Whether you're looking to buy or rent an office space for your business, the fact remains that you'll want to do your fair share of research and find the space that's right for your company's needs. After all, a great office space is more conducive to efficiency in the workplace. If this is your first time searching for an office space, however, you may not know where to start. Here are a few tips to locating your ideal office space in no time.
Make a List of Necessities
Based on your business' needs, the first thing you'll want to do is write down a list of absolute musts. These are things that will make or break your decision, so think through this carefully. For example, if you hold a lot of meetings, then a conference room may be a necessity. If you need to stay local for your employees' sake, then finding an office space in a certain neighborhood or town could also be a necessity.
When creating this list, you'll also want to set a budget for your new office space. This could be a mortgage budget or a monthly rental budget, depending on what your plans are. However, make sure to consider other expenses, such as utilities and insurance, when deciding on a budget; these little costs can add up quickly.
Look to the Future
Right now, you might have a start-up company with just a few employees. However, if you see yourself doubling or tripling your workforce in the next decade or so, then you'll likely want to find an office space that will be accommodating of this. The last thing you want is to end up running out of space because you failed to look ahead. Better to have more space than you need right now and enough space when you need it later.
Assess Square Footage
Speaking of space, you'll most likely see a figure listed in the real estate advertisement for an office space that refers to square footage. However, these figures can be misleading; what matters most is that the space is usable to you and your employees. For example, a 5,000 square foot office space with 500 of that square footage being in warehouse space that your company doesn't need might be a waste of your money.
Check Out Amenities
Another factor that can greatly influence your decision regarding an office space is that of its amenities and features. For instance, many office spaces these days are known as "serviced offices," which means that they include a lot of amenities that the buyer or renter would otherwise need to pay for anyway. This could include phone and Internet service, cable, and even coffee delivery for employees. The more you can get included with your mortgage or rent, the better. However, be sure that you don't let amenities influence your decision too much.
Find a Safe Location
For the safety of you and your employees, be sure to check the crime statistics in the area for any office space you take into consideration. This is especially true if you'll have employees coming and going by themselves at various hours of the day. Safety should be of utmost importance to you as a business owner, so try to stay away from office spaces in locations with higher crime rates, even if this might mean a lower monthly payment.
Overall, finding a great office space does take some time and research. However, since this is a decision you'll likely be stuck with for quite some time, it's important that you do the research necessary to make a decision that you and your employees will be happy with for years to come. Utilizing the services of a company like Source Office Suites can also help you make the decision.
