REoptimizer^® Blog

The cost of doing a tenant improvement build out is usually the second most expensive part of your lease after the actual rent. It isn't uncommon for tenant improvement allowances to be equal to six months' or a year's worth of rent -- or more -- and for your out of pocket expenses to be just that high, or higher. However, TIs aren't all created alike, and one dollar in one building can mean something different from another dollar in another building. Here are three strategies to keep in mind:

While commercial real estate is a distinct industry with its own rules and practices, many of the practices that drive it are similar to those in the rest of the business world. If you aren't a full-time corporate real estate professional and still have to manage a portfolio, while you might get tripped up by some of the jargon and language, underneath it all is just good business sense.

While many small business people dream of buying their buildings, many of the largest and savviest companies choose to lease their commercial real estate. Opting to stay a tenant doesn't just reduce up front costs. It also lowers ongoing expenditures while also giving your business greater flexibility. If you're on the fence between leasing and owning, here are five great reasons to stay a tenant.

2015 is getting into full swing, and we are already seeing new trends in the field of green commercial real estate. Here are five trends that we're tracking closely -- and that you should be too:

Whether you have a traditional closed floor plan office, a wide open undefined space or a hybrid of both, you still face the same need to optimize your office utilization. Getting more work done by more people in less space saves money and enables you to make the right real estate investments. Here are some tips that will work to squeeze more performance out of all of your locations, regardless of their layouts.

For many companies, corporate real estate strategy is usually thought of in the same breath as cost-cutting strategy. Given that real estate is frequently the second or third largest cost for an organization, a simplistic view that looks only at reducing cost might seem like a good-enough approach. However, a more strategic view also takes real estate's revenue boosting potential into account.

Planning a tenant improvement project used to be simple -- design rows of private offices with cubicles in front and don't forget a storage room and reception area. Modern offices are much more variable. While the key to a successful project is to customize it extensively to your needs, there are still a few rules of thumb that can make any project better.

Industrial site selection is more complicated than it might seem. Simply picking the tallest possible building with the best possible proximity to major interstate highways and a rail spur isn't enough to guarantee the right location. Instead, you'll want to look at multiple details to get the perfect space for your needs.