Looking for advice on leasing a new shop.

[inkbrigade]

So our lease is up on our shop in May 1st. 2013 we're so packed in here it's not even funny. We're looking to move from 2,500 SQ feet to a 8-10K square foot place. We don't want to move again in 3-5 years. We're not looking for a store front as most if not all our business is phone, web, email.

One thing i'm wondering about is hiring an agent. Someone to work our side of the deal. Has anyone done this? Is it worth it? I know it's like private real state where their commission is paid by the building owner so it's no out of pocket for us.. kinda.

But i'm wondering how you even find someone like this?

Also i came up with a list of questions / needs for the new place. Anyone have anything to add or any advise / knowledge they have now that they wish they would have known before getting a new place?

I'd really appreciate it!

Questions: 

3 phase available? 
How many amps coming into the unit?
Natural Gas hookup? 
Can we cut a hole in the roof for our dryer exhaust?
Water? 
Drains?
No compete clause?

Thanks,
Jamie

[cbjamel]

In Colorado we have buyer agents/sellers and combined version. Till you buy then you pay. Other thing is commercial versus Industrial zoned. Sometimes what you are doing dictates that and also taxes will be different sometimes. Internet type you want available also. Don't forget cooling and heating that size building.

Some thoughts.

Just FYI.

Good luck.
Shane

[royster13]

Is there nothing you can buy?....It will be so sad to pay rent for years to come and have no equity to show for it....

[Binkspot]

We got lucky and stumbled upon a broker by accident. Had no intention of using one but he ended up getting us a good lease for our area in a new building. One of the few honest and straight forward people we met in our search for new space. If you can find an honest one I would at least consider it. His commission was paid by the building owner so no cost out of our pocket.

Wet sprinkler system. Nice plus with the insurance company.
Talk to your insurance people to see what and where to look to get best deal with them. 

[Prosperi-Tees]

At the size you are looking at you must have the business to support it so I would for sure look to buy although in my area there are a few 10k sq ft shops for only $1800 a month, just not a great area.

[LuxInks]

At the size you are looking at you must have the business to support it so I would for sure look to buy although in my area there are a few 10k sq ft shops for only $1800 a month, just not a great area.

Wow man, that's a really low for a big spot like that! In my area, it's 1200 sq ft for $1800 a month. Granted, I can drive 5 minutes to the beach and see hot girls running around in bikini's pretty much year round, and I can surf when time permits and waves are good, but that's some killer prices up there!
Inland about 20 minutes from here, the ghetto spots are at about $.50 a sq ft....I'd rather stay where we're at than go 20 minutes inland haha.

[brandon]

Hey Jamie,
You can call me tomorrow on my cell if you want. We are kinda' in the same boat as to take over the warehouse next door, knock down walls and completely rebuild everything (our main plan as of now, just depending on if the landlords will put their money where their mouth is) or just move. Glad you are moving into more room than you need as you will need room for all those blanks! Just make sure you get the HIGHEST ceilings you can.

1. Costco like racks! We use them and go three levels up. We seriously store thousands of blanks going up just by a few feet by a few feet.

2. Need a second floor? Build it! We did. And no need for pesky city officials. Better to ask forgiveness than permission with those jokers in this situation. Otherwise play the waiting game. In Seattle it is anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for a city inspector regarding certain building permits. Not making that up!

I have more, just give me a ring man tomorrow or whenever. Maybe I can swing down there this weekend!

[ebscreen]

Hire a broker. No skin off your nose and they'll typically get you a better deal than without.
My current place had a broker working for them, and he still got me a way better deal than what
they were asking. (he literally said, "but between you and me, I think they'll go down to $0.65/sqft".
And they did.


Here in California you have to get permits even for pallet racks. And a fire department inspection.
And if they aren't seismic rated they'll chain your doors.

[brandon]

Here in California you have to get permits even for pallet racks. And a fire department inspection.
And if they aren't seismic rated they'll chain your doors.

Yeah, the earthquake thing. We are located in a part of downtown on the water that is all reclaimed land. Used to be "Hooverville" if you know anything about our countries history. But it took me about 2 months to find an insurance company that would cover us for earthquake. Only one in the entire state would do it. Crazy

[ebscreen]

Spent a lot of time down in Georgetown and around the old Rainier brewery waiting for trains.
And up in the U hassling college students. I really like Seattle a lot, though I've only been there
during the week of summer.

[brandon]

Spent a lot of time down in Georgetown and around the old Rainier brewery waiting for trains.
And up in the U hassling college students. I really like Seattle a lot, though I've only been there
during the week of summer.

Hey, when were you here? Would have been great to meet you. Seattle is great during our 6 to 8 weeks of summer (this was our first summer in about 2 years as we didn't have one last year) but the rest of the year cold, gray, and raining. Ugh. My wife's sister lives about 5 minutes from your shop. I believe I drove past it about 4 years ago but I did not know you

[ebscreen]

I used to stop by Seattle every summer on my way around the country. Up, then over, then down, then back.
I have some family up there as well, though most have moved out into the sticks, Duvall and the likes.

[blue moon]

So our lease is up on our shop in May 1st. 2013 we're so packed in here it's not even funny. We're looking to move from 2,500 SQ feet to a 8-10K square foot place. We don't want to move again in 3-5 years. We're not looking for a store front as most if not all our business is phone, web, email.

One thing i'm wondering about is hiring an agent. Someone to work our side of the deal. Has anyone done this? Is it worth it? I know it's like private real state where their commission is paid by the building owner so it's no out of pocket for us.. kinda.

But i'm wondering how you even find someone like this?

Also i came up with a list of questions / needs for the new place. Anyone have anything to add or any advise / knowledge they have now that they wish they would have known before getting a new place?

I'd really appreciate it!

Questions:

3 phase available?
How many amps coming into the unit?
Natural Gas hookup?
Can we cut a hole in the roof for our dryer exhaust?
Water?
Drains?
No compete clause?

Thanks,
Jamie

I shopped around as I had the time. It took about three months of calling and visiting. We then worked two places against each other and selected the one we liked more. We have 4800 sq feet (3k front rest warehouse) and are paying about half the going rate. It was a building recently purchased by a realestate company and since it was mostly empty, they needed tenants.

The kicker is, front is carpeted and airconditioned! AC is costing few hundred per month in the summer, but it is worth every penny from the productivity and morale standpoint. This used to be a call center with cubicles so it has two large HVAC units on the roof.

pierre

[GraphicDisorder]

Before I bought our place our rent was $1500 per month for 8,000sqft.  We used a real-estate agent, but found the place on my own but wanted someone between me and the owner and I am glad I did that.  We had some issues with things over the last 3 years and the owner is impossible to reach so the real-estate agent would handle issues and take it out of what he paid the owner from our rent. 

Now that I own the place I now collect $1600 per month for other portion of our building.  I didn't really think I would get into real-estate but it was a wise choice for us in this case.  Our building is 14ksqft total.  We do not share anything with the back side, other than 1 cinder block wall with no doors.  The back has its own entry and bay doors just like our side.  When I decide I need more space, I will boot them and have another 6k sqft.  I estimate that will be 2-3 years max.

[Screened Gear]

Before I bought our place our rent was $1500 per month for 8,000sqft.  We used a real-estate agent, but found the place on my own but wanted someone between me and the owner and I am glad I did that.  We had some issues with things over the last 3 years and the owner is impossible to reach so the real-estate agent would handle issues and take it out of what he paid the owner from our rent. 

Now that I own the place I now collect $1600 per month for other portion of our building.  I didn't really think I would get into real-estate but it was a wise choice for us in this case.  Our building is 14ksqft total.  We do not share anything with the back side, other than 1 cinder block wall with no doors.  The back has its own entry and bay doors just like our side.  When I decide I need more space, I will boot them and have another 6k sqft.  I estimate that will be 2-3 years max.

That is so cheap. You probably paid less for your 14 sq ft building than my house. Location, Location, location...