Free tool
Ready to lease or buy commercial space?
A landlord or a seller asks the same things of every business that comes to the table: what it does, how much space, by when, who signs and what the books look like. This asks them first, scores where you stand, and says what to do next — on the page, in full.
Free. The whole result appears on this page the moment you finish — nothing is held back, and nothing is charged for. Shawn asks for a name and a way to reach you first.
The questions
Ten questions about the business, the space it needs and when. The result says whether to settle the business first, shortlist space yourself, or start touring and negotiating — and what each one asks of you next.
- What kind of business is the space for?
- Where is the business today?
- How much space does it need?
- Lease, buy, or either?
Either is a fine answer — the result says what each one asks of you. - Do you know where it needs to be?
A corridor, a side of town, near a customer base you have named — your choice, not ours. - When does the business need to be in?
- Have you settled what the business can spend on space each month?
Rent or payment, plus taxes, insurance and the common-area charges — the whole occupancy cost. - Could you hand over two years of business financials this week?
A landlord asks for them before a lease; a lender asks for them before a purchase. A new business is asked for its plan and personal financials instead. - Who signs the lease or the contract?
- Is a current lease driving the date?
What it can tell you
Every answer this check gives, in full — one of them is yours once you have answered. Nothing here is held back for a sign-up.
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Settle the business first
Enough is still open — the use, the timing, the money or who signs — that a landlord or a seller could not yet take you seriously, and neither could a broker without wasting your time. Work out what the business can carry each month and when it needs to be in; the rest follows from those two.
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You could shortlist this yourself
The business is real and the need is clear enough to look. The commercial listings on this site are free to browse by place, the Toolbox puts seven corridors side by side from the public record, and nothing here needs an appointment. Shortlist three spaces, then bring the lease or the contract to somebody before you sign it.
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Ready to tour and negotiate
The use, the space, the date, the money and the signature are settled, which is the combination a landlord or a seller takes seriously. From here the questions are about one specific space — the term, the escalations, who pays for the build-out, what the taxes and common-area charges actually run — and those are worth a broker in the room, since a tenant-side broker is usually paid by the landlord.