Guide to Real Estate and Construction for Small Business

Find a new business location

When looking for a new office location, hire a commercial real estate agent or a company that offers commercial real estate listings, demographics and case studies. Always hire an agent who is familiar with your area and understands local business trends.

I recommend: To find a commercial real estate agent, visit the CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) Institute, or the Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS® (SIOR). CoStar calls itself the #1 commercial real estate information company in the U.S. and U.K. for good reason: they offer a comprehensive suite of commercial real estate listings, products and tools. GeoMarketing Research is a market research firm dedicated exclusively to business location analysis.

Choose commercial real estate for sale

If you're interested in commercial property for sale, start by finding real estate and construction companies to provide you with commercial real estate listings, as well as photos, prices and capitalization rates for commercial property.

I recommend: Sign up for the free basic service at LoopNet, the commercial real estate listing service (similar to the residential multiple listing service, or MLS, used to advertise residential homes) that 2.2 million members use to find the perfect real estate and construction listings for small businesses.

Consider commercial property for lease

Find a reputable real estate and construction company to help you with commercial property for lease information, local representatives and more.

I recommend: Register for free at Black’s Guide to view their online commercial property listings – including 3 billion square feet of commercial property for lease in the top 10 markets. Visit OfficeFinder for information about commercial property for lease, and work with a local specialist in one of the company’s 400+ markets.

Consider subleasing for your office location

Subleasing your office location is a great idea if you anticipate a need to move in the not-to-distant future. For instance, if your business is experiencing rapid growth, and you anticipate needing larger quarters soon, a sublease may work for the interim period. Subleases are generally offered for shorter terms than regular leases, so keep this in mind before you sublease office space.

I recommend: CityFeet is a premier online real estate network with over 100,000 listings, including commercial real estate for lease, commercial real estate for sale and many sublease opportunities. Officelist.com is a great resource to search for flexible, short-term office space at no cost to you.

Work with construction contractors

If you've found a great office location, but the building needs work, or if you want to build from the ground up, hire construction contractors. Seasoned construction contractors can help you build an office, retail store or warehouse that works for your needs.

I recommend: Find construction contractors in your area using the search feature at Associated Builders and Contractors, a national association comprised mostly of firms specializing in the commercial sector. For more listings of construction contractors, check the Business.com directory.