• What's the difference between a leasing agent and a tenant representative?
• When should I start looking for office space?
• Can SVOFFICE help negotiate a lease renewal or expansion?
• Can SVOFFICE help me purchase commercial and income-producing real estate?
• I need more space - what are my options?
• I need to get out of my lease - what are my options?
• If we use a broker, will our rent be higher?
• How long of a lease should I sign?

What is the difference between a leasing agent and a tenant representative?
The leasing agent has the listing on the property and represents the interests of the building owner. A tenant representative or "rep" represents the interest of the tenant in a lease transaction.

When should I start looking for space?
We recommend that tenants look for space as early as possible so as to avoid costly delays. Not allowing enough time can affect the rental rate you receive and the number of spaces that may be available to you. We recommend that tenant's allow themselves the following amount of time, based on the size of the space.

Can SVOFFICE help negotiate a a lease renewal or expansion?
Absolutely. We can provide the same powerful negotiating leverage for tenants who want to renew or expand as those who are looking for new space. It is very often cheaper for the landlord to keep an existing tenant than it is to find a new one so landlord's are motivated to make a deal with existing tenants. By not using a broker, landlord's become less willing to negotiate. It is always a good idea to have a broker on your side when considering excercising options, renewing a lease, or expanding.

Can SVOFFICE help purchase commercial and income-producing real estate?
SVOFFICE can help companies and individuals both purchase and sell commercial and income-producing real estate. For information on purchasing, please contact us here. If you have a property you are interested in selling, please use this form to contact us.

I need more space-what are my options?
If you are looking for additional space but still have a lease for your existing facility, there are a few options available to you. SVOFFICE can help you analyze your options and ultimately help you do one of the following:

1. Look into expanding or relocating within your existing building or possibly within the owner's other buildings.
2. Diversify your business operations by leasing a second facility. If you decide to do this, it is a good idea to get a lease term on the new facility that ends the same time your existing lease is up.
3. Start marketing your existing space for sublease while starting a search for a new location.

I need to get out of my office lease-what are my options?
If you are finding yourself with excess space, you have several options available to you:

1. Sublease the excess space to another company.
2. Sublease your entire facility and move to a smaller facility.
3. Negotiate a buy-out with the Landlord. This is often the most costly option.

If I use SVOFFICE, will my rental rate be higher to reflect the commissions?
When you allow us to represent you in a lease transaction, the landlord pays the broker's leasing fee. That is how we are compensated for our work.

What's more is that by using a tenant representative you have a broker "that is on your side" looking out for your best interest. And if you are concerned that by using a tenant representative your rent will be higher, rest assured in knowing that landlords are much more willing to make concessions when you have a broker. In fact, your rent will very likely be less when you do make the decision to use a tenant representative.

How long of a lease should I sign?
Deciding on a lease term is one of the more difficult decisions that will need to be made. Some of the questions that a company will need to ask itself when deciding are:

• Is the location, access, and visibility of space important to the success of the company?
• Is the business stable enough so that future space needs are not anticipated to change.
• Will a longer term allow me to take advantage of more favorable lease terms and rates?Does the space require a substantial investment in tenant improvements, fixed equipment, etc.?
• Is it anticipated that rents will increase?

The first two items are the most important points to consider. If you have a start-up business, then a shorter lease term is most likely better. However, if your start-up business requires significant improvements, then you may be forced into a longer term lease by the simple economics of amortizing the improvements over a long term so that your base rent is affordable.