office spaces for rent overland park ks

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!

Kansas Office Space For Rent: 4 Tips for a Successful Negotiation

Looking for office space for lease in Overland Park Kansas can be a very long and tedious process for those who are new to the business. A lot of things need to be researched, processed and reviewed. While you are looking for an office rental space, an important but sometimes complicated step is the negotiation process. Here are a few pitfalls you should consider before entering negotiations to make sure that you come out with the best deal possible, as outlined in the article “Lease Negotiation & Mistakes Tenants Often Make”:

Relocation Clause – Some landlords have leases that allow them to relocate your business within their property if they need to as long as they pay for a portion of the moving costs. This can be very disruptive and expensive to your company if this happens. It might sound strange that they could make you just pick up and move, but you’d be surprised as most landlords have this provision in their leases. A good way to avoid this situation is to either strike the clause from the lease or make the penalty costs for the landlord very high, so they have to pay more to move you, which will hopefully discourage them from acting on this clause.
Early Move-In – Nothing is worse than paying rent for a place that doesn’t have internet or telephone connections set up yet, so try to negotiate for early possession of the space to give you time to get it business read. Ask the landlord if you can start setting up the space without paying rent yet two weeks to a month before your official start date.
Right to Hold Over – On the other end of the lease term you may want to negotiate for the right to hold over at the end of your lease. This may become useful if your new space isn’t fully equipped yet or you are still looking for that perfect spot to move your new business. However, be aware that most landlords will probably charge an extra 35-50% increase on the base rent for a hold over. A good idea would be to negotiate for a lower rate for a shorter amount of time upfront in your lease.
Discounted Rent – Though it really varies from market to market, most major cities will have landlords who will offer a month or two of a lower rental rate or a rent free period depending on your lease length. A good way to negotiate this term would be to offer to make the lease a little bit longer, so, for example, negotiating a 24 month lease to a 36 month lease with three months of discounted or free rent might be possible.

These negotiation points are easy to address with your landlord if you review the lease and make sure you have everything in order before signing the lease. Most landlords are used to making negotiations and working with the lessees for better control of the space. This makes each experience unique, so be prepared for a landlord that doesn’t want to budge or one whose lease is completely fluid. So if you are looking for commercial real estate in Overland Park make sure to find an experienced real agent or attorney who can be a helpful resource for the situation.

If you are looking for commercial office space for rent in Overland Park KS give one of our real estate agents a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of our office spaces for rent in Overland Park KS!

Sharing Kansas Office Space for Rent: Things to Look for in a Co-working Space

A lot of small businesses decide that sharing a Kansas office space for rent with another business or individuals is the best financial option for them, and this setup also has the added benefits of networking opportunities and creative energy, among other things. But sharing a space with another business can be tricky, so whether you are looking to join a co-working space or you are interested in starting one, make sure the space has the right conditions to make the experience a success. Here are a few things to look for when considering prospective office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, to turn into a co-working space, as outlined in the article “Shared Office Space: What Your Small Business Needs to Know”:

#1 Office Layout

When you share a space with other tenants, you give up some control of the setup your space. It is important to think about how all of the different businesses will share the space – will each person have their own desk and equipment that they return to each day, or will there be more of an open seating plan? Are there some spaces that need to be designated as quiet, private places and some for more collaborative work? These are important questions to consider in any office rental situation, but they become especially important to address in a shared space.

#2 Location

While co-working spaces are definitely great cost-effective options, make sure that you are not sacrificing your business’s image in favor of a cheap option. If a location does not seem like the kind of place where you would want to invite a client or the space seems to chaotic for your business’s culture, then you should probably cross that potential space off of your list.

#3 Co-Working Neighbors

Another huge factor in starting or choosing a co-working space is making sure that the people you are sharing the space with will be good neighbors. Not only do you want to make sure that they will be enjoyable to be around and easy to work with on any office space issues, but you should also consider whether it benefits your business to work alongside them. You might not always have the luxury of picking the perfect neighbors, but potential networking or collaborative opportunities are always a good thing to keep in mind when evaluating potential fellow tenants.

A co-working office space for rent in Overland Park can be a great way to save some money for a new business. If you are thinking of starting a co-working space, keep in mind important factors like your office setup, location and neighbors. These are things that you should consider in any office lease, but they deserve a little extra attention if you are considering sharing your space!

If you are looking to rent office space in Overland Park, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our available office space for lease in Overland Park, KS.

6 Essential Questions To Ask Before Signing A Lease for Commercial Office Space for Rent in Overland Park, KS

When you are looking for Kansas office space for rent you will most likely spend a lot of time signing and negotiating your lease. This has the potential to can be a tiresome experience with delays, problems and long negotiations, but this process is normal and can be navigated successfully. So when you are finalizing your lease for your commercial office space for rent in Overland Park KS don’t worry! Just ask these six questions, as outlined in the article “10 Questions to Ask Before Signing a Commercial Lease,” which will make the signing process a little simpler:

Do you understand what the lease is saying?

This first one might seem like a simple thing, but it may be the difference between having a good space and a great space. This point is to make sure you understand the terminology used in the lease. A few words, like Common Area Maintenance, appear in acronym form: CAM. This number is based on the percentage of the building you are renting. There are a several other terms and phrases that are important and you should know about before signing your lease, so make sure that you read up on the terminology before entering negotiations.

Are you getting the best deal available?

Once you know most of the terms and phrases in the lease, look it over once more and maybe negotiate further. Is everything okay and ready to go? Does the lease address all of your concerns? What would you like to add or take away from the lease? It’s a good idea to address these things before you sign the lease, because once you’re committed you cannot change these issues.

Is your business organized and ready to go?

Organization is an essential key to any good business; so before you sign the lease make sure you know what you need to do right from the start. Go over the lease, have everything in place and know what needs to be started or taken care of before you start you open your doors—ranging from moving arrangements, to your budget for this space, to a business plan you can show the landlord to reassure them that you’re a reliable tenant. Also, it is advised that you have either Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization filed for an LLC back from the Security of State before things get going.

Have you read the lease agreement?

Yes, you should read every word of the lease before signing it. It can be a very long and not very interesting litany of technical jargon, but it is an important document for your business. It’s a good idea not to assume that everything is included; so make sure check everything from the starting date, to rent escalation to any other special terms you negotiated before putting down your signature.

Do you need a personal guarantee?

Most places probably won’t let you sign the lease without a personal guarantee, which essentially means that you are personally liable for upholding the terms on the lease. Of course this is negotiable, and you could either negotiate for a shorter period in which the guarantee is in place, or perhaps even a guarantee for half the time from when you terminate the lease.

What do you need to be responsible for?

Most leases will include a term called Capital Expenditures within the document. This usually means that you as the tenant are responsible for certain things that may need to be fixed in the building. These types of things can differ greatly from property to property and city to city. However, it is wise for a tenant to negotiate for the removal of terms that require you’re your business to take the majority of the repair costs yourself.

In the end, it is a good idea when looking for commercial real estate in Overland Park to be realistic with your negotiations. Someone who is leasing 5% of a larger property will have a completely different experience with the process than a person who is trying to rent out 70%. While there are certain variables you can’t control, you can prepare yourself to get the best possible deal by researching and studying up on what you can influence before entering negotiations.

If you are looking for an office space for lease in Overland Park, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, or even set up a tour.

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.

7 Ways to Make Over Your Small Office Space for Rent in Overland Park, KS

If you and your employees are starting to feel a little down about your small office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, there are so many easy ways to give your office a facelift. Studies have shown that making a space look better can have a positive effect on office morale and show employees that you are concerned about their comfort. Here are a few tips for improving your office space, as suggested in the article “6 Easy Steps to an Extreme Office Makeover”:

Create an Atmosphere of Hospitality. It is important to create a space that is welcoming for employees and demonstrates that you care about their little daily needs. Create a small “hospitality area” in your office by setting up a space with things like a coffee maker, mints, snacks, some first aid supplies and other odds and ends that make life a little more convenient.
Encourage Personalization. Letting people express themselves is a great way to foster creativity. Try allowing employees to decorate their own personal spaces with family photos, posters, knick-knacks, and even letting them play their own music. This creates an atmosphere where people feel more at home and part of the company “family.”
Bring in Some Color. Painting a space with brighter colors can be a cheap and easy way to cheer up a space. There are all sorts of studies demonstrating the positive effects of color on an environment. Consider painting an accent wall with colors that correlate to specific moods. For example, studies have found that blue can encourage calmness and relaxation, whereas red is ideal for tasks that require a more detail oriented focus.
Develop Company Culture. In addition to encouraging employees to create their own personalized spaces, it is important to personalize the whole office to showcase your company’s brand image. One way to do this is by painting your logo around the office, which has the double benefit of increasing brand visibility and brightening up an empty wall.
Add a Little Fun. People appreciate having a place in the office where they can take a moment to unwind and recharge, so think about taking a page out of Silicon Valley’s book and adding something like a foosball table or even just a comfy couch in a break area.
Upgrade Your Chairs. The importance of supportive furniture in the workplace is becoming a bigger and bigger conversation as studies are coming out about the negative effects of too many sedentary hours both in and out of the workplace. You can help combat these negative effects and improve overall office well being and comfort by investing in good office furniture that is supportive for different postures.
Create Zones. In addition to creating a fun break area or a hospitality area for your employees, think about the work they do on a daily basis and how you can design areas to better support that work, for example, rearranging furniture to encourage social interaction in a place for collaboration, or adding some headphones and armchairs in an area for quiet, private work.

Very small changes to your Kansas City office space for rent can go a long way in raising spirits around your office. Even if all you do is change out your chairs or repaint a few walls, your efforts demonstrate your interest in creating a positive work environment for your staff—one that supports their physical, emotional and mental well being. In turn, you might see the benefits of increased creativity, productivity and commitment to your business!

Looking for office space for lease in Olathe, KS? Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to get more information about our commercial real estate in Kansas City or set up a tour of one of our office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS.

Office Space for Lease in Overland Park KS: When and Where to Look

Trying to find office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, and don’t know where to begin? Here are a few tips on when to look for commercial real estate in Overland Park and what resources are available to help you search, as described in the article “How to Find Commercial Real Estate for Lease”:

When to Look

While it might seem like the home real estate market has nothing to do with your office space, statistics show that a favorable real estate market for home buyers also correlates with a favorable market for businesses leasing commercial property. So when home prices in the area where you are looking are down, that might be a great time to start seriously looking into commercial property.

Another thing to keep in mind is to give yourself plenty of time to find a space and negotiate a lease—anywhere from six months to a year. If you find a space quickly, a landlord might be willing to hold it for you for a few months, but it is also likely that it will take a long time to find a space, gather any necessary documents, finalize a lease and eventually move into a space, so you do not want to wait until your current lease is almost over to start looking for a new option.

Where to Look

There are several different ways to find different types of commercial space for rent. Here are a few to start with:

Ask around. A simple way to start is just by asking friends and family in the area if they know of any available space. If you are looking for a small amount of space, there are also some local organizations who might have a spare office area, such as local community centers, churches or other businesses. You might also try checking in with the local chamber of commerce.
Drive around the area. Another easy early step is to just drive around the city or town and look for office parks with for lease signs. In tougher economic times, you will most likely see plenty of signs, and if you can find something and contact the lessor directly, both parties will be likely to save money without the hassle of an intermediary party that needs to be paid commission.
Check the local newspapers. This might seems a little old fashioned in the digital age, but this could also be a great way to save some money. Most papers will have ads from realtors, but in addition to looking at these, keep an eye out for listings that are posted by individuals. As with signs outside of buildings, this means you can work with the lessor directly, and because they don’t have to pay commission they might be more inclined to offer extra incentives such as a month of free rent.
Utilize internet search engines and websites. A great way to start a very general search is to type into Google the name of the location (city and state) where you are looking, followed by keywords related to the type of space you want, such as “commercial space for lease” or something along these lines. There are also a few different specific websites you can use to search:
- LoopNet – This nationwide website allows you to look for commercial space by city, state, or zip code. A lot of listings are for property that is for sale, but there are also always for lease spaces listed as well.
- Craig’s List – This catchall website can also be a good source of commercial space listings and you can narrow down your search to the county you are looking in and the type of listing. Craig’s List is also a common place for individuals to post listings, so it is another good opportunity to find a lessor who might pass along some of their savings to you in the form of various benefits.

When looking for commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, it is good to look at several different spaces and systematically compare the pros and cons of each. There is more to consider other than just the bottom line rental rate, including extra fees, the length of the lease term, and any potential benefits a landlord might offer. Start early and give yourself plenty of time to find what will best carry your business forward in the upcoming years.

If you are looking for office space for lease in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-689-4100 to find out more about our available Kansas office space for rent and even set up a tour!

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!