Things to Do Before You Sign a Lease for Commercial Industrial Spaces
Before signing a lease, be sure to visit the industrial park several times on different days of the week and at varying times. It is important you have a feel for the type of customers, traffic, and noise you will have to live with from neighboring businesses.
I came very close to leasing a commercial space next to a “quiet” business that was only open a couple of days a week. I went to the industrial park on those days to find out it was a fiberglass boat customizer and the noise and smell from paints and solvents used by the tenant was truly overwhelming. Plus, the business owner had taken up almost all the spaces in the small parking lot with boats on trailers in various stages of preparation to be worked on – no wonder the neighboring unit was vacant and going for “cheap.”
Talk to at least one other tenant (preferably more). Ask if they have had a positive experience with the landlord and if break-ins or other crimes have been a problem at the complex – something a landlord may not offer you a clear answer about (especially if they are unaware of unreported crimes).
Any landlord that attempts to pressure you with “used car salesmanship” tactics is not someone to be trusted. If you do not have a good feeling about signing a lease, do not sign it.
Signed leases are very tough to break so it is important that you give yourself a chance to think things over without pressure. This also give you time to have an attorney or realtor you trust read and explain the lease to you – before you make an expensive commitment to leasing an industrial space.
Important Leasing Tip: Never, ever, fall in love with one place and sign a lease on the spot. You need to look at as many spaces as possible before making a decision because each location will have pros and cons that need to be weighed.
Impulse shopping for office space rarely turns out to be a good thing because it involves making an emotional decision about a business matter. Business women need to make thoughtful, logical decisions no matter how "perfect" a first space may seem.
