Commercial Office Space for Rent in Overland Park, KS: Finding and Keeping Your Ideal Location
An office space lease is a serious commitment for any business. On top of the cost you pay per month, you have to be prepared to pay for other expenses, such as insurance, maintenance and taxes, as well possibly putting up a personal guarantee. Since this is such a big financial decision, it is important to approach leasing as a well-informed negotiator. Remember that there is no standard lease, so don’t be discouraged if the initial terms the landlord offers do not work for you—there is always room to negotiate. Here are a few issues to consider when looking at the locations of office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, as described in the article “Office lease negotiating: Part 1—location & relocation”:
Location Considerations
When selecting an office space location for any business, there are three crucial things to remember: visibility, accessibility, and desirability. In other words, you need to find a location that your clients can easily find and want to go to. Here you more specific considerations to look into when evaluating the location of an office space for lease in Kansas City:
- Visibility Changes – While you might start off with a space that has great visibility, it is important to make sure upfront that your signage and space remain visible. For example, what happens if partway through your lease a tree blocks your sign, or your sign is no longer lit? These problems aren’t uncommon and can definitely be addressed in your lease by stipulating the landlords maintenance obligations—but this requires the foresight to anticipate these issues.
- Referring Potential – In addition to finding a place that is easily accessible to your clients, you might also want a place where nearby businesses can provide a reference to your business. If all other things between two office space options are equal, it could certainly tip the scales if one of the places is near a business that could send some clients your way.
- Exclusivity Clause – Another issue that should be addressed in lease negotiations regarding location is an exclusivity clause. This prevents the landlord from leasing spaces in the same complex to direct competitors of your business. You might not be thinking about competitors when you first move into a space, but it is important to plan for the possibility of one seeking a nearby office.
- Logistics of Access – When assessing how easy is a place is to access, it is important to think out the logistics of how your clients will reach you. Is there nearby highway access? What about public transportation stops? If you live in a bike friendly city, will people be able to easily bike to your office?
- Parking – One final thing to consider is the parking situation at your office space. Make sure you know if you will have enough parking for both employees and clients and how close parking is to the building. You should also ask about parking lot security, particularly if you anticipate employees staying at the office after dark.
Remember that a lot of these concerns are not things that a landlord will address right off the bat. It is important to raise these questions yourself and negotiate for any necessary clauses or provisions in your lease to address them.
The Relocation Clause
A lot of leases might include a clause that gives the landlord the right to relocate you at some point during your lease term. In a lot of cases, you might not be able to eliminate this clause entirely, but there are a few things you can negotiate for to limit the power of this possibility:
- The amount of notice required before relocation.
- The places to where you can be relocated.
- The window of time in which a landlord can choose to relocate you.
- The costs of relocation and who is responsible for them.
- The right to end your lease if you do not want to relocate.
It is important to bear in mind while looking for an office space for lease Olathe, KS, that the offered lease is not a document set in stone. There is a lot of room for negotiating to see if you can satisfy all of your concerns. The best way to make sure that your issues are addressed, particularly when it comes to location and relocation, is to make sure you educate yourself ahead of time on what is important and keep an eye on your priorities throughout negotiations.
If your business is interested in a commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our Kansas office space for rent!