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4 Tips for Small Business Moving Out of the Home and into an Office Space in Kansas City

While running a business from home is a low-cost and low-risk way to start a business, often there comes a time when business owners feel the need to move into an office space—whether because their enterprise is growing or because they are going a little stir crazy at home. Here are a few tips for making the transition to an office space smooth and cost efficient:

#1 Consider Your Needs and Budget

When looking into commercial property, have an understanding of your budget on a per-square-foot basis. Consider how many offices or cubicles you will need at this point and in the future. If you are anticipating growth, look for properties with extra space you can expand into.

Also factor furniture, utilities, and IT expenses into your budget. Be sure to spend wisely; you might avoid excessive expenses by renting furniture and equipment or buying government surplus equipment. Another option is shared office space or a hot-desking environment in which employees share desks by working at the desk at different times throughout the day while the other person does other tasks.

#2 Look Into Serviced Suites or Offices

Spaces like these are usually located in busy business districts and are already fully equipped and are managed by a firm. They often have more flexible rental agreements and have easy options to upgrade spaces.

Though moving from the home to a professional space might seem like an overwhelming process, there are options and preparation work that can be done to make the jump less daunting!

If you are looking for office space in Kansas, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our available commercial realty in Kansas City!

Maximizing Your Office Space in Kansas Square Footage

In a tough economy, one of the first places that businesses look to in order to cut costs is their real estate. Here are a few factors to consider when trying to maximize space efficiency, as suggested in the article “Office Space Density: The New Workspace Metric”:

Extra Space

It is possible to cut down real estate costs by simply eliminating extra space–a more appealing option than reducing staff. One of the first way that companies typically try to deal with extra space is through subleasing or terminating some leases at other branches and consolidating their locations.

Occupancy Cost Calculations

Companies typically calculate occupancy costs in terms of a few different measurements:

Employee per square footage costs
A percentage of revenue or sales that goes toward occupancy costs
The cost of occupancy per staff member

So a company’s first step might be to downsize space based on new revenues or new employee counts.

Better Utilization

After cutting down space to reflect the number of employees or the revenue the business is generating, the next step is to make sure that the remaining space is being utilized to maximum effect. Some studies show that businesses only utilize about 48 percent of their office space throughout the day. A poor economic climate has prompted companies to reevaluate this wasting of space and to try to do more with less space.

Office Density

Office density is calculated using the square footage per workstation, not including support spaces. This number is then translated into a net rental price. A lower office density means workstations have more space, whereas a higher density means less space per workstation. This measurement allows companies to more easily evaluate the efficiency of their office and to implement new techniques for maximizing space usage.

Office Space Trends

One common trend developing in the workplace is the open space plan. In this layout senior employees leave their private offices, joining the entire workforce in a more open, social, and collaborative environment. Open plans have the benefit of not only saving costs, but increasing space flexibility and promoting teamwork, communication, and even productivity.

Different plans work for different businesses based on their activities. However, all offices can benefit from taking a little time to reevaluate the efficiency of their spaces and seeing where they can reduce surpluses without sacrificing productivity.

If your business is looking for commercial realty in Kansas City, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our office space for rent in Kansas City.

Starting a New Year Moving to a New Overland Park Office Space

If your business is looking to move into a new space this year, be sure to begin your planning early. Set up a timeline for yourself to make sure finish all of the things that need to be taken care of in advance. You will want to start this planning process 4-6 months before you move, and make sure that all of your employees are well aware of both the move and the timeline (you can even delegate some of the necessary tasks). Planning in advance will also help you plan your budget for expenses like movers and any new equipment. Here are three things to add to your moving timeline as you plan a move:

#1 Update Your Vendors

This needs to be done 1-3 months before you move. In order to transition more smoothly into doing business in your new space, you need to make sure that any items that need to be shipped to your space—including new signs or furniture—are there when you arrive, so be sure to contact vendors and give them your new shipping and billing address.

#2 Hire Movers

If you are planning on hiring movers and cleaners to help with the move, be sure to do research on different companies and get this taken care of 1-3 months before moving.

#3 Update Information for Customers

This includes website, business cards, and letterhead, and should be taken care of 1-2 weeks in advance. Taking care of this in advance ensures that employees can get to work as soon as possible after the move, instead of making these changes after the fact.

Start successfully with a new office space before you even move by taking care of advanced planning and tasks.

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

How Do I Pick a Kansas City Office Space Location for my Business?

Once you have decided that renting an office space is the best move for your business, the next step is to start finding the best location.

Commercial real estate agents will tell you that the most important factor in establishing a successful business is true to the old adage: location, location, location. This does not always necessarily mean that a high traffic, high cost area is best for your business. To make sure you find a space that meets your financial and physical requirements, consider the following questions.

How important is location to your business’s success? Does your business require you to be near other stores or in the area of a certain client base?
What kind of location best serves your business? Do you need to be in an area that gets a lot of foot traffic or is easily visible from the road?
How much rent can your business afford? Know your budget going into the search, and do not let yourself make leasing decisions that put your business at financial risk.
Is your potential location appropriate for your business operations? Have you looked into zoning requirements or other legal restrictions on business operations in the area?

Before you enter into serious negotiations, make sure that a potential space meets your location needs.

If your business is looking for an affordable office space in Kansas City, give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100!

Time to Relocate to New Kansas City Office Space?

Many businesses at some point or another have had to ask themselves the question: should we relocate? There are several different factors to consider when determining whether relocation is the smartest move for your business. Here are a few things to consider if you are wondering if you should move to a new office space:

A cost benefit analysis – this should include not only the price difference in rentable square footage for a new space, but also the costs of relocating.
Advantages and disadvantages to accessibility and visibility for your current or potential customers or clients.
The distance between commutes – how long will it take employees to get to this new location, and will they be willing to make that change, or will you have to draw from a new staffing pool?

If you are fairly certain your business needs to move, another thing you might wonder about is how much time it should take to relocate. Your time estimation should account for the following:

Getting the new space move-in ready
Packing and loading everything you need from your old office space
Transporting and unloading everything
Unpacking and settling into your new space

If you think that relocating is best for your business, advanced planning and a realistic time estimation can make the moving process run a lot smoother.

If you are considering moving to a new office space for rent in Kansas City and would like some more information about office space in Kansas or would even like to set up a tour, give us a call today at 913-685-4100.

10 Things You Must Know Before Signing a Small Office Lease in Kansas City

Before you sign an office space lease for your business, there are a few facts you should know. Here are some things to keep in mind before you sign the dotted line:

Take the time to do your homework. If you rush through the process, you will not be able to properly evaluate the marketplace to make sure it will fit your business’s needs during your tenancy. If you are approaching a lease renewal, give yourself plenty of time to negotiate so you have plenty of time to transition to a new space if you cannot settle on agreeable terms.
Business leases are not like residential leases. Know in advance that a business lease will be completely different than a personal dwelling lease, which typically only includes a set monthly price and utilities. In residential leases, the government protects the interests of the tenant and the landlord is responsible for repairs. In business leases, there are expenses that you will be responsible for above and beyond basic costs, and the government does not offer the same kinds of legal protection. Everything will be in your lease, so make sure you understand what expenses you are responsible for as well as the legal rights of both you and your landlord.

Don’t get stuck in an unfavorable lease by rushing through the process!

If your business is looking for a new office space in Kansas, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our available office space in Overland Park, KS!

Paperwork Tips for LLCs Moving to a New Office Space in Kansas

When your business needs to relocate, this process can involve a lot of paperwork, especially if you are moving to a new state. If you are an LLC relocating, you have several options for how to handle your registration paperwork:

• Keep your registration as an LLC in your previous state, and also register as a foreign or outside LLC in the new state. However, this can be an expensive option because you might have to pay fees in both states.
• Dissolve or liquidate your LCC in the previous state and form a new one in your new location. This will not result in any tax consequences.
• Set up an LLC in your new location, then have members contribute membership interests from the previous LLC.
• Set up an LCC in the new state and merge your original LLC with it. Provided that the original owners of the LLC still have at least 50% of their stake in the new one, it can be relatively easy to handle the tax issues.

It could not hurt to check with the IRS and research a little further before moving any business to a new state, just to make sure you are aware of any changes in your tax requirements.

If you are interested in office rental space in Kansas City, give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our available spaces!

Determining Office Space in Kansas Location: Part III

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a location for your small business. You want to consider your business’s needs, and be aware of all of the financial issues involved in moving into a new business space.

The next thing you will want to research is whether the area is business friendly. It is essential to understand exactly what laws and regulations will be imposed on your business in the potential location. It might be worth working with a small business counselor or specialist as you attempt to grow your business. Often states offer online aides to help small business owners get off the ground. You might also look into community resources such as Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business, Centers, SBA Offices, or other programs funded by the government specifically for the support of small businesses.

The most important thing is to do your homework before choosing a new location. Utilize all available resources, including other business owners, the local small business community, potential co-tenants, and any free data you can get from the government.

If you are thinking about moving into a commercial space for lease in Kansas City, feel free to call a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City at 913-685-4100 with any questions you have about finances, the local business community, or how a space might meet your business’s needs!