Finding a home for your team is important because, in both business and real estate, location is everything. In addition to selecting a suitable location, it is critical to select the proper building for your business. You could locate a fantastic small space for rent on a busy street, but what if the structure itself isn’t suitable for your company or its clients who visit? That’s why there are 5 important steps to consider before finding your perfect office space:
Find A Tenant Representative
Choosing the right Tenant Representative is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make when it comes time to leasing. A competent agent will assist you in navigating the leasing process to increase efficiency, leverage their market knowledge for your benefit, and ensure you are equally represented, just like the Landlord is represented by their Listing Agent. As the market ebbs and flows, there can be different nuances and market trends only a commercial agent, who is in the space day in and day out, is aware of.
Budget
First understanding what your budget is will determine what Submarket in Tampa you can evaluate. Our highest price per square foot markets in Tampa are located in Westshore and Downtown Tampa. Knowing your budget will save time from considering office space. Understanding the three different types of lease structures is very important so you can understand what is included in the monthly rents you are reviewing. Read more about the three different types of leases here.
Location
Budget can determine location since each submarket’s rental rates are different. Downtown Tampa and Westshore rents are drastically different than Carrollwood or Wesley Chapel. Location can also be determined by where your employees are located and if clients are coming to your office.
A few questions to consider:
- Where are the majority of employees commuting from? Where are you focusing on for hiring?
- Do you want to be close to major highways for ease of access for employees and clients?
- What is the culture of your office? For example, if the majority of your employees live in Downtown Tampa and part of the culture is walking or biking to the office and taking advantage of the Tampa Riverwalk, restaurants and bars moving or keeping your office in this location is part of your company culture. Being in a location where employees desire to be or already live can bring an overall sense of satisfaction.
What Kind of Layout Do do You Need For Your Team To Thrive?
Was your office previously all remote and scaling folks back into the office? Determining if you will continue a flex office schedule can minimize the amount of space you need. A “flex office schedule” means you have folks coming into the office and on different days and evenings designing your office space where there are “hot seats” where different people are using the same workstations for offices.
- Do key people need offices vs workstations?
- Are our individual flex rooms needed for Zooms calls or phone calls?
- Are our smaller meeting spaces required for team break-out meetings?
- Do you want to create spaces for your team to naturally collaborate?