Looking for a shop for rent for your retail business is a huge undertaking. Surprisingly, many business owners and would-be business owners have no idea what to look for when shopping for a retail space for lease. They have no experience with commercial property for rent. In other words, they are about to enter into the most important business arrangement of their lives and they are flying blind.
Hopefully, this article will help those who are looking for a shop space for rent, a simple checklist which will guide them through the process. We are RDS Real Estate, leading the way in Fort Worth, Texas, in matching outstanding industrial and commercial property for rent to the individual business owners in need. Call us at 817-439-3224 for more information.
Now, though, let’s tackle the tough questions with regards to leasing a retail space for lease.
It begins with the nature of your particular business
Any approach to renting a retail shop for rent must begin with the particular needs and nature of the business in question. To put it simply, a small mom & pop convenience store will have different needs from a high-end fashion store. Or, to put it another way, what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander. Our suggestion: make a list of the specific needs you have for the next location of your retail store.
Consider the location and economic flow of the city
Do not assume that the best location for your shop is in the downtown corridor of your city. The best location may be two miles outside of the downtown area. It might be in a strip mall along the busiest road in your city. And, if you have a one-of-a-kind product, it may make no difference which part of the city you are located.
A good commercial real estate agent can help you with choosing the right location for your business.
Length of lease for a shop for rent
Understand the length of your lease. Is it one year? Two? Five? Is shorter better, or longer?
What happens at the end of the shop for rent lease period?
It is amazing how many business owners have no clue what will happen when their lease expires, but they should. It seems like, almost daily, we hear a news story about businesses closing because the terms of their lease changed once the lease expired. There is probably nothing more potentially-damaging to a retail business than to change location, especially after a short tenure. Customers become accustomed to shopping at a particular location. Moving a store can hurt business. How much security does that least provide in this regard?
What about improvements to the property?
If you want to make improvements to the property, how do you go about it? Who is responsible for the cost? And what about improvements which are necessary? Is the property owner responsible, and will they do those improvements in a timely manner?
And a quick list of other considerations:
- Is there enough power for your needs?
- Is the zoning right for your business?
- Rent deposit
- Adequate parking and good access
Only a partial list
We have just scratched the surface of this undertaking you are considering. It’s a starting point but nothing more. Our suggestion: have a pro, like a real estate lawyer, check any lease you are signing. Go over the fine points. Do not sign anything without confirmation from someone who is trained in commercial real estate.
A word about RDS Real Estate
RDS Real Estate has been a trusted name in Fort Worth real estate for a long, long time. Call us and arrange for a tour of the outstanding properties we offer in Tarrant County if you are looking for a Fort Worth shop for rent. Our reputation is built upon outstanding customer service, and we are locally owned and operated, so our reputation is important to us.