Over the next few weeks, let’s exchange some lease clauses that drive us crazy. During my 25 years in corporate real estate I had to live with some mighty repugnant clauses, prohibiting such things as sub-leasing a portion of space, occupying the building on weekends or hiring a satisfactory janitorial ... Read More
Tag: lease negotiations
20
Jun2012
Do you remember the childhood nursing rhyme, “The Old Woman in the Shoe?” She had so many children, so little space she didn’t know what to do. Even as the economy is smoothing out and rumbling forward, many tenants find themselves with more space than they can accommodate. They have ... Read More
June 20, 2012Lynn Drake
23
May2012
“Promises, Promises,” is a long-running Broadway production. The title song speaks of alibis and dashed promises and yet other promises that bring joy and hope and love. Promises in commercial real estate mean nothing unless they are in writing in official “request for proposal” and “contract” format.Don’t trust anything written ... Read More
May 23, 2012Lynn Drake
10
May2012
Talk to any child and you find they have a perfect dream for the basement train set or the equipment needed to have their Wii system rock out. Talk to a grown-up whose business is on the edge of expansion and you see the bright, shining eyes of a child. ... Read More
May 10, 2012Lynn Drake
25
Apr2012
When you think about renting property, how much space do you REALLY need? Will the need to gain space? What if it looses space? How can I forecast in this turbulent world? Who tells the truth?All too often clients come up with a round number that feels right in the ... Read More
April 25, 2012Lynn Drake
20
Mar2012
The hours you spend pacing the floor, waiting for a family member’s first child to be born; the minutes you spend waiting for your computer to boot up; and the seconds you wait for a text message; each of these intervals remind you of that inescapable truth - timing is ... Read More
March 20, 2012Lynn Drake
08
Mar2012
Some of us speak Greek, Spanish, French or Mandarin in addition to English. We think we can speak real estate, but you had better know someone who can speak fine print or your lease terms could get lost in translation.Pay careful attention to how a commercial or ... Read More
March 8, 2012Lynn Drake
13
Feb2012
Harvey MacKay, author of the seminal business book, “Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive” (prequel to the reality show, Shark Tank) suggested that entrepreneurs focus their energies on drumming up business and managing staff. He recommends leaving the jobs you know little about to professionals who know a ... Read More
February 13, 2012Lynn Drake
01
Feb2012
When people find out I’m a commercial real estate agent they often sidle up close and whisper in my ear, “Let me tell you, I got such a deal,” and expect me to nod approvingly. Dare I frown? A deal isn’t always a deal.
A gentleman who coordinated real estate ... Read More
February 1, 2012Lynn Drake
29
Dec2011
As any commercial real estate realtor or broker can tell you, leasing a commercial space is complicated. The leases are long and full of tiny clauses meant to give the landlord as much of your hard-earned dollar as possible. If you don’t speak lease, you’re likely to hit a series ... Read More
December 29, 2011Lynn Drake