Buy or lease
Compare control, equity, flexibility, capital, and the cost of each path.
Buying & Leasing
The right space has to work for the business.
Buying or leasing starts with the operating need: use, access, location, employees, customers, capital, flexibility, and timing. The property is evaluated against that objective.
Site selection
Test locations against use, zoning, access, utilities, workforce, customers, and growth.
Terms and due diligence
Understand the economic terms, property constraints, condition, and risk before committing.
Leases
The lease terms that carry the money.
Base rent gets the attention. The money and the risk often sit elsewhere: who pays operating expenses, how rent escalates, who controls the build-out, what the personal guaranty covers, and what happens at renewal, assignment, and holdover.
I review those terms with the business plan in mind, before the letter of intent is signed.
Common Questions
Should I buy a building for my business or keep leasing?
Owning builds equity and gives you control. Leasing keeps you flexible and preserves capital. The right answer depends on your business's stability, your capital, and what ownership would cost against what you're paying in rent. I work through that comparison with your real numbers.
How do I buy my first commercial property?
A first commercial purchase involves financing, due diligence, zoning, condition, and what the property has to do for you. I walk first-time buyers through the process so you understand each step and don't inherit a problem you didn't see.
What should I look for when buying commercial real estate?
Start with the objective: what does this property need to accomplish for you? From there, the numbers, the zoning, the condition, the location, and the risks either support that objective or they don't.
How do I know if I'm overpaying for a commercial property?
Price only means something against what the property produces or can produce. A number that looks high might be fair for what the property does, and a low number can hide a problem. I underwrite the property on its real income and constraints so you know what you're actually paying for.
Can I buy commercial property as an investment and lease it out?
Yes, and that's a different purchase than buying to operate your own business. The property, the tenant, the lease structure, and the returns all matter differently. If your interest is investing, see the Investment Property page.
I'm doing a 1031 exchange. Can you help me find a replacement property?
A 1031 has tight timelines and specific rules, and the pressure to place capital can push people into the wrong property. I help you find and evaluate replacement options that fit both the exchange requirements and what you want the asset to do. Coordinate structure and deadlines with your qualified intermediary and tax and legal advisors.
Should I buy land to develop or buy something already built?
Land you develop can create more value but carries entitlement, timeline, and construction risk. A built property costs more up front but starts working sooner. I help you weigh which path fits your capital, your timeline, and your appetite for risk.
What's the difference between buying to operate and buying to invest?
Buying to operate means the property houses your business. You are the user. Buying to invest means the property works as an asset and someone else uses it. The evaluation is different for each. Be clear on which one you're doing before you buy.
If your situation isn't here, that's the reason to talk.
From the Knowledge Center