A2X Consulting

So, your business has grown to a point to where you either need to move out of your home office or you need to get more office space to fit more of your staff into. For either one of these scenarios, it’s definitely something to be proud of. Growth always is.

Now, you just have one major challenge. You want to be able to get the kind of office space that will be convenient for a lot of your employees, appealing to your clients and reasonably priced for you.

It might seem like a tall order, but it doesn’t have to be. We actually have five tips on what you should consider when looking for office space before making your final selection:

Location, location, location. When looking at potential office space, one of the most important things to consider is that you pick a place that is located to where (if possible) the directions are relatively simple, it’s accessible to people who may have to use public transportation and it’s not too far for employees (and yourself) to travel both to and from.

Appearance. As we all know, we only have one time to make a first impression and so you definitely want to pick a spot that looks attractive. This means that the building itself should look and smell clean. If it is an older space, you also want to think about how much money you have to do any renovations. Plus, you need to make sure that it’s in an area that appears safe and as professional-looking as possible too.

Amenities. If you plan on being in a new office for several years, you definitely want to make sure that it has all that you need to grow as the company grows. This would include a strong internet and cable connection, good lightning, energy efficient appliances and rooms for storage, conferences and for execs to have their own private offices (if needed).

Good security. Whether you’re getting an office space in NYC or LA, it is a must that you don’t move into a place that doesn’t have a good security system. There needs to be locked doors, surveillance cameras, alarms and it certainly doesn’t hurt if there are security guards available as well. This is something that the property manager of the space can provide you information on. When it comes to the property manager, don’t forget to make sure that s/he comes with some good references too.

A good lease agreement. If you’ve ever leased a place before that may have not been quite what you wanted or expected, then you already know that it can be a real nightmare to try and either finish out the lease or break it. That’s why it’s a good idea to really think about how long you want to be in your new office. A short-term lease is smart when you’re a relatively new business and you’re not yet able to predict your company’s growth. A long-term lease is a good idea when you have an established business and the real estate prices are low. You definitely don’t want to make a rushed decision, so make sure to thoroughly think this over and perhaps discuss it with an attorney before signing on the dotted line. Good luck.