How to Find Small Office Space for Rent in McAllen

  January 13, 2022

How to Find Small Office Space for Rent in McAllen

If you are a small business owner who is ready to rent your first office space in McAllen, then you are about to embark on an exciting journey in the growth of your company. A professional space will help you continue to grow by providing a welcoming environment for customers and a distraction-free area for your employees to work.

If the process of finding the right small office space for rent in McAllen feels a little daunting, start with this guide. Determining your needs, using an experienced agent, touring the most promising space, and negotiating a fair lease will get you up and running in your new space in no time.

small office space

Determine your square footage needs.

Before you begin looking for office space in McAllen, you need to determine exactly how much square footage you require. That information will help you to set a reasonable budget and evaluate your rental options.

A good rule of thumb is to calculate 150 square feet per employee. Then, you should add about 30 percent more square footage to account for shared areas, such as kitchenettes and conference rooms.

For example, if your small business has 10 employees, you would require 1,500 square feet of space, plus an additional 450 square feet of shared space, for a total of 1,950 square feet of office space.

If you anticipate rapid future growth, you may also want to add in about 10 percent more square footage to ensure that your business can grow comfortably over the next few years without requiring you to break your lease. In our example, then, your business would require about 2,145 square feet of space.

small office with white desk, desktop computer and four chairs

Determine your layout requirements.

In addition to sheer square footage, chances are your business requires a certain layout. For example, your tech company may thrive in an open and collaborative space, while your beauty salon needs stations set up for clients and your doctor’s office needs exam rooms. Make a note of these layout needs in order to narrow down your options to just those offices that will actually serve your business well.

Small office space with round desk and whiteboard on the side

Decide where to locate your small business.

Location is everything when it comes to satisfying employees and clients alike. For example, the downtown Arts District in McAllen will provide much easier access to public transportation, your target audiences, and other professional businesses than an office building on the outskirts of town. When looking for the right location, consider the following factors:

  • Parking and public transportation availability
  • Proximity to your employees’ residences
  • Proximity to your desired clientele
  • Visibility to pedestrians
  • Walkability of the area
  • Desirability and safety of the surrounding area

Just keep in mind that you may have to balance budget and location, so be ready with multiple potential areas of town that could serve your business well.

Woman sitting in front of desk, smiling and arranging white box packages

Establish a budget.

No one wants to tour a beautiful Class A office space only to discover that the only affordable spaces are Class B buildings outside downtown.

Avoid disappointment, and ensure that you get the best possible office space for your money, by setting a budget before you start to look.

First, research the average price per square foot to rent office space in McAllen. Right now, rates vary from about $2 per square foot to $25 per square foot, depending upon the type of office space you want to rent and the area where it is located.

Once you determine an average cost for the square footage, you should add in common area maintenance (CAM) fees. These are fees your landlord will leverage to help pay for the cost of repairing and maintaining common areas, such as stairways and elevators. You should add about 15 percent to your budget to account for these fees.

Finally, you will need to add in a budget for utilities. In McAllen, the average commercial utility rate is 8.16 cents/Kwh, and the average commercial monthly electricity bill in Texas is $668.

With your lease, CAM fees, and utility fees accounted for, you are ready to begin the search for small office space in McAllen.

Woman sitting in front of laptop and desk, looking focused in laptop and typing

Hire a real estate broker.

While you can look for commercial rentals on your own, you will benefit from the expertise of a tenant-broker. This professional works on your behalf  to help you find, negotiate, and close on a lease that is right for your small business.

The broker can benefit your small business office space search in the following ways:

  • Identify available properties that meet your requirements
  • Provide access to pocket listings that are not officially on the market yet
  • Help you navigate the negotiation process
  • Offer local knowledge of the best areas, properties, and deals
  • Save you time on researching properties
  • Communicate on your behalf with the landlord
  • Arrange and attend tours with you

Tour potential offices.

Once you know what you need in an office, and you have a tenant-broker to help you search, you can begin touring potential small office spaces in McAllen.

Your agent can help you narrow down your search to properties that meet your requirements (e.g. Location, square footage, layout, etc.) and then arrange tours for you of the most promising spaces.

Before you go on your tour, take note of the following:

  • Type of building and office space
  • Promised amenities
  • Security features
  • History of the building
  • Advertised features

On the tour, you will want to take note of the following important aspects of the building that can make or break your decision to lease there:

  • Other tenants (Do they mesh with your professional brand?)
  • State of the building (Is it in good repair?)
  • Parking (Is it ample?)
  • Proximity to public transportation (Is it convenient for employees?)
  • Surrounding areas (Is it safe and desirable?)
  • Amenities and features (Are they as promised?)
  • Accessibility (Is it ADA-compliant?)

If you have questions or concerns about any part of the building, be sure to communicate with your agent and the landlord. Perhaps repairs can be made to that old elevator, or maybe there is parking in the back you didn’t see. Once you have a clear idea of what every property has to offer, you can decide which one is right for you.

Negotiate the lease.

Once you have THE property for your small business, it is time to negotiate your lease. This process can be a little tricky, depending upon how straightforward the fees are in the lease. For example, a full service lease will include all utilities, repair, and maintenance expenses, while a net lease or gross monthly lease will separate these fees out.

Make sure before you sign that you understand the terms of the lease and what your monthly obligations will be. You should also be aware of terms such as the following:

  • Rent increases
  • Additional expenses (e.g. Are any amenities extra?)
  • Length of the lease

Once you sign your lease, you will get to enjoy having a professional office space where your small business can thrive in McAllen.

Here at Via Executive Suites, we make it easy to find small office space for rent in McAllen by offering 3 office locations in McAllen and one in Edinburg. These versatile, state-of-the-art spaces come with fair leases and endless amenities. From bilingual front desk staff to 24/7 security, these features, and our offices’ ideal locations, make our offices perfect for small businesses looking for a great professional space where they can thrive. Making better work achievable in the Valley-That is Via. Contact us today to learn more!

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