How to Find an Office Space for Rent That’s Perfect for Your Company

October 22, 2021/in News /by officespace

Most people will spend about 90,000 hours or 1/3 of their lives at work. If you’re a small business owner, manager, or entrepreneur, add 33% to that already whopping total.

With those numbers in mind, it goes without saying (but we’re going to say it anyway) that choosing the right office space is a big deal. Don’t you wish there was a button you could push or a link you could click that would immediately show you the perfect one?

Unfortunately, if you’ve been considering a move or are looking to open the doors to your first real office space, then you’ve probably figured out that it’s not exactly the easiest wish to grant.

How will you find the place that will essentially be your home-away-from-home?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

With hard-working, people like you in mind, we’ve put together this guide to finding an office space for rent that will meet your needs now and in the years to come.

The Self Survey

Before you start your search, it’s a good idea to answer these 4 questions so you’ll have a solid idea of what to look for in an office space for rent.

1. What’s my budget?

You knew this was coming. This is the most important question and it needs a definitive answer. Sort of. What we mean is that you should be defining a range of rent amounts that your business would be comfortable paying.

It should be noted that the price in most listings for office space for rent is for base rent, which is only for the space. The listed price doesn’t include additional fees or taxes.

So be realistic and remember to include some cushion in your monthly rent range that accounts for an estimate of CAM fees (common area maintenance fees) and tax, as well as additional charges for amenities like parking. Many office buildings also include electric and janitorial services with your lease and ALL of the fees together are called NNN expenses or “triple net”.

There are likely to be a few one-time fees involved with moving into a new space such as the issuance of security keys or cards for each of your team members.

2. How much office space do I need?

You don’t have to know the exact square footage, you just need to consider how many separate parts of an office would be necessary for your ideal and most effective workflow.

When we say “separate parts of an office,” think about:

How many individual offices are needed? How many people need separate offices with their own doors?
Do you need a reception area that’s separate from the rest of the office? This is sometimes a preference and sometimes a requirement. If you love everything about an office space but it doesn’t have a reception area and you need one, it might be possible to make it happen.
Do you need a break room or lounge? If you have or would like to offer your staff something extra, say a yoga or meditation space, a juice bar, a gym- anything, you want your future space to have room for that.
How about a bathroom? Most buildings will have common area restrooms, which are restrooms that are shared with other building occupants (usually by floor), but if you’re looking for an exclusive one, be sure to keep that in mind because it’s not always a simple matter to add a restroom to an existing space.
Does your business have special needs? No, this isn’t a trick question, we know that all businesses have special needs, but in this case, you want to think about things like servers and copiers. Do you have a massive collection of servers that need a temperature-controlled climate? Maybe your business includes 3D printing and your 3D printer needs its own space? Or maybe you have files that have a minimum or secured storage requirement?
Future expansion? If you expect to add to your team in the next 2-5 years, you don’t want to have to move again, so leave some cushion in your square footage for additional team members.

3. Where is my ideal office located?

Location, location, what about location? We don’t just mean “Austin, TX” or “Dirty 6th Street.” Although we can certainly see the appeal for both of those. Yes, you should know which city, but also think about the kind of neighborhood that your business would thrive best in and around.

The downtown metro area? More suburban? Industrial? Is there something that you need to be close to for maximum business model effectiveness?

A big part of the answer to this question should take your target demographic into consideration. Where are your customers? Where would they think it would be most convenient for you to be located.

For example, many businesses opt to be in what’s known as the “CBD” or “Central Business District” of a city even though it’s mostly a Monday through Friday business potential because they see the advantage of being right where their customers are for most of their waking hours during the week.

Keep in mind (for your budget’s sake) that you’re very likely to pay a premium for a hot spot CBD location, no matter which city you choose. But it might be worth it, so be sure to consider that option.

4. What kinds of amenities am I looking for?

In real estate terms, “amenities” refers to any property feature that isn’t considered essential, but adds comfort, convenience, or enjoyment. It’s a good idea to make two lists for this question. One list will be for things that you can’t do without and the other will be a “wish” list.

If you need some inspiration for this question, we’ve put together the following lists of “common” and “uncommon, but popular” amenities offered in the world of commercial office space for rent:

Common

High-speed wifi
Fitness facilities
Showers
Secured access, such as key card or code
Conference or meeting rooms
Covered parking
Reserved parking
Concierge or Lobby Reception
Lounge areas
Bike racks
Additional storage space
EV parking spaces
Green spaces
Dining options on property

Uncommon But Popular

Pool
Rooftop lounge areas
Exclusive restaurant for tenants and their guests
Child daycare services

Keep in mind that A (amenities) = MMM (more money monthly). This equation is the reason we suggested that you have two lists for this question.

Ask yourself if an amenity is “Must Have” or “Wish For.” You’ll thank yourself for that later.

These lists are by no means exhaustive, but they’re a good start.

Putting it all together

Don’t shoulder this consideration process all on your own, get together with your leadership team and get some feedback from them. Ask them if they have any ideas or suggestions for what they’d appreciate in the next version of a workplace. What kinds of amenities have they always envied others for?

In addition to the different perspectives and information you’re likely to get from these brainstorming sessions, you’ll score with your team for including them in the discussion. Whether or not their suggestions make the final cut, they’ll feel like they’ve been heard and have contributed. That goes a long way, too.

Construction, Contractors, and Keeping it Together

Let’s talk about building out space.

What’s a “Build-Out”?

For anyone unfamiliar with the term, a “build-out” is the process of retrofitting an existing space to meet the needs of an incoming tenant.

Build-outs are often referred to by real estate professionals as “TIs” or “tenant improvements.” TIs are the same as build-outs, the name change is really just due to perspective. Tenants see it as building out their space and real estate professionals see it as a tenant making improvements to the space.

Build-outs come in all shapes and sizes and vary greatly across the different types of real estate (office, retail, warehouse, etc.).

If you’re looking for ideas about what kind of layout might work best for your team, we can help. We’ve put together some information about the 3 most common office layouts.

In the world of office space for rent, build-outs will usually follow one of these types of layouts:

1. Open Concept

This is where walls might get blown out (but not really “blown” so much as carefully taken down) to create a layout that’s about 70% open with cubicles or free-standing desks or tables and seating areas, 20% private offices and conference rooms, with the last 10% being restrooms and breakroom (or karaoke rooms) or any other shared facilities.

The open setting of Open Concept layouts results in communication usually being more informal and casual, which can be great. But, it also means there’s less privacy and more distractions.

Construction costs for this type of build-out are typically the lowest of the three, but as with anything, it depends on what the existing space offers and what the incoming tenant wants.

2. Traditional Private Office

Basically the opposite of Open Concept, this is the kind of layout that most of us envision when we think of the word “office.” The distribution is the same for shared facilities (10%), but reversed for the other two types of spaces, so 70% private offices and 20% cubicles or desks, including the reception or front desk area.

This concept is about privacy. It makes for an outwardly more formal mode of communication and supports quiet, focused work. If your business deals with a lot of sensitive materials or information, this is likely the route to go. It’s not a favorite of some of the newer start-ups because of its intended privacy, but that is up to each business.

Construction costs will vary greatly for this type of layout and largely depends on what you start with. Remember that this is the typical layout of office space for rent up until about 5-10 years ago, so if your new building was built prior to that, it will likely be in this layout, so costs would be less. If you choose a more recently constructed building, it might require putting up a few more walls, which means more money.

3. Collaborative

Our final type of layout is a mix of the first two and is a favorite amongst the startups. For this type of layout, there is no “standard” formula for how the space is distributed.

Instead, the distribution is based on function or task. It includes small and large meeting areas, team “zones,” community areas, as well as a few private offices sprinkled in. The mix of private and open spaces seems to work well and supports the business models of many start-ups which encourages strong company culture.

Construction costs for this type of layout can be pricy, depending on the complexity of the configuration and how much of the existing space can be used.

Your broker can help

It’s always a good idea to talk with a professional. Potential build-outs are no exception. Whether or not you’re sure about the kind of build-out or not, speaking with an experienced broker who can give you more specific information and help you get estimates for different options is definitely to your benefit. They’ll have a much better idea of whether a space would work well for what you want or not.

In addition, they’ll be familiar with all the processes involved for getting preliminary bids prior to signing a lease and help estimate the timing for permitting and occupancy.

The Low-Down on Listings

Now that you know what you need, you’re ready to start identifying potential spaces that would work for those needs. Right?

We don’t want to rain on your parade but the truth is that real estate listings are sort of written in code. We’re sure you’ve heard about the residential listings that read “cute mid-century bungalow with free parking” which actually means “really tiny studio space with street parking.”

The commercial listings can be just as misleading and even more vague than their residential equivalents. Enlisting the services of a real estate professional is an excellent choice at any point, but especially at this point.

What are the benefits of hiring a real estate professional?

The right real estate professional or agent can make a big difference in many ways. Here’s why:

They know your target area and are very likely to be familiar with any vacancies in the market
They work for you and have your best interests as their priority
They can decipher the code in listings
They know the ropes because they have done this many more times than you hopefully will ever have to

And don’t forget that they don’t get paid unless and until you find the right fit for you and your team.

Going on Tour

You’ve found a few places that you’re excited about and your real estate agent has set you up to take a look at potential new office space for rent. It’s easy to get caught up in the potential of a space and forget to ask key questions or see a potential problem. We’ve got your back.

The following is a list of features and functions that you should be aware of. They may not all apply to your specific situation, but most of them should.

On Property or Outside the Space

(These are features of the property to check on)

Ease of access (including ingress/egress, how many access points, and their positioning)
Parking
Condition of property (paint, paving, sidewalks, elevator, stairwell, parking lot, anything that stands out to you, good or bad, make a note)
Traffic and Noise
Common area conditions (incl. trash and restrooms, if shared)
Security?

Inside the Space

(These are features of the space to check on)

Air conditioning/HVAC system. If the space is fitted with A/C and it’s not already on, turn it on as soon as you open the space so you can see if it gets cold, if it makes a lot of noise or smells, or if there are any obvious problems.
General condition (clean/not clean, does it smell, any noticeable damage)
Configuration – easy to work with or lots of work to make it work for you?
Lighting and electrical check: electrical box (if possible), lights, outlets, and anything else hooked into these systems
Plumbing/water fixtures check water pressure for sinks, drains, toilets (TIP: flush a piece of toilet paper so you can see if there’s an issue)
Storage area/s
Ceiling: Damage? Water spots?
Wiring: Check for existing cable, telephone, internet lines
Noise

These lists of questions are just to start you off and point you in a productive direction. Discuss them with your real estate agent before and after the tour and make any adjustments that you see fit.

The Office Space For Rent is in Sight

You’ve found The One. The office space for rent one, that is. The next step is where your real estate agent will take the lead. It’s time to make a deal.

The Proposal

This is also referred to as the “LOI” (Letter of Intent) or just “the offer.” The first offer is usually given by the prospective tenant. You’ll sit down and discuss the terms that you, your contractor, and your real estate agent are comfortable with.

The terms included in each LOI are intended to be deal-specific but a few things that are standard include:

Official name that will be on the lease
Rent amount (per square foot or a total monthly amount)
Term dates
Square footage
Common Area Maintenance fees and what is included
Parking allotments and price, if any
Commercial insurance requirements
Brokerage commission fees (this outlines who pays)
Build-out information (your agent can provide this)
Security Deposit

Proposals will be exchanged between you and the landlord (or their agent) until an agreement is reached.

Tenant Incentives

Also referred to as “Lease Incentives,” Tenant Incentives are concessions sometimes offered by landlords to encourage a new tenant to enter into a lease or to sweet talk an existing tenant into renewing their lease. They’re not guaranteed to be available but if offered, should become part of the lease agreement.

Tenant Incentives can be anything from free rent to a commitment to contribute a certain amount to a tenant’s planned improvements. Your real estate agent will advise you as to whether your offer should include a Tenant Incentive and what kind.

It’s a Sign!

Well, it’s TO sign. Once the terms have been agreed upon by both parties, the lease will be drafted and it’s time to sign on that dotted line!

Congratulations, You Did It!

You have your brand office space for rent in the place you had hoped for, with the configuration that will work best for you and your team, and you got a great deal on terms. That is quite an accomplishment and definitely something to be proud of! Now it’s time to make it happen!

Let Us Help!

If you’re interested in leasing office space in or around the Austin, Texas area, we’d love the opportunity to fill the role of the real estate agent in your story.

Our team has exclusively represented tenants in Austin for over 20 years. We have the experience, the knowledge, and the resources to become a resource and an asset to you and your team.

Click here to connect with us so that together, we can make this story a reality!

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Austin Office Space, Inc.

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Shelby S.

We recently worked with Chad to find our new office space, and we couldn't be more pleased with the experience. From the start, he was incredibly kind and attentive, showing us a range of options to ensure we found the perfect fit. What stood out most was his honesty and realism— he didn't didn't just try to close a deal, but genuinely wanted us to be happy in our new space. He provided clear, balanced information about each location, outlining both the pros and cons so we could make an informed decision. We are thrilled with our new office and grateful for Chad's guidance throughout the process. Highly recommend!

Lexie K.

We had an excellent experience working with Chad Jewell! He was patient and kind, really taking the time to help us find the perfect office space. His knowledge of the market was spot-on, and he made the whole process feel easy and stress-free. Would highly recommend him to anyone looking for great commercial agent!!

Adrienne L.

Chad Jewell with Austin Office Space has successfully repped me on the lease of 2 different Central Austin office spaces within the past 8 years. He is an expert in every sense of the word, and all around just a really great person!! He knows the answer to every question I've ever had during the leasing process, there is 0% pressure working with him and he is my first and only resource for commercial space. 10/10!

Eric B.

We finalized a lease on ~5300sf of office space in NW Hills recently and Chad was integral in our success. I am a residential real estate broker and there is no way we would have found the space or had the good experience we did without Chad's expertise and guidance. Chad helped us find the space, negotiate the lease, and most imporantly, helped us understand what we should expect in the market and what is reasonable.Chad went above and beyond by providing guidance on an early termination with our previous lease, which was a frustrating situation, but which we were able to successfuly resolve. Chad is intelligent, knowledgeable, patient, and professional. I can't recommend Chad and his team at Austin Office Space highly enough!

Panos M.

Chad was outstanding in helping us find the perfect spot for our business. He made sure it was affordable and had everything we needed. In addition, he handled the lease negotiation and closing with the utmost professionalism. We will call on Chad again as we grow and scale up. Highly recommended!

Mike R.

This review has been due for months. Frankly, my staff and I have been so pleased and productive in our new office space, that we've been able to quickly position ourselves for growth, already justifying expansion to a large space very soon. Rest assured, Matt Watson at Austin Office Space will be my go-to Tenant Agent once again, and anytime in the future I need a true professional in my corner to negotiate the best deal possible, and coordinate all the finite details on my company's behalf.Matt is great to work with, always on-point, fully transparent and well-versed and credentialed in managing every detail of the entire process. We couldn't be happier with the building and the suite Matt found for us, and we're excited at the prospect of working with Austin Office Space again, now that we're adding several more employees and need to spread out a bit. Austin Office Space has earned my very highest praise and recommendation.

Kay R.

Chad high key knows his stuff. I gave him a list of what I need in a commercial space for two companies. He got the lease negotiated quickly for one company and performed a miracle on lease terms for the other company.I’m highly impressed with the level of service I’ve repeatedly received and recommend him to anyone looking for a new space.

Caitlin T.

Our firm has been working with Chad for several years now and he has made every lease transaction painless. No matter our size or what we have been looking for, AOS has been there for us. We can't recommend them highly enough!

steven L.

I sincerely enjoyed working with Chad Jewell at Austin Office Space. He was professional, knowledgeable, helpful, and a pleasure to work with. I would recommend him to business associates and family alike.

Ariella fraile S.

Chad and his team were invaluable in helping us find our new office building. They were very communicative and assisted us with all the details in helping us get move in ready. We appreciate his attentiveness to our needs and would definitely recommend Austin Office Space to anyone in the Austin area!

Charles W.

Chad at Austin Office Space has been our go to Broker in the Austin area for over 15 years since 2008. He has help our business find office spaces in 2008/2012/2016/2021. His knowledge and direct no-nonsense attitude is why we always have valued him as a valuable resource in the Austin area for commercial real estate. The time and effort he has showed us in helping with anything related to our leases is why we will always choose Austin Office Space as our premier choice. The quarterly updates on the health of the Austin market they provide have been very insightful as well.

Jens J.

The whole team at Austin Office Space were extremely responsive, attentive and great to work with. They provided excellent service. I can't recommend them enough

Bob D.

Don't let the name "Austin Office Space" make you think that this company cannot help you with other commercial real estate needs. I have been working with Matt Watson trying to find a location in the Austin market for our store. Matt has been great in pre screening and sending us pictures, layouts etc. which saves us time and money. I recommend giving Austin Office Space a call regardless of your commercial real estate needs. From retail to warehouses they will be available to help. Thanks from all of us at ConDecor Superstore.

Michael S.

Chad was fantastic. We had a very short timeline to find office space and move in so we could start a new firm on January 1. Even though we had a short timeline and specific needs, Chad made it happen. He was smart, responsive, resourceful and understood what we needed. He also helped us find vendors for furniture, internet, phones and other items. We got the space, moved in, and were up and running and open for business on January 1.

Katie C.

Chad is absolutely amazing!! He helped our company find an office space to lease when moving the business and our employees from Tampa FL, to Austin. Everything else about the move was stressful, but working with Chad made acquiring a space and moving into it super easy. Eventually, when we decided to sublease part of it out, Chad helped us find someone immediately. Now that our lease is officially coming to an end, we've decided to work with him again to find our new space. He is so patient, down to earth, and professional, and he has been working really hard to find a new spot that meets our needs and price range. He is a great negotiator, and he also brings a wealth of knowledge and makes himself very available to answer our questions. I'm so glad we found him!

Mark S.

Been working with AOS and Chad for nearly 3 years now - in that time, he's truly gone above and beyond to help out and find office spaces that match the changing needs of my company.Not only is Chad someone who takes great pride in his craft as a broker (he's worked some great deals for us), but he has genuinely done his best to take care of us and help us navigate the waters of commercial real estate with true integrity. He's helped us review documents, tour as many spaces as we wanted to look at, and been extremely helpful all along the way.Truly one of the best people I've ever done business with, and cannot possibly say enough good things about the services that he and AOS have provided to us over the years.If you're looking for a new space to build your business, AOS is the best guide possible.

Heather F.

Gentry and Chad were awesome to work with. We needed to move very quickly with very little notice. Gentry sent a long list of locations for me to review and Chad talked me through them and then met me to view the spaces I selected. We found a great spot and the whole thing took less than two weeks, start to finish. I highly recommend this team of friendly professionals.

Sebastien B.

Chad helped us find our commercial lease. He and his team were professional and responsive at every steps. They took the time to understand our project to provide us with the best choice and advices. I recommend Chad and Austin Office Space without reservation!

Eric W.

We had a good experience using Austin Office Space and Chad Jewell to handle our subleasing process. The level of communication during the process was good and we felt informed of developments throughout. Chad was easy to work with and understood the local market. I would recommend him.

Andrew S.

Working on a TV show in Austin and needed adequate space for our production. Austin Office Space was extremely helpful and worked fast for our quick turn around. Highly recommend reaching out to AOS for any office needs. Will use them again!

Mike S.

Chad at AOS was extremely helpful in quickly compiling a list of office spaces for us to consider. He even made up a document complete with pictures and locations that made it very easy to weigh our options. In addition, he even put me in touch with another company to find out what they had to offer. It was a very helpful experience.

Cindy Lo - RED VELVET (.

It's not easy shopping for commercial real estate in a hot market like Austin but Chad with Austin Office Space (AOS) was there for us as we patiently combed through multiple options (all shapes & sizes) as we were open to building new or renovating an existing space. But what won us over was that he used his contacts to help find us a space before it went out to the public and that's the key to beating out the competition in a hot market. Chad responded to all my emails day & night, and I appreciate his willingness to answer even the mundane questions since this was my first time to buy commercial.

Colin L.

Great company, great representation, great leadership. You'll be pleased with the results.

Ryan K.

My thumb was completely green as this was my first real office. Chad helped me through the process and found me the perfect space. Highly recommended.

Charlotte P.

Chad is an amazing person to work with. He is an extremely pleasant and professional person and has access to a great network to help you find the right office space. He definitely is the person who will go the extra mile to help you find the right location. We highly recommend working with him!

James B.

Chad Jewel is awesome. From the day I met him through negotiations for our new space, he has been wonderful. If you are looking for office space, you just can do better than Chad! Two Thumbs WAY up!!

John R.

Great service, client focused and delivered exactly the kind of space we needed. Best in the business! If you need space in Austin, this is the team that will help you find it.

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