Location, Location, Location
When thinking of buying your own building to house your business, remember that location is just as important when buying commercial space as it is when leasing. If your customer base is primarily in a particular part of town, you will likely need to continue operating close to your current location. A different location may not appeal to your customers. And if the market is tight, it may be difficult to find space to purchase in the same area.
Advantages of Buying a Business Property
Low financing costs: With current interest rates at relative lows, you can take advantage of low mortgage rates to own your own premises, thereby building ownership equity rather than paying a landlord. Fixed overhead: Owning your business’ premises means that you know what your future costs will be—mortgage rates have been declining for decades and do not fluctuate like lease costs sometimes do. By owning the property, a major portion of the real estate component of your business overhead is fixed for the mortgage period. On the other hand, lease costs are affected by improvements to the building, changing real estate values, demand, and other factors. When leasing a business, there is no guarantee that you’ll continually be able to renew your lease under similar terms.Stability: If your business uses specialized equipment, machinery, or fixtures that are difficult or expensive to move, or if the business requires extensive renovations, ownership of the premises may be preferable. Otherwise, if the landlord does not renew your lease when it expires, you could be facing extensive costs, particularly if the lease stipulates that you must return the premises to the original condition when you leave.Potential appreciation in value: If you are fortunate enough to purchase a building in an upcoming area or at the bottom of a real estate cycle, the property may greatly increase in value in the future.Collateral: Premises owned by the business are an asset that can be used as collateral for debt or equity financing.Freedom from landlords: Not all landlords are created equal, and some landlords are prone to cutting costs by neglecting maintenance, security, and capital improvements.Subletting for additional revenue: If you buy a business property and there is extra space on the premises you may be able to bring in additional revenue by subletting. This can be lucrative, provided there is a steady demand for space in your location and a good supply of quality tenants. However, as anyone who has ever been a landlord can tell you, dealing with tenants can be very frustrating and time-consuming, and this tends to be more of a problem in a slowing economy.
Disadvantages of Buying a Business Property
Possible decline in property value: If, after many years in a particular location, it becomes necessary to move, owning your own commercial space can be a major drawback. Deteriorating business conditions, changes in the neighborhood, or local tax increases may cause a decline in value and make selling your business property difficult. Tying up capital: If your business is in a startup or growth phase you may prefer to invest capital in the business rather than buying commercial space. Fluctuating interest rates: Low-interest rates mean an eventual rise is likely, which could be a problem if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage. Cost savings may be negligible: When leasing a business, the costs of property taxes, maintenance and repairs, security, parking, insurance, and more are mostly included in a lease agreement. If you purchase a property, these expenses become your responsibility. Any decision to buy or rent should include a side-by-side comparison of the cost of renting vs. owning. If you intend to purchase, you should have an annual maintenance budget that includes money set aside for major repairs such as roof replacement, building envelope refurbishing, etc. The renewal of an existing lease can actually work in your favor in periods of slow demand and low occupancy rates. In such an environment—if you have a good relationship with the landlord—you may be able to negotiate better lease terms such as a lower rate, a longer lease period, or improvements to the premises. Do you really want to be an owner and landlord? Your accountant can analyze your operating budgets, investigate tax issues, and advise on the pros and cons of buying vs. renting from a financial perspective, but you should also take into consideration how much extra time will be taken up by being an owner and landlord. Dealing with maintenance issues and tenants (if subletting) can consume a great deal of time that may be better spent focusing on your business activities. Is your business growing or declining? Owning a business property can be problematic if your business is in a growth (or decline) phase in which you may need to sell the existing premises to acquire additional space or reduce your space requirements. Renegotiating a lease for your business is much less difficult.
Have You Considered a Home-Based Business?
There is another option to contemplate when you’re considering the next space for your operations. If your business is suitable, there are a great many advantages to operating a home-based business. Aside from not having to commute to work or worry about leasing vs. buying outside premises, home business owners typically have a better work-life balance, and the expenses related to the portion of the home used for business may be tax-deductible.
Consult the Experts
In any decision to purchase commercial space, make sure you have the right people involved at every stage of the decision. This includes:
An experienced realtor with expertise in commercial real estateA lawyer who specializes in the conveyancing of commercial propertyA mortgage adviserYour accountant
A major decision like this is too important to make on your own. Be sure you’ve weighed every pro and con with the experts before you move forward.
