commercial property for lease overland park ks

How to Find and Design an Office Space for Lease in Overland Park, KS, With Your Employees in Mind

Relocating to a new office space for lease in Overland Park, KS, can be a big commitment for employees, so as you are looking for and designing an office space, you want to do as much as you can to get their buy-in. Here are a few tips for keeping your employees in mind during this process, as suggested in the articles “Finding an Office Space Both You and Your Employees Love” and “6 Inexpensive Ways to Help Employees Escape the Cubicle Crush”:

#1 Ask for employees’ help with research on commercial property for lease in Overland Park, KS.

The best way to start the transition to a new office space strong is by showing employees that you value their opinions. You can do this by seeking their help with researching the new space. Put out some questionnaires to find out or about their preferences. Do they prefer to work standing or sitting? Do they like collaborative spaces or individual spaces? What time of day are they most productive? What locations would be ideal for them? Gathering and analyzing this data can help you determine what kind office space you’re looking for.

#2 Involve them in design and decoration of the office space for rent in Kansas City.

Once you have found a space, build excitement by involving them in the process of designing and decorating the space. One idea is to give each employee a $100 gift card to IKEA to buy office furniture. This might not buy a lot of furniture, but it will send the message that you trust your employees and want them to have some control over their new space.

Take this a step further by encouraging your staff to customize their own desk spaces. Many people view their desk as their “home away from home” or the place they are most comfortable in at the office, so make it a priority to help your employees create that sense of home in their new space. Some successful companies, like Google, even give employees a small allowance for desk decoration.

You can also work together to personalize the new office and sneak in some team-building time by picking a blank wall for everyone to collaborate on decorating. Get some paint and other supplies and make a fun day of it.

#3 Designate spaces for collaboration and individual work.

As you are setting up your office space, also think about ways you can improve the long-term comfort and productivity of your employees. People have different styles of working, so many companies are shifting towards diversifying spaces to accommodate those different styles, and you can use the feedback you got from your employees while researching new spaces to help you decide on the best setup.

One area you should have is a deliberate space for sharing and collaborating. This could be a large conference room, or even a cluster of tables in the middle of an open space. It is also nice to have spaces for “accidental” collaboration, where employees can bump into each other and strike up conversations that could lead to creative teamwork. Some examples of this are communal kitchens or break areas with some comfortable seating.

People also need space for individual work, so try to designate some private spaces, even if you can’t give everyone their own office. Think about setting aside a few offices in your new space to be places where a team member can go to work on a specific project for a few hours or few days, or just to escape to a quiet part of the office.

#4 Consider the cubicles.

Again, you might not be able to upgrade to private offices for everybody, but a fresh start in a new space is a good way to reset your cubicle culture. One of the biggest complaints of employees working in cubicles is noise, so you could start implementing a few strategies to make this a little better in your new space:

have employees silence ringers
encourage them to keep phone conversations quiet and minimal
buy a white noise machine for “background noise”
allow the use of noise-canceling headphones

You can also give employees some freedom to escape cubicles by giving them flex time or allowing them to work from other places, such as a nearby coffee shop or library – proximity to these kinds of places could be criteria to include as you are looking for a new office space.

#5 Give them move in time.

When the time comes to move, give your employees a day just to get settled – assemble furniture, unpack, figure out computers, etc. This will help make the transition less stressful and more enjoyable for employees, and they will come in for their first day of real work in the new space feeling fresher and more comfortable.

#6 Open the door for communication.

From asking about employees’ preferences before finding a space to getting their help with decorating, keep the door open for questions and communication throughout the process. One thing you could do is to put up a whiteboard or chalk board and write a question on it each day for employees to answer. Asking good questions will elicit responses that will help you understand your team better and help everyone find common ground and build relationships during a new chapter of your business’s life.

Good people are the cornerstone of a good business, so it’s essential to not lose sight of your employees’ preferences and concerns as you move to a new space.

If your business is interested in commercial real estate in Overland Park with a helpful on-site management team and close proximity to a variety of amenities in Overland Park, give Southcreek Office Park a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our available spaces!

Moving to an Office Space for Rent in Overland Park: A Guide to an Organized Relocation

Moving a business of any size to a new office space for rent in Overland Park is a pretty daunting task, and should be broken down into manageable steps to keep your business running smoothly throughout the relocation. Here are a few different aspects of moving to prepare for, as suggested in the article “Office Relocation: 9 Must-Know Tips for a Smooth Move”:

Organizing for a Move to an Office Park in Kansas

Before you even reach the packing stage, there are a lot of logistical details to organize. Ideally, you want to start the planning process for a move 4-6 months ahead of time in order to prevent the process from becoming overwhelming. Here are a few things that you should take care of well in advance for a smooth move.

Plan the layout of the new space. Once you’ve settled on a new space, create a detailed map of what your layout will be and make it available to everyone. This will help you figure out exactly where all of your equipment and furniture will go, as well as whether you will need to leave behind or order more of anything. This also helps your employees visualize and plan out what their own spaces will look like.
Coordinate technical logistics with IT. Your IT team will also need a few months of advanced notice to figure out how to transfer not only equipment, but things like internet and phone services. They can also check out your new space and decide if upgrades are necessary. Getting this sorted out in advance is crucial to making sure your business can hit the ground running as soon as you move into the new space.
Order new equipment ahead of time. After you have determined the layout of your space and any IT needs, start ordering any new equipment 1-2 months ahead of time, so that anything you need will be waiting for you when you arrive. You also want to make sure that your orders can arrive at your new office just before you do – if you send them to your old office, you will be paying for shipping twice!
Hire movers early. Once you have figured out exactly what equipment and furniture will be going to the new office, you will want to hire your moving company 1-3 months in advance. This way you can get a full estimate to budget for the cost. You also want to make sure to work with movers who have experience with commercial office moving in order to ensure that expensive equipment arrives intact, so it might be worthwhile to ask around for some referrals.
Labeling – Once you are closer to moving day, start thinking about how you are going to organize the moving process. If you are a bigger company with lots of departments, develop some sort of system (i.e. color coding) designate the different areas where movers should put according to the layout plan you have. Smaller companies can do the same thing and just have employees put their names on the outsides of boxes in multiple places. This will ensure that boxes end up in the areas where they need to be without the chaos of trying to direct movers on moving day.

Packing

The actual act of putting things in boxes can be daunting, so here are some tips from a professional moving company for how to pack different items in your office, as suggested int he article “Packing for an office move”:

Shelves – Pack the contents of any shelves or bookcases separately, then take them apart, label the big parts, and leave them laid out on the floor. Put any pegs into a labelled envelope and pack them separately in a box.
Computers – Disconnect all cables and lock your disk drive if you can. Some moving companies might provide pouches for you to put your keyboard, cables, and mouse into, which you can then label with a label that corresponds to monitors, printers, etc.
Office Equipment – Detach anything that can be detached, such as sorting machines, and remove toner cartridges from printers/copiers. Make sure whomever is servicing and packing these machines is experienced or qualified to do so in order to avoid costly equipment damage.
Storage Cabinets – Take all of the supplies out of storage cabinets and pack these separately.
Filing Cabinets – Both vertical and horizontal filing cabinets can typically be packed with all of their contents inside, but make sure that they are securely locked. If the locks don’t work, wrap the lock button with plenty of tape to make sure it doesn’t pop open during the move. One possible exception to file cabinet moving is wood filing cabinets – if your office has these, check with your moving company to see if they recommend removing the drawers and packing those separately.
Hanging Decorations – Large things hanging on the walls like pictures and maps can often just be labelled and left there for the moving company to move in padded bins or special frames (double check that your moving company offers this service). Smaller framed pictures or other items can be packed and put in a box labeled “Fragile.”
Personal Items – Anything personal or valuable should be packed with you, including small desk deco ratings like plants, diplomas, artwork, or removable disk drives.

Besides packing, you should also make sure that by the day the moving company comes, you have already deep cleaned the office and gotten rid of any unwanted items – donate old furniture, shred old papers, etc. It is also helpful if you empty out all wastebaskets, as well as provide your moving company with a clear diagram of your new space so they can make sure the labelled/coded items end up in the right place.

Moving requires some serious coordination, but it doesn’t need to affect the bottom line of your business if you approach it in a timely, organized way.

If your business is thinking about relocating to commercial property for lease in Overland Park, KS, or executive suites in Overland Park, give one of our brokers a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our office space for rent in Kansas City and even set up a tour.

Commercial Office Space for Rent in Overland Park, KS: A Guide to Brokers and Leases

Knowing something about what to expect from brokers and leases can help your business get a better deal on a commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS.

Using a Broker to Find Commercial Property for Lease in Overland Park, KS

A lot of new businesses wonder whether it would be beneficial to work with the broker to find an office space. If you’ve rented residential property before, don’t make the mistake of thinking this is the same as commercial property. The commercial real estate market can be much more difficult to navigate. There are so many more factors to consider when dealing with commercial real estate, such as zoning restrictions. An experienced broker will be able to guide you through these nuances.

But brokers can be a little tricky because typically their commission is paid by landlord, so it’s important to know that the landlord’s interests might be their priority. Here are a few things to be aware of if you do choose to work with a broker:

Commission – not only does the landlord pay the broker’s commission, but the commission is actually based on a percentage of what you pay for the lease, so brokers will try to show you the most expensive spaces.
Negotiations – it is not part of a broker’s job to help you negotiate the best deal for a lease, so they will most likely not point out any problematic parts of the lease or areas where you could ask for better provisions.
Attention – again, brokers are generally motivated by how much the lease will cost, so if you’re looking for a smaller lease, you might get less attention from a broker.

That said, if you’re aware of the downsides of working with the broker going into the process, you can be on the lookout for these pitfalls, but still enjoy the benefits of working with someone who knows the commercial real estate market. You might also want to consider working with a real estate attorney so that you have someone on your team who actually does represent your interests.

Finding the Right Broker

If you can, try finding a tenant broker, which is a type of broker who focuses on working with potential lessees. To find a good broker, you can ask your real estate attorney to recommend someone, or you can ask for referrals from other business owners who’ve successfully worked with brokers. If your business is located a in smaller town where you don’t have the option of working with the broker, then you can use public tax records to find contact information for commercial property owners and contact them yourself.

Be aware of brokers who might want you to sign a representation agreement, which means that they had exclusive rights to show the property to you. This can be a good thing if you’re a smaller business, as it means the broker has more incentive to find you a good space. However, larger businesses renting spaces that will have a lot of commission might not want to limit themselves with the representation agreement.

Types of Office Space Leases in Overland Park

There are few types of leases you might run across:

Percentage Leases – these are most common for retail spaces, and involved paying a base rental rates plus a percentage of your sales.
Net leases – for these, you pay a certain price per square foot, plus some or all of the costs of running the property. For A double net lease, you pay taxes and insurance, and for a triple net lease you pay taxes, insurance, and maintenance.
Gross leases – for this lease, all costs are included in the price per square-foot.

What is Included in a Lease for Commercial Space for Rent in Kansas City?

Not all leases look the same, but there are a few common elements that you will want to discuss with your landlord.

Lease length – while landlords typically prefer longer leases, tenants want shorter leases with options to renew so that they’re not on the hook for a space that they cannot afford or have outgrown. If you feel like your business is stable enough for a longer lease, this can give you more negotiating leverage with the landlord.
Subleasing or assignment clauses – this is a good option if you have to leave your space before the lease is over and want to avoid paying a penalty. Subleasing clauses are more common, and they allow you to rent the space to a new tenant even though the lease is still in your name. Assignment means that you can transfer the lease over to a new owner, but this is less common in commercial leases.
Build outs – if you want to make any changes or improvements to the space, you need to make sure that this is included in your lease and clarify who is paying for these alterations.

These are just a few of the common elements of commercial leases. Before you start the process of working with a broker and finding a lease, prepare yourself by doing a little research on renting commercial real estate so that you know what to expect.

If your business is interested in office space for rent in Overland Park, give us a call at 913-685-4100 for more information about our available spaces.

Office Spaces for Rent Overland Park, KS: How to Avoid a Bad Deal

There are many pitfalls awaiting a careless commercial real estate renter. The first step in avoiding these pitfalls is starting the process of looking for office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, well before you need to move. Going to the process knowing some basic parameters–your ideal location, your budget, how much square footage you need, what office features you need, and how much parking.

Working with a Broker to find Office Space for Rent, Kansas City

You can then start to work with a commercial real estate broker who is an expert in the area where you’re looking who can try to match your needs with an available space. Remember though that a broker’s fees are paid by the landlord, so they may not be your best ally in negotiations. With that in mind, you need to go to negotiations prepared to get the best deal for yourself, and it is also worth seeking the advice of the commercial real estate lawyer.

Negotiating for Commercial Property for Lease in Overland Park, KS

Here are a few negotiation points to prepare for to avoid the costly pitfalls of signing an unfavorable lease, as suggested in the article “Criteria to Consider When Renting Commercial Space.”

Rent – find out how the square footage in a listing is calculated so that you know exactly what you’re paying for and can compare this to other spaces. Also confirm how rent increases are calculated and how frequent they are.
Lease length – decide whether a short or long-term lease is better for your business. A short-term lease can mean more flexibility if your business needs to move, but a long-term lease will give you some leverage to ask the landlord for other favorable terms or concessions.
Extra fees – make sure you know what other costs are included besides the base rental rates. This can include insurance, taxes, utilities, or cam fees.
Security deposit – commercial buildings might also ask for security deposit, just like residential leases. Make sure you know exactly what you owe before move-in, and check that it is within your budget.
Improvement costs – you might get the landlord to pay for the improvement costs by prorating your rent. Again, the longer your lease, The more likely a landlord might be to pay for improvements, especially since they might be able to get a good deal from lenders if they have a steady source of income from a long-term tenant. In addition to payments, make sure you know who approves and supervises build outs.
Repairs and maintenance – depending on your type of lease, you might have to pay for some or all of the maintenance and repair costs, so make sure you know exactly how this is divided up.

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want in commercial lease negotiations. Do some research and know the areas where you can push for more favorable terms.

If your business is interested in commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our available office space for lease in Overland Park, KS.

Rent Office Space in Overland Park: How to Take Advantage of a Renter’s Market

The commercial real estate world is shifting, and landlords no longer control the game. Recently, businesses have been gaining a huge upper hand in acquiring Kansas office space for rent for great rates. Below are some negotiating tips for taking advantage of this trend and securing an affordable space for your business, as described in the article “How to Get a Good Deal on a Lease”:

Concessions in Your Office Space Lease in Overland Park

Because it is a renter’s market, don’t be afraid to be a bit bold in asking for concessions, including periods of free rent. This is especially true if your business is willing to take a bit of a risk and agree to a longer lease term. Conventional wisdom says that shorter term leases are better for new businesses, but these days landlords are so interested in getting long term tenants that they are willing to agree to a lot more. Since it might take a landlord as much as a year to find a new tenant for a space, they have a vested interest in offering businesses sweet deals to entice them into longer terms.

Create an Exit Plan in Your Lease

The lease a landlord gives you will be heavily in their favor, but that does not mean it is the agreement you have to end up with. Negotiate for clauses to create a little more security for you, and be sure to prioritize your needs. Think about what your deal-breakers are, and focus on pushing for those things before trying to push a long list of changes. Here are a few suggestions for ways to protect yourself in a lease:

Guaranteed Selling Points – Sometimes landlords advertise specific selling points, like high foot traffic or a certain occupancy rate, to attract tenants. Try to get these guarantees in writing and ask for concessions if the landlord does not uphold them.
Sublease – This is a common way tenants can protect themselves in the event that they want to leave a space or downsize before their lease is up. A subleasing clause allows a tenant to rent out some or all of their space to another, similar business.
Personal guarantee release or ‘Good-guy” clause – Most landlords will ask for some sort of personal guarantee, but there are clauses can mitigate the potential damage done if your business has to leave. In a personal guarantee release, the landlord lifts the guarantee obligations after a specified period of time, maybe 2-3 years into the lease. A “Good-guy” clause replaces the guarantee and says that a tenant who defaults on a lease is only responsible for the rent they owe before they leave the space, instead of until the end of the entire lease term. This is fairly uncommon outside of New York, but worth asking for.
Exclusivity – This clause protects businesses from a direct competitor moving into the property.

Beware of Hidden Costs For Commercial Property For Lease in Overland Park, KS

Leases come in different forms: gross leases and net leases. Gross leases generally include everything – taxes, maintenance, utilities, etc. On the other hand, net leases involve billing separately for taxes maintenance, insurance, etc., and these things are prorated based on how much space a tenant occupies. Regardless of which kind of lease you enter into, make sure you know exactly what expenses you are paying for, particularly when it comes to common area maintenance. These expenses will probably increase over your tenancy, but you can negotiate to ensure that prices won’t go up within the first year.

Another hidden leasing cost to be aware of is repairs and maintenance. Some landlords want tenants to pay for any repairs or updates to things other than the exterior walls, the roof, or parking lot. This means that the age of a building could really affect how much you end up paying for maintenance and repairs. Have the HVAC systems, electrical equipment, and plumbing inspected before you sign the lease, and bring up any warning signs in your negotiations.

Find Trustworthy Commercial Real Estate Brokers

Be careful about which brokers you trust. Remember that often landlords are paying a broker’s commission, so the broker might be biased in negotiations. Trust your real estate lawyer, and ask them for recommendations of good brokers, as well as have them double check details of your lease.You also want to make sure that the broker you work with has experience with the particular type of commercial real estate you are looking for.

That said, a good broker is essential to negotiating a good deal, since brokers will know the market and what concessions landlords are generally willing to give. Be proactive with your broker and don’t settle for a simple, standard lease.

This is a great time to take advantage of a renter’s market, but it is important to be a savvy negotiator in order to seek out the best concessions and avoid all the pitfalls of a commercial real estate lease!

If your business would like to rent office space in Overland Park, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to arrange a tour of a commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS.