Top Ten Tips for an Effective Office Move

Follow these 10 steps for a successful office move.

Work with an expert.

Hire a commercial real estate agent to represent you in your search for a new office location, and to help you manage the entire office move. Using the expertise of a good commercial real estate professional will help you save time and money throughout the office move process. An experienced commercial real estate agent will provide you with invaluable knowledge about your local market and assistance in negotiating the most advantageous rental terms and conditions. Seasoned real estate professionals should also be aware of office space availabilities not marketed to the general public.

Be patient and give it time.

The majority of companies devote 6 months to a year or more to choose the ideal location, work out the lease agreement and terms, schedule the office move details, and get moved in.

Appoint a relocation team.

Establish a group of staff members in the beginning to organize the office move process and to assist in keeping tabs on every detail.

Establish a panel of experts.

Putting together an advisory team of outside professionals and advisors is an essential step in the office move process. This group of experts will make sure you find the ideal location at the most competitive terms and help you be certain that your new office space is well-designed and suitable for your organization and culture. Your advisory team should include a commercial real estate agent, an attorney that specializes in real estate or office leasing, an architect or office space designer, an office furnishings coordinator, and a IT or computer network consultant.

Identify your particular requirements for office space.

With the guidance of your advisory team, outline what’s needed for your perfect office space, from the quantity of space you require, to the style of building that would be the ideal fit, to the desired location.

Determine prospective available buildings.

Your commercial real estate agent will create a comprehensive survey of available office buildings that fit your preferences, this survey should include a photo of each property, the size and price of each space, and a map showing directions to each specific location.

Take a Close Look at Each Available Property. 

Your real estate agent will schedule a property tour and guide you through an in-person tour of each building and office space on your list of available properties. Compare notes and determine which 3 or 4 locations would be the best alternatives for your new location.

Create a competitive analysis of each space.

Once you’ve shortened your list to the top 3 or 4 top spaces, your commercial real estate agent will furnish an analysis of the terms and conditions of each property. This analysis will help you determine how the various properties stack up to meet your business needs. Your agent will also create a request for proposal (RFP) for each building owner, addressing such issues as lease rate, lease term, property expenses, renewal and expansion options, availability of signage, and parking.

Select the Right Office Space.

Your commercial real estate agent will gather the building owner responses into a side-by-side comparison of each of the spaces that will help you make an informed selection regarding which space is the right fit for your organization.

Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate. 

Now, your new landlord will present you with a lease, which needs to be reviewed by the owners or decision-makers from your business, your real estate agent, and your attorney to make sure that all terms are understood and approved. The choices regarding whether, when, and where to move your office have far-reaching consequences that influence every facet of your business, from customer relationships to everyday operations to profitability.

Taking into consideration all the factors, it makes a great deal of sense to engage professionals and follow a crystal clear plan that helps you make the right move-and make the move right.