office park kansas | Southcreek

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.

Renting Commercial Property in Overland Park, KS: How to Become a Successful Negotiator

Figuring out how to research, compare, and rent office space is something of a skill that you can acquire through practice. Negotiations are a major aspects of any renting, selling, or buying situation, and if you are looking to relocate to an office park in Kansas, read through these tips and tricks to make your search for commercial property in Overland Park, Kansas a quick and easy process, as suggested in the articles “Tips for Negotiating a Better Office Lease” and “Rules to Boost Your Negotiating Skills”:

Research. Prepare. Plan.

Try finding information about everything you need, including what the landlord is like, wo is paying your broker’s commission, and who your new office neighbors will be. Gather as much information as you can about other parties who are interested, tax records and past listings of the space.

Start Early Finding Commercial Real Estate in Overland Park, KS

Ideally you want to allow plenty of time to search for your new office space. Make sure that you have enough time to do you homework; that means going over leases, looking at other buildings, and negotiating the terms with your landlord. You should give yourself at least nine to twelve months before your lease term expires.

Ask for Better Provisions and Concessions in Your Lease

Another way to get the best deal when negotiating is to call for a cap on operating costs as well to seek out free perks from your landlord. It’s a good idea to limit an increase in expenses expenses such as cleaning and technical support to 5-10% annually. You might also try to negotiate for storage, extra parking and signage. Don’t be afraid to ask for perks and/or discounts.

Think Big Picture

Always remain objective when negotiating. Do not talk about the terms and conditions of one potential lease with a different landlord if possible. Try to only say that they are interested in renting the property and that you are exploring some other options. This usually helps avoid misunderstandings while still creating competition.

Prepare for the Worst Case Scenario

Understand the best and worst case scenarios when going over different options in a else. Hope that in most cases that the experience will be somewhere in the middle, but you want to protect yourself. Prepare with confidence and this will help create a much calmer negotiation process. Understanding that negotiations don’t need to be a tense, stressed and uncooperative situation helps with understanding your position and possible leverage and how to negotiate well.

Be Respectful During Negotiations and Tenancy

When people realize that you are a person who keeps your word, you have an added edge in your negotiations. Follow through with your promises, show up on time, do what you say you will, and call when you say you will. If you do this, it could set you apart form others in the market place. However, it is also a good idea to avoid personal guarantees or lease provisions that you can’t actually keep. Nothing is worst than being known as someone who can’t keep their promises.

There’s really nothing like negotiating. Practice makes perfect and using all these skills doesn’t make a great negotiator overnight. Keep trying and make sure that you know what you want, and when it is okay to compromise.

If you are interested in office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, give one of our real estate agents a call at 913-685-4100 and we can set up a tour of one of our Kansas office spaces for rent!

Southcreek Office Park Kansas: Fountain Feature

Fountain at Office Space — ©kcfountains.wordpress.com

Kansas City has a national reputation for being the “City of Fountains,” boasting more fountains than even Rome. Southcreek Office Park is among many office parks in Kansas proudly contributing to this form of public art through the beautiful fountains on their property.

Recently, the blog “Hunting Fountains in Kansas City,” which is dedicated to finding and cataloging Kansas City’s fountains for the public to enjoy, featured a post about Southcreek’s fountains located at W 130th Street and Foster Street (west of Metcalf).

The twin fountains are located between the two office buildings along a path leading to a pond, and each consists of a round pool and three reddish-brown granite pillars of different heights with small jets of water bubbling out the top, as well as a jet of water in the center of the pool and streams of water arcing into the pool from the rim of the basin.

The path continues past the fountains and down to a pond with two more large fountains in the center, as well as a nearby carving of a large bird with a turtle and two frogs in an old wooden style.

The Hunting Fountains photographer also particularly enjoyed the reflection of the fountains in the glass of Southcreek’s office buildings and took a few photos of those as well. Check out the photos in the post, or visit the building itself to see the original fountains!

If you are interested in Kansas City office space for rent with access to a beautiful pond and walking path, as well as views of classic Kansas City fountains, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of one of our office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS!

6 Guidelines For Finding an Office Park in Kansas for Your Startup Business

Finding the right commercial property in Overland Park, KS, for your new startup company can be a big undertaking for a young business. Here are a few tips to follow to guide you as you look for a space that is comfortable and will allow you to grow, as suggested in the article “5 Tips for Finding the Perfect Startup Office Space”:

1. Look for a Good Landlord.

When narrowing down office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, make sure that you have a good landlord who understands your professional goals and needs for the office. It’s always a good idea to work with a landlord and find out how they respond to certain issues and how they feel about repairs that the office would need. A good idea is to contact previous tenants to get a good picture of what it’s like to work with that landlord. Make sure to discuss any issues or problems you might have with the space so that you can discuss them with the landlord before signing.

2. Be Ambitious…

Ambitious projects are always a good springboard for ideas and growth in all aspects of business, so definitely apply this attitude towards finding your own space – dream a little about the growth you anticipate and what kind of design, decor and setup would really take your business to the next level.

3. …But Be Realistic.

Thinking big is a great way to get ideas flowing, but obviously it’s also necessary be realistic. Consider the possibility of making expansions and growth, but also look into what your exit strategies are if you do not meet these targets.

4. Location Is Key.

Location should be the first thing you think about, so before you work on anything else make sure you know where you want to have your office space. T There are two different ways of going about this, depending on your staffing concerns: If you have team of people you are working with already, it might be a good idea to pick a place where they can commute to easily. If you are looking to recruit talent, make sure you have a location that is ideal for attracting potential employees.

4. Know What You Can Change.

You should want your office to be reflective of your company culture and what kind of work you want to do there. So if you know you want to tear down the drywall and install a new break room, make sure you run this by the potential landlord first. Having an idea of what you want your space to look like is good, but it is even better to make sure you have the landlord’s permission to do so first before you even sign the lease. A few things to double check before signing include making sure you can repaint, rewire and/or change anything other than the desk and chairs. This could save you a headache over remodeling in the long run.

5. Determine Your Ideal Lease Term.

Know how long you want to stay in space so that you can factor this into lease term negotiations. Ideally you don’t want to sign a long-term lease just in case your team grows quickly. A shorter lease makes growth easier and gives you more freedom in case you want to get out of your current lease. However, longer leases should be considered if the landlord is offering good incentives. but when in doubt a shorter lease is better for a smaller company.

With good research, some creative thinking, and careful planning, it is definitely possible to find the perfect office park in Overland Park, KS, for you and your new startup!

If you are looking for an office park in Kansas with a small Kansas City office space for rent, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of one of our small office suites!

4 Tips for Transitioning from a Home Office to an Office Space for Rent in Overland Park

Finding the right commercial property in Overland Park, KS, for your small business takes time and preparation, especially if it is your first time moving out of the home office and into a more professional space. Here are a few tips for making that transition to an office space for rent in Overland Park as smooth as possible, as outlined in the article “Business Tips: Renting a Commercial Office Space”:

1) Set parameters and consult expert help.

Understanding what your business needs and talking to a commercial real estate agent is a good way to figure out where to start with finding your new office. Working with agent might be more time consuming, but an agent will be able to direct you to a handful of spaces that will suit your needs, versus wading through that first round of selections on your own. Give the agent parameters based on location, space and budget; in other words, find where your office will be most likely to thrive, how much space you need, and how much you are willing to spend on the perfect space.

2) Create a detailed needs list.

Before you even start looking for your new space, think about what your company needs to grow. Make a list and make sure to include the big things and the details: space, location, parking, light/air control, communication, storage and reception. This will help you find an objective way to narrow down your options.

3) Distinguish between needs and wants.

As you make your list, be sure to distinguish between needs and wants. Needs are things that you should walk away from a space if it doesn’t have them, and wants can help you evaluate spaces in more detail and might tip the scales when choosing between two good spaces. Examples of wants include things like furniture, office supply, carpeted floors, and distance to local amenities.

4) Budget for the space and the move.

How much is the cost of the move? How much are you willing to spend for each year? Each month? These are some of things you should be thinking about when looking. Some things to consider when making this budget list is the deposit, rent, services, maintenance cost, new furniture and equipment, decorating the office, lighting, energy and security. Budgeting for all of these things is a good start to making the transition to your new commercial office space as painless as possible.

Moving out of the home and into a real office space for the first time is a big transition, but seeking expert help, listing in detail both what you absolutely need and perks that could set one space above another, and carefully budgeting can help you make the move to a new Kansas office space for ren t as smooth and efficient as possible.

If you are interested in moving your business out of the home and into an office park in Kansas, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our office spaces for rent Overland Park, KS, and even set up a tour!

Commercial Property Overland Park, KS: Finding the Best Location

If you are trying to find an office space for rent in Overland Park, one of the most important questions you are probably asking yourself is “Where is the best location?” This is a huge factor in renting commercial real estate, and it’s a complex question with a lot of aspects to consider since it will have such a long-term effect on your business. Here are a few things to think about while looking for your ideal location, as outlined in the articles “Finding a Business Location” and “Researching Your Local Market”:

Personal Interests

This may not seem like a business question, but if you are planning to move your business to a new location—possibly even in a new city or state—it is important to consider what it will be like for you to live in this new place. Even if your business is doing well, it is hard to be happy in a place you don’t like, and with families and children there are factors to consider like neighborhoods and school systems. So in the long run, take the bit of extra time to find out if a potential location is both a good personal and business choice.

Determine Square Footage

Brokers will want to show you the biggest and flashiest spaces to get the biggest commission possible, so it is important before you see anything to get a set idea of how much space your business actually needs. If you only need 4000 SF of space to function comfortably, renting a 5000 SF space would be a waste of money with no increase in productivity to show for it. Additionally, while you are looking at your current space needs, consider also whether your business will be growing over the next few years. If so, it might be good to look for a space with an option to expand into a neighboring space should you need more square footage.

Location vs. Advertising

The relationship between your business’s location and the amount of advertising you will need is something to factor into your financial planning. On the one hand, if you have a great location with lots of customer traffic, you will need less advertising. On the other hand, you might pay less rent for a space that is off the beaten path, but you will also need to spend more in advertising to make up for the lack of visibility. Think about which of these is better for your business in terms of both saving money and attracting more clients.

Size of Your Market

Another thing to consider about a location is what your market looks like there. To figure out the geographical scope of your customer base, you need to consider how far customers will travel in order to visit your business, which depends on both your type of business and your competition in the area. If you have competition nearby, a good guideline to consider is that people won’t go further than a grocery story for your services, but if your business is unique in the area, people will travel greater distances. A simple way to find out about the businesses in a location is to use Yellow Pages or the “find businesses” function on Google Maps.

Once you have an idea of geographical size, you can determine the actual number of potential customers in the area by looking at local demographic records, either at the Chamber of Commerce or by looking at City-Data.

Customer Demographic

Once you get an idea of the number of people in your potential market area, you can gather more detailed information about them as potential customers. First, create a description of your ideal customer, factoring in things like the following:

age
income level
family
education level
jobs
entertainment preferences

Creating as detailed of a description as possible will help you get a more accurate potential customer number, because you can cross-reference this profile with demographic information to get a real idea of how many people in the area might be interested in your business and what kind of selling potential you really have there.

Neighboring Tenants

The final step is to find out more about who you will be sharing the property with. You should already know a little about competition in your area from researching the market, but finding out more about who is in the actual office park in Kansas you are considering is important too. Sometimes properties have an anchor tenant who draws in more business, and you might also be able to negotiate with a landlord for an exclusivity clause, which would prevent the landlord from leasing one of the other spaces on the property to a direct competitor of your business.

The above are some of the biggest factors that go into finding a location where you and your business will thrive. In all areas of real estate, location is key, so it is worth taking the time to do some detailed research on a location you are looking at. A well-researched decision can have a serious impact on the long-term success of your business—as can a hasty and poorly researched one. There is no formula for finding the perfect location, but keeping some of these factors in mind and working with a broker or lawyer who represents your interests is a good place to start!

If your business is looking at office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our available Kansas office space for rent or to set up a tour!

3 Ways to Handle The Personal Guarantee For Your Kansas City Office Space for Rent

Commercial leases for office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, often require tenants to put up a personal guarantee, which holds the individual business owner responsible for paying back their business loan in the event that they break the lease. These personal guarantees are becoming more and more common in commercial real estate leases as the result of a tougher economic market, and landlords are often unwilling to budge on this requirement.

However, even if you cannot eliminate the personal guarantee completely, there are ways to mitigate its effects. Here are a few points to negotiate with your landlord to make the personal guarantee a little more reasonable and less of a weight on your shoulders, as suggested in the article “Personal Guarantee For A Commercial Lease”:

Ask for a time limit. This is one of the most basic and important steps for negotiating personal guarantee terms. With a personal guarantee, a landlord is really just looking for some sign that you are a reliable tenant who will not default easily, so keeping the personal guarantee in place for part of the lease will work just fine to establish a track record of reliability. If your lease term is five years, for example, try to ask for only a three year personal guarantee period.
Limit the period of rental payments after termination. Another limit you can place on this guarantee is stipulating how long you have to pay rent for in the event that you default on the lease. If a tenant defaults with a few years left in their lease, there is a legal precedent of courts only requiring former tenants to pay rent for the reasonable amount of time (depending on the commercial real estate economy) that it should take the landlord to find a new tenant for the space. By setting this amount of time upfront—for example six months to a year—you can avoid all of the drawn out and costly legal proceedings that would be necessary to determine it after breaking the lease.
Provide a letter of credit. If you do have good finances, sometimes landlords will accept a letter of credit in place of a personal guarantee for a specific amount of rent. Landlords can then use this letter of credit to recoup some losses in the event that you leave the property. This option is yet another way to reassure the landlord that you will be a stable and reliable tenant without having to put to much of your personal finances on the line.

These are just a few basic ways that you can reduce the weight of your lease’s personal guarantee. Personal guarantees are definitely an area of leasing where your business could benefit from the insight and expertise of a broker or lawyer. Professionals who know the commercial real estate market might be able to help you smoothly negotiate these terms or come up with even more alternatives.

Want to find out more about properties available in an office park in Kansas? If your business is thinking of renting commercial property in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about the spaces available in our office park in Overland Park, KS!

Office Space For Rent In Overland Park Tips: 5 Ways to Personalize a Cubicle

Cubicles are designed to be simple and uniform spaces, but there are still ways to make them feel more personal and more conducive to productivity. Decorators recommend that when giving your cubicle a makeover, you should focus on both personal touches and efficiency improvements, as adding decorations to clutter will not do much to make your workday easier or more productive. Here are a few tips to consider for brightening up the cubicles in your office park in Kansas, as suggested in the article “Extreme Makeover, Cubicle Edition: 10 Ways to Add Comfort & Excitement”:

#1 Get Organized

The first step towards a better cubicle is clearing out what you don’t need. Go through the old paperwork, pens that have stopped functioning, and excessive knickknacks to find what you actually use. Be bold and take home or throw away the rest!

Another great way to get organized and create some more space for yourself is by putting in shelves, either on your desk or attached to the wall above your desk. This will give you more space for easy storage and free up a little more room for personal touches.

#2 Find Fun and Functional Supplies

Finding desk supplies and accessories is a step where you really can combine your functional and personal goals. Stock up on items that will keep you productive and organized, like staplers, trays, paper clips, pencil cups and writing tools—but buy ones that you think look nice. Find a pink stapler or bring in a favorite mug to use as a pencil cup.

#3 Brighten Up the Space

There are a lot of easy and inexpensive ways to make a cubicle brighter and more cheerful. One way is to find a color scheme for the space—for example, one or two of your favorite colors and maybe an accent color. Finding a color scheme and sticking to it will give the space a more organized and designed look, which will hopefully make you feel more organized and on top of things! You can really take your color design to the next level by adding wallpaper or fabric to your cubicle walls. Covering the gray walls from top to bottom can really help transform a space into something more homey.

Another way to make a space both brighter and more functional is to add a lamp to your desk. A lot of offices have florescent overhead lighting, which can feel cold and sterile, but a lamp can make a cubicle space feel a little more warm and cozy.

#4 Pick Out Some Plants

Plants are a great way to add a little life to a space, and they are proven mood boosters. If you feel like you are not good at maintaining plants, try a cactus or a similar plant that requires little care, or even go for an artificial plant just to add a touch of green.

#5 Add the Personal Touches

Once you are organized and have all of the functional and colorful supplies necessary to stay organized, it’s time to add a few personal touches to a space, like pictures or posters. T-Pins are a great tool for hanging anything from framed pictures, to clocks, to posters. The key to these touches is to find a few items that you really enjoy looking at, while not going overboard and becoming the cubicle that is wildly kitsch.

Cubicles are a great way to organize open office space and really maximize the number of workers who can comfortably fit in a Kansas office space for rent. While cubicles have the benefits of being both private and collaborative spaces, they can a also feel a bit dull and impersonal, so encouraging employees to decorate their cubicle spaces can be a great way to boost morale and hopefully productivity as well!

If your business is interested in commercial property in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS!

6 Ways to Organize Your Kansas Office Space For Rent

Remember that time is money, and looking for those old files you saw three weeks ago in your commercial property in Overland Park, Kansas, will take a lot of time if you aren’t organized. Letting go of that digital and physical clutter can really help your business be more productive, so here are a few tips, as outlined in “Clean It Up! Being Productive at Work Starts with Organization,” to keep your office and computer clean and organized to save you valuable time:

#1 Organize physical paper as soon as you can.

A great way to deal with your physical paper copies is to scan them, file them somewhere on your computer and shred the actual physical copies. This is something you could do for invoices, receipts, letters and just about any desk clutter that is taking up too much room. For more important documents that you don’t want to get rid of or want to keep close by, look towards more common organizational techniques like file boxes and folders. It is best to deal with the physical papers right away so that you can eliminate any paper mountains obscuring desks or shelves.

#2 Create an effective file organization system.

This works for both your physical papers and computer documents. For physical documents, well-organized file drawers and folders work fine, but if you are a more computer savvy business, you may want to look into a cloud-based system where you save and back up files on a joint cloud service.

However, that’s just half the battle. You want to make sure that what you are filing is actually up to date as well in terms of labels and organization so you can access it after you store it. The best way to do this is to make sure to have everything dated and organize everything according to these dates; even if these documents are just edits to a previous ones, save these edits with a new date.

#3 Get rid of those unused files and programs.

Uninstalling or even deleting unused desktop icons as well as purging defunct programs from your computer will create more room and less clutter on your computer. Remember that organization of your computer’s desktop is just as important as your physical desktop. Keeping it clean will make sure that you have things visually organized.

#4 Make a list.

One of the simplest ways to stay organized and manage your tasks is to make a list of things that need to be done that day, week or month, and even in the next year or two. Keeping a list with different goals in mind can help you accomplish things in both the short term and long term. Many professionals say this is the best way to stay organized; the simple pen and paper method helps with understanding what needs to be done. Even though there are several apps out there for this sort of thing, there is something satisfying and tangible about the physical version, so grab yourself a whiteboard and hang it in the office to get your day started.

#5 Clear your desk.

Simple and easy—clean your desk at the end of each day; it will help organize your thoughts and make sure that your next day will be a new start without any leftover work from the day before. Many new businesses require their employees to have their desk clean for the next workday. It helps with general organization for the whole office.

#6 Use new technology to keep yourself organized.

There are thousands of new organizational apps to choose from to manage emails, meetings, etc. These apps and software claim to help organize your files and create daily project lists that will help you through your day. Ask around about what works for friends and co-workers, and experiment with a few different apps until you find what works for you.

Remember to stay organized in your Kansas office space for rent even after you do a major cleanup! Make a habit out of it. Once you have things nicely filed away, put into separate boxes, or stored on a hard drive, remember that the papers will still keep coming. Stay ahead of your organization, figure out what you need to keep, and make sure you have things ready to go before it gets out of control.

If you are looking for office spaces for rent in Overland Park, Kansas, at an office park in Kansas, give one of our real estate agents a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of our commercial property in Overland Park, Kansas.

Commercial Property in Overland Park, KS 101: A Guide to Finding Guide to Finding and Leasing Space

Finding and leasing the office space best suited to your business is a multi-step process that involves doing a little homework before actually starting the search for your perfect office park in Kansas. Here are a few key things to consider if you are looking for commercial property in Overland Park, as suggested in the article “How to Find the Best Commercial Space for Your Business”:

#1 Decide What Type of Property You Want

There are so many variations of commercial leases, so before you start seriously looking, try to narrow down what exactly your business needs. The first thing to focus on is what kind of property you are looking for. You know you want commercial real estate, but even within this category there are sub-categories:

Business Park – A property with a group of buildings designed primarily for business use with very light industrial use. A business park tends to be the cheapest option and is a common choice for doctors, law offices, and other professionals.
Commercial Retail Property – This type of property includes strip centers, malls, and other complexes that feature store-front businesses. This might not be ideal if you are looking for more of an office space, but a lot of commercial retail property owners also have some units in business or industrial parks.
Industrial Parks – This kind of property usually consists of warehouses and is best suited to manufacturing or other heavily industrial businesses. However, some property owners have started recently building out and renovating these spaces to accommodate more traditional office space tenants.

#2 Decide What Type of Lease You Want

Once you have narrowed down what type of property you need, the next step is to figure out lease options. The first difference to consider is between leasing and subleasing:

Lease – A lease is between you and the landlord and states that you are the main business occupying the property.
Sublease – A lease in which the business that already has the primary lease with the landlord arranges to rent out some or all of the space to another business. Not all leases allow for subleasing, and in this situation the original tenant cannot transfer the rights in their lease to the new business if they were not named in the lease originally.

There are pros and cons to both of these options depending what your business is looking for in terms of the amount of space and the level of commitment in a lease. Another thing to consider is the different ways that leases are structured. Here are some examples of common types of leases:

Gross Lease (Full Service Lease) – In this type of lease, common to office or industrial spaces, the landlord pays for most or all of the expenses associated with the property—taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc. These costs are passed on to the tenant through their rental payments in what is called the load factor.
Net Lease – In this lease, a tenant pays for a portion of other expenses (i.e. taxes, insurance, etc.) on top of a base rental rate.
Double Net Lease – Tenant pays base rent, plus insurance and taxes.
Triple Net Lease – Tenant pays base rent plus insurance, taxes and maintenance.

Again, there are pros and cons to the different types of leases, so it really comes down to whether your business would like to simply pay a consistent lump sum or possibly save a little by paying more or less each month

#3 Make a Checklist

In order to evaluate and compare spaces as logically and systematically as possible, make yourself a checklist before you even start looking. Here are a few things to include on your checklist:

Customer Accessibility – One of the most important factors is how visible and accessible you are to your customers. Make sure that you will have some sort of sign that is visible from the road if your space is not. You might also ask whether the property owner helps advertise for the businesses in the park in order to draw in more traffic for everyone.
Maintenance – Another thing to check for is whether not the property is maintained. A well-maintained space suggests that the landlord will be responsive to your need and also will create a positive impression of your business for clients.
Parking – Check on the parking situation both by asking the landlord about how many spaces you will be assigned and observing the parking lot at various times a day on different days to see how full of the lot gets. Also check to make sure that there are handicapped spaces available as well as wheelchair accessible entrances to the property.
Restrictions – Make sure to ask the landlord upfront about any restrictions relating to how your business can operate in the space, including hours or limits on customer traffic, and in regards to advertising, for example specific rules about the size or color of signs.
Safety – Check out the basic safety measures of the property, including whether they have an alarm service, security, nighttime lighting and fire alarms, as well as the proximity of fire hydrants and police and fire departments.
Insurance – Safety concerns are also related to insurance, as most places will require that you have some sort of general commercial liability insurance before moving into the space. Be sure to make sure you take care of getting insurance before you sign the lease so that you are not surprised by this problem later.

Deciding what kind of property you want, what type of lease best suits your business, and making a general checklist with which to evaluate spaces is a huge first step in preparing yourself for a smooth search for an ideal office park in Overland Park, KS.

If your business is looking for office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our Kansas office space for rent!