on or near a marsh or wetland – these areas are usually carefully watched by the EPA
Buildings with already existing problems that could continue to deteriorate, such as asbestos or bad paint.

Even if your business does not work directly with toxic substances, it is still good to be vigilant about other scenarios that could lead to environmental problems, such as former tenants, any storage in the ground around you, or just a poorly maintained property. Environmental issues tend to generate heated responses from the public and government officials, so do your best to prevent anything from happening on your watch.

If your business is interested in office rental space in Kansas City, give Kathy Woodward at DDI Commercial a call at 913-685-4100!

4 Resources for Finding an Office Space in Overland Park, KS

If you are just starting your search for an office space, there are several different resources you can utilize to find spaces in the area where you are looking. The rise of internet listings in particular has made this process a lot easier, allowing businesses to look at several different options before making a decision on a space. Here are a few suggestions, as outlined in the article “How to Search for Office Space”:

#1 Online Listings

One good place to start is websites like Craigslist, LoopNet, or Cityfeet, which are inexpensive services that allow leasing agents to list available spaces. Check as many sites as you can find to compare spaces.

#2 Social Networking Sites

Use Facebook or LinkedIn to ask for recommendations from professional colleagues or friends, or even simply post a request for suggestions on one of these sites. This could save you a lot of time if you get a good recommendation, and it is always nice to have the assurance of a referral.

#3 Property Managers or Owners

If you already have your eye on a specific property, go directly to the firm that owns or manages it to get the most accurate information about what is included in the space or how it can be customized for your business. A larger firm might also be able to direct you to similar spaces in their property to the one you are interested in.

#4 Brokers

If you are looking in a particular geographic area, utilizing a broker might be the best way to look at multiple spaces in that location and compare them. Brokers get a commission from the landlord for bringing a tenant to a space, so make sure you are aware of any fees that might be included in your lease or demanded upfront.

Take the time to use your resources to find as many options as you can so that you have lots of room to compare! The internet and referrals are always good places to start, with added advice from professionals if you need to meet more specific needs.

If your business is interested in finding a commercial space for lease in Overland Park, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100. We can set you up with a tour of one of our spaces and talk to you about what size and layout would work best for your business’s needs!

What is the Difference Between a Triple Net and Full-Service Lease for an Office Space in Kansas?

There are a few different types of leases, but two very common leases are the triple net lease (NNN) and the full-service lease (gross lease). Here is some information about each type, as outlined in the article “The Difference Between Triple Net and Full-service Leases”:

Triple Net (NNN) Lease

In a triple net lease, the tenant pays for three primary net expenses: insurance, taxes, and maintenance. Base rental rates for these leases are usually low, but the unpredictable costs of net expenses can be risky. For instance, repair expenses for the building are divided between all tenants, and these kinds of expenses can be difficult to predict and vary majorly from year to year.

Full-Service (Gross) Lease

In a full-service lease, these basic net expenses are included in the rental rate. As a result, rent is higher, but tenants can more easily budget because they know exactly what the rent will be each month.

There are pros and cons to each type of lease, and it is hard to say which lease is more cost efficient. The key is to determine if your business would rather risk unpredicted costs for an overall lower rent, or pay more but have a stable budget.

If your business is interested in The Difference Between Triple Net and Full-service Leases, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of one of our office suites for rent in Overland Park.

4 Things You Should Find Out Before Signing an Office Space Lease in Overland Park

Before you commit to a lease, make sure that you have covered all of the important issues with the leasing agent regarding your rent and any questions that could arise during your tenancy. Here are a few questions to make sure you ask, as suggested in the article “Four Questions to Ask Before Signing a Commercial Lease”:

#1 Does the listed square footage describe usable or rentable square feet?

Note that these two numbers are different: usable square footage is the space that makes up just your office space, whereas rentable square footage also takes into account shared space in the property, such as lobbies, walls, restrooms, etc.

#2 What does rent cover?

Know what kind of lease you are signing—a net lease, gross lease, percentage lease, etc. Leases can be all over a spectrum ranging from everything being included, such as janitorial services and utilities (gross), to you as a tenant being charged for operation expenses (triple-net lease). Know what kind of lease you are getting into so you can evaluate and plan your budget accordingly.

#3 Who pays for maintenance costs?

This is a question you want to have an answer to before anything goes wrong in your space. What is handled by a property’s maintenance staff, and what is handled by you the tenant? Think of things such as leaky roofs, squeaking doors, bad faucets, electrical ballasts, etc.

#4 Does my rent increase each year?

Most leases will stipulate small yearly rent increases, but there are various ways to structure these increases:

fixed yearly increases
variable increases that take into account changes in property expenses
adjustments based on the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for your location, a rate set by the U.S. government

Talk to your agent about how increases for your lease will be determined.

It is important to have a clear answer to all of these questions before signing a commercial real estate lease so that there are no surprise expenses during your tenancy. Do a little research and get some clear answers from a leasing agent before you sign the dotted line.

If your business is interested in commercial space for lease in Overland Park, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100. We can talk to you about rental rates, calculating square footage, property management, and any other questions you may have about renting a space in Overland Park!

5 Tips for Growing Your Small Business in Your Kansas City Office Space

It is important for small businesses to not only focus on getting through the day-to-day work routine, but to also constantly keep looking for ways they can continue to grow their business. Here are some tips for growing your small business, as suggested in the article “Helping Your Business Grow”:

Work ON your business. Do not just get in the habit of working in your business—take some time to step back and figure out what is going well and what should be improved.
Be positive. Keep your work environment positive; make sure it is a place employees look forward to coming to every day, versus something they dread.
Take a breather. It is okay to step away every now and then to rest and rejuvenate so that you can return with full energy and enthusiasm.
Build relationships. Strive to develop strong relationships with your coworkers and other businesses you work with. Make sure that goals are clear and consistent.
Keep an eye out for new opportunities. Even if you aren’t really looking for anything in particular, it is important to be open to new opportunities, rather than looking back and regretting missing something.

Don’t let your business stagnate because you’ve lost focus on developing it!

If you are interested in a small office lease in Kansas City, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100.

The Benefits of Teamwork in a Kansas City Office Space Environment

More and more lately companies lately have been shifting to the mentality that teamwork is essential to success. Whether it is a sales team working together to strategize, teachers sharing lesson plans, or Google employees tossing around ideas about the most cutting edge technology, most business can benefit from the positive effects of teamwork. Here are just a few of the ways that teamwork can benefit your business, as suggested in the article “Building a Sense of Teamwork Among Staff Members”:

Better Productivity – if employees are working together to divide up tasks in the most efficient way possible, they are going to be able to get more done.
More Problem Solving Power – as the saying goes, two heads are better than one.
Improved Use of Resources – this could even be the mental resources of the people themselves—if someone is particularly good at wording communications with clients, why not put their talents at the disposal of others in the office?

There are also benefits to the well being off your office that teamwork offers:

Socialization – people are more likely to get to know one another and enjoy each other’s company when working as a team.
Learning – employees can learn from the skills of their coworkers.
Motivation – teamwork can unite a people behind a sense of purpose.

Consider what you can shift in your workplace to make projects more team oriented!

If you are interested in offices suites for rent in Kansas City, give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100!

Technology Tips for Business Inside and Outside Your Office Space in Kansas City

Trying to keep up with the latest technology in your office space? Technology can be both a way to improve your business and a potential obstacle to performance. It is important to not only know what technology is available to your business, but how to maximize the ways you can use it. Here are a few things to consider in order to asses whether or not your business is using technology as wisely as possible, as outlined in the article “Stay Connected”:

#1 Smartphones

If you and your employees have smartphones, make sure you are using them to their full potential. This means more than just internet access, emailing, calling, and texting. Use the calendar app to sync contacts and commitments from email and social media. Look into apps that can help you send invoices and receive payments. There are apps out there for a variety of different things to help your business stay organized, mobile, and customer friendly. Make sure that you are fully aware of what your smartphone could do for your business.

#2 Cloud Storage

This program allows you to access documents from any computer wherever you are. You can do this through iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, or other programs that allow you and your employees to share documents from anywhere. One of the benefits of using these online documents is that you can even have employees working on the same document simultaneously from different places. Cloud storage is also a great way to store documents without taking up space in your office with file cabinets or big servers.

#3 Tethering

If you know you need internet access on the go and don’t want to rely on finding accessible Wi-Fi in places, learn how to turn your cell phone into a modem or “hot spot” for internet on other devices, such as your laptop. This way you can connect to the internet to do work from anywhere—whether it is in a park on the weekend or an airport waiting for a flight.

#4 Skype and FaceTime

These apps allow you to call or video chat employees and clients from anywhere in the world, as long as you have Wi-Fi. This can facilitate interviews and meetings from all different places around the world, and allows you to actually see the person you are talking to, making it easy to present a product or interpret someone’s reaction.

#5 Messaging Apps

There are several web based instant messaging apps available, including Viber, WhatsApp, WeChat, and Voxer. These are alternative ways to connect with people besides texting; these apps work if you are on Wi-Fi or using cell phone data. You can also use these apps for group messaging, eliminating any inconsistencies in carriers or phones that might make texting difficult.

Remember that just because you and your employees can work anywhere does not mean you should work anywhere. Just because speedy responses are possible does not mean that you want to set up the expectation that you can be contacted at any time. Learn to turn off and set limits for yourself, whether you are working from an office or at home. Take advantage of the flexibility technology offers, but always strive for a healthy balance between your personal and work life.

Look into the technology your business uses and see if you are using it as effectively and efficiently as possible—technology can be a great way to streamline your business and increase productivity without creating more work for yourself!

If your business is interested in executive office rental in Overland Park, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!