Unless you have a clear idea of where to begin, locating and purchasing a prime commercial property may seem almost impossible. Keep reading for a handful of real estate tips and tricks.
Identify any necessary improvements before you sign on a new space. It may be cosmetic changes like rearranging the furniture or painting the wall. Oftentimes, moving walls and other fixtures is required to redistribute the floorplan. Remind the landlord that these improvements are necessary, and use them to negotiate a lower deposit or reduced rent.
In writing letters of intent, focus on major issues to begin with. Many smaller issues will fall in line on their own with this approach. If not, you can work them out later. This approach lowers the overall tension level and actually makes it easier to reach agreement on the details at the end.
There are many tax benefits available for commercial investors. As with home mortgages, the interest paid on commercial real estate loans is tax-deductible, as is depreciation. “Phantom income” is when an income is taxed but never received as cash, by the investors. You need to know this kind of income prior to investing.
Try to get a lender who can make commercial property offers. Ask friends or investors you know to give you a list of the lenders they prefer. Before you start looking at commercial real estate, choose the lender that is most suitable for you. Making arrangements in advance can pre-qualify you for loans or otherwise expedite the loan process.
Square Footage
Be clear about the square footage available. There are two ways of measuring commercial real estate property. You can measure in usable square feet to determine the size of the area in which you will conduct business. You can also measure by total square feet for the complete size of the edifice, including areas that will not be in public use. The best strategy is to ask for both figures, to ask for the square footage and the usable square footage.
Investigate the land conditions and environment that the property is located in. It is your responsibility to ensure that your property is free from environmental waste or safety hazards. Is the area that the property is in prone to flooding? You might want to reevaluate your decision. You can speak to environmental assessment places to get information about that area you want to buy in.
When you are looking at multiple properties, get a tour site checklist. Be sure to take the initial proposal responses, but do not proceed without making the property owners aware of what is going on. Don’t be shy about telling the owners that you are thinking about purchasing another property. It could even get you a good deal.
Keep your center of attention on one investment property at a time. You should focus on one kind of investment, be it offices, apartments, retail, land or something else. Each of these investments will need to be closely monitored and given your full attention. Pouring all of your focus into a single niche of real estate allows you the opportunity to become a master of a single trade, rather than a “jack of many”.
Take note that commercial transactions take more time, they are complex and they take more involvement than home purchases are. If you want things made easier, you might want to change what you’re getting yourself into. However, all of this is required because it facilitates higher returns on your investments.
Environmental Cleanup
There are several strategies you can utilize to reduce the amount of money you spend on environmental cleanup. If you possess an ownership interest, you may not be fully responsible for cleanup costs. Environmental cleanup and waste disposal can rack up a massive and costly bill. To avoid this nightmare, have an environmental inspection done on the property prior to buying it. They are somewhat expensive, but the consequences of not doing this can be even more expensive.
Hopefully, the article you have just read provides you with many helpful tips and useful advice for your purchase or sale in commercial real estate. Utilize this advice to gather as much information and stay as knowledgeable as you possibly can.