Small businesses are gaining traction as more independent and fulfilling economic options for people in the modern world. However, it seems every single day businesses will rise and fall for any number of viable reasons! If you’ve considered business space for rent, it can seem a little daunting sorting out good deals from bad ones, smart locations from locations people can hardly find. When office and retail vacancy rates are expected to decline rapidly within the year 2015, it’s imperative you start doing solid research so your business can float to the top rather than be stuck at the bottom. Keep reading to learn a few things about getting your business off the ground.

Location, Location, Location

First things first: what image do you want for your business? Your company and/or brand is the first thing any customer or potential customer will remember, so your retail space should reflect that effortlessly. This is also necessary for you to consider the security of potential buyers, as a business can be made or undone by negative reviews about poor neighborhoods or shoddy appearances. If a customer doesn’t even feel safe parking their car, why would they come back again the next day? Location is just as competitive a market as product and should be at the forefront of any business owner’s mind. Last, but not least, your good location will mean little if it isn’t easily accessible — the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) has required businesses with at least fifteen employees to accommodate those with disabilities, which includes premises that are accessible to disabled people. Modern business space for rent can be, but is not limited to: braille signs, ramps, disabled-only parking spaces and automatic doors.

Where Do I Start?

Before you find your ideal retail space for rent, check the demographics of your area and take a leaf out of other businesses’ book — when you have a better understanding of the competition, you’ll have an easier time situating yourself in unfamiliar territory and avoid common pitfalls. Leases vary for different spaces — while some will have you maintain the property, others will have you be responsible for systems such as plumbing and air-conditioning. Business space for rent shouldn’t be a chore, but rather, an opportunity to get to know your business intimately. Business space for rent is like buying any other long-term product meant to provide for you economically, responding well to research and awareness of modern trends. What are you going to look for next time you’re scouring the market for commercial property for rent?