Southcreek News

5 Red Flags to Avoid in an Office Space Lease in Overland Park: Part III

Here are two final red flags to be on the lookout for as you negotiate your office space lease:

Red Flag #4: A Bad Relocation Clause
A relocation clause will always favor the landlord, since it gives the landlord the right to move your business to a different space within a building if a tenant with a bigger business needs your space. Though you will not be able to do away with this clause, remember that you do have a right to ask for certain provisions. Make sure you get a written statement that your landlord will pay for the relocation and any renovations required. Ask to maintain the same structure and quality of space, plus the same rent, and insist on at least one month’s notice before you have to move.

Red Flag #5: Short Terms and Unclear Renewal Clauses
Unless you are positive you only need a space for a short period of time, make sure your lease offers the option to renew. Renewal options should be clearly defined and state how much time you need for renewal as well as a percentage of how much rent might increase. Options to renew give your business flexibility, so opt for those over long-term leases if you are a start-up company not wanting to make too long of a commitment.

Negotiating and understanding a lease can be a tedious process, but it is essential to making sure your business does not find itself in financial trouble down the line. Take the time to do your research and even talk to an attorney about what you want—and don’t want—in a commercial lease.

Searching for office suites for rent in Kansas City? Give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100 to talk about our office space leases!

5 Red Flags to Avoid in an Office Space Lease in Overland Park: Part I

Signing a lease is a major financial commitment. If you carelessly agree to your lease without fully understanding it, that decision could be hugely detrimental to you and your business. It is essential that you understand all of the terms in your lease, possibly with the help of an attorney if need be. Here are a few red flags to be aware of when going over your commercial lease:

Red Flag #1: “Trust Me”
While you want to build a relationship with a landlord based on trust, it is always smart in a business relationship to put everything in writing. Do not rely on verbal agreements or oral modifications in your lease; transcribe any agreement into a document that both parties can sign.

Red Flag #2: Vague Fees.
Make sure that any fees you have to pay are clearly spelled out in the lease. Some landlords might attempt to charge you for extra fees, but never pay any unanticipated or occasional expense that is not mentioned in the lease.

Red Flag #3: A Lease That Restricts Your Improvement Potential
You have to anticipate that your business might grow during the term of your lease, so try to modify a lease that restricts you from improving or altering your space.

Take care to avoid pitfalls like these when signing a lease!

If your business needs an affordable office space in Overland Park, give a DDI Commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100 to find out what we have available!

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Acquiring a Kansas City Office Space for Lease: Part II

Leasing an office space for the first time can be daunting—there are a lot of pitfalls that businesses can easily fall into. Fortunately, these mistakes are easy to avoid if your business is aware of them. Here are a few more common ones to watch out for:

3. Choosing an office space in an inconvenient location. Sometimes businesses pick spaces that are tucked away from foot traffic or the road, spaces that people forget about until they are right at the doorstep. These kinds of inconvenient locations can impact a business’s success over time. Consider the accessibility of your space in relation to your customers, whether they come as a part of foot traffic or purposefully to your space, because a hard to find space is of no benefit to you or your customers.

4. Leasing a space that does not have the right amenities or enough parking. Your business only functions as well as your employees, so it is important to ensure that there is enough parking capacity for all of your employees as well as the right amenities. Making sure that your space has enough amenities to keep your employees happy means that they will be more likely to be productive, which helps the overall success and revenue of your business.

Stepping back from the stress and details of a lease to consider obvious factors like customer traffic and the happiness of your employees can help you avoid mistakes like these.

If you are searching through commercial MLS listings in Kansas City, give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100 for some help finding your perfect office space!

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Acquiring a Kansas City Office Space for Lease: Part I

While finding an office space can be a great move for businesses both big and small, there are a lot of mistakes that companies make on the types of leases the acquire that can hurt their company down the line. Here are 4 major mistakes to be aware of and avoid when finding an office rental space:

1. Leasing a space that is too big or small. Over or underestimating the amount of office space your business will need for all projects, departments, and employees is one of the biggest mistakes businesses make. It can be tricky to estimate, because a space always seems a bit bigger when empty, but taking the time to figure square footage needs specifically for your business is important.
2. Acquiring a space that is not within their financial means. The expense of renting an office space is difficult on any business’s budget, but choosing a space that is even more expensive than what you budgeted for can really strain the entire business’s finances. Carefully review your budget before you even begin looking for an office rental space so you have a clear number in mind of what your business can realistically pay for a space. And then do not go over that number.

Some of these mistakes may seem obvious, yet business still fall into them often. All of these are easily avoidable with a little planning and research!

Give us a call at 913-685-4100 and we can help you calculate square footage needs for your business!

Chase Suite Hotel Chiefs Package for Southcreek Office Park Tenants

Attention football fans: the Chase Suite Hotel in Overland Park is offering Chiefs Football Packages for the upcoming season! These packages start at $179 per night plus tax, and include a one night stay in a Studio Queen Suite, two club level tickets to a home game, a hot breakfast buffet, and one parking pass. You can also book an additional night stay for $69 plus tax. Here are the home games for which this great deal is available:

vs San Francisco 49ers – 8/16/13
vs Green Bay Packers – 8/29/13
vs Dallas Cowboys – 9/15/13
vs New York Giants – 9/29/13
vs Oakland Raiders – 10/13/13
vs Houston Texans – 10/20/13
vs Cleveland Browns – 10/27/13
vs San Diego Chargers – 11/24/13
vs Denver Broncos – 12/1/13
vs Indianapolis Colts – 12/22/13

To check availability, email tgatewood@chasesuitehotels.com with contact information and the game you hope to attend. Advance payment is required, and you must book your package at least 72 hrs before game day. Quantities are limited, so take advantage of this deal soon!

If your small business is looking for its first office space lease in Overland Park, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our office suites for rent in Overland Park.

Chiefs Tickets for Sale through Southcreek Office Park

If you are looking to get to some football games this fall, check out the opportunity in the Southcreek Office Park newsletter to purchase season tickets for the Chiefs this fall. Here is some more information about these available tickets:

Club level – 4 great seats for 10 home games
Seats are in section 202, row 3, seats 9-12
Parking in Gold Lot (M)
The owner is willing to sell 2 or 4 tickets for the games – each with a parking pass
Seats are $276 each, parking passes are $45 each
Total for 2 tickets + parking pass = $597
Total for 4 tickets + parking pass = $1194

The following games are still available:

vs San Francisco 49ers – 8/16/13
vs Green Bay Packers – 8/29/13
vs Houston Texans – 10/20/13
vs Cleveland Browns – 10/27/13
vs San Diego Chargers – 11/24/13
vs Indianapolis Colts – 12/22/13

You must pay in full with cash/cashier’s check, or via PayPay by credit card (but the buyer incurs PayPal fees). If you are interested, please contact Jill at Jill333 [at] aol.com!

Give Kathy Woodward at DDI Commercial a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our available Kansas City office space for lease!

9 Ways to Save On Energy Expenses in Your Office Rental Space in Kansas City: Thermostats

Commercial office buildings are a major source of inefficiently used energy—which means inefficiently used money being spent by your business. Help reduce wasted energy and make sure your company’s energy expenses aren’t higher than they should be by checking out some tips on how to save energy at the office:

Tip #6: Consistent Temperatures

Thermostats can be a source of struggle in an office, so agreeing on average temperature for each season and maintaining that temperature—even if it means locking the thermostat control—is one way to eliminate that conflict and increase energy efficiency. Be aware that you might still run into complaints from employees, and it is important to be sensitive to discomfort as much as possible, especially if any employees have thyroid or hormonal conditions that increase their temperature sensitivity. Encourage employees to wear layers, make sure there are accessible sweater hooks, have cool and hot water available, and make other little efforts to keep everyone comfortable.
You might make maintaining temperature a little easier by installing a programmable thermostat, which will adjust the temperature automatically at different times of day. No need to heat or cool the office when everyone is at home. Turning the thermostat up or down 10-15 degrees every day for 8 hours can cut heating and cooling costs by almost 10%.
Regularly inspect your heating and cooling systems to make sure that they are running efficiently.

Being aware of small ways to cut energy costs could save your business quite a bit of money in the long run!

Give Kathy Woodward at DDI Commercial a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our available business space for rent in Overland Park!

Kansas City Office Space Tips for the Best Landlord-Tenant Relationship: During Tenancy

Here are a few final tips to consider when trying to build a good relationship with your landlord during your tenancy:

Tip #5: Pay Rent on Time or Notify Your Landlord Immediately if There’s an Issue
This seems like an obvious tip, but it is surprising how often business can forget or neglect to pay rent on time, which can lead to an ugly situation with your landlord. So pay your rent on time or even early if you can, or else notify your landlord ASAP if you are for some reason unable to pay your rent on time.

Tip #6: Always Be Reasonable and Courteous
It benefits no one to lose your cool in the face of problems with your tenancy, so remember to always be reasonable and respectful with any inquiries, requests, issues, etc. and the landlord will do the same in return. Remember that if you are a good tenant the landlord will want to keep your business, but there is always a give and take involved in establishing a relationship based on kindness, respect, and courtesy from both parties.

Performing what is expected of you in a lease, practicing good communication, and showing a little respect and courtesy can go a long way when dealing with a landlord. Just doing these simple things can help make your relationship with your landlord an asset to your business instead of a source of stress.

If you are interested in commercial realty in Kansas City, give a DDI Commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our affordable office rental space!

Kansas City Office Space Tips for the Best Landlord-Tenant Relationship: During Move-In

Before you even sign a lease it is important to establish a relationship based on mutual respect and understanding with your landlord. The importance of that good relationship and further opportunity to cultivate it continues as you move into your office space. Here are some further tips for developing a good landlord-tenant relationship during the move-in process:

Tip #3: Perform a Walk Through and Keep Track of All Issues
Performing a walk through before moving in allows you and your landlord to get on the same page about any issues up front. If there are any damages or problems later in your tenancy, a record of issues before you moved in will help avoid a “they said/we said” liability situation.

Tip #4: Know How to Contact Your Landlord
If there are issues that arise late at night or on weekends (i.e. plumbing issues or property damage), you need to know how to get in touch with your landlord immediately to resolve them. This will both help resolve issues faster and avoid potential tension caused by unresolved major problems with the rental space.

Working together with your landlord to prevent problems down the line can prevent some of the stress that comes if any major issues do ever arise. Your landlord will respect and appreciate your effort to work with them to ensure problems get resolved efficiently and fairly.

Looking for Overland Park office space for lease? Give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our available spaces in many different sizes!

Kansas City Office Space Tips for the Best Landlord-Tenant Relationship: During the Search

Part of the success of your business in a new location depends upon your relationship with your landlord. This relationship is sometimes downplayed, but cultivating a positive relationship with your landlord can ease some stress on your business and allow you to focus your energy on growth in other areas. Here are a few tips to help ensure that your landlord-tenant relationship is beneficial to your business, starting with the search process for an office rental space in Kansas City:

Tip #1: Fill Out a Rental Application Honestly
If your financial or rental history is a bit spotty, it can be tempting to lie or fudge some details on your application, but if your landlord finds out about these lies down the line it can really hurt your business. Don’t risk legal issues or eviction; be completely honest with your landlord, and you might find yourself surprised by the respect it will earn you.

Tip #2: Read the Entire Lease
A lease covers everything that you and your landlord are each responsible for during your lease. Knowing what these things are can help prevent disagreements down the line if issues arise.

Laying the groundwork for a good landlord-tenant relationship before you even sign your lease is an easy way to save yourself some stress in the future!

Looking for office space for rent in Kansas City? Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our available spaces!