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— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 30, 2018

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Josh Daspit thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/Qoncn6tern

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 30, 2018

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Productivity PLOW thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/6vBASpXew6

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 21, 2018

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MARC thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/qma7b9mo8f

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 20, 2018

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Reader Favorites thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/6rovKoSJOo

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 19, 2018

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Miracle Magic me ... thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/ZUG3Ar3Oyp

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 17, 2018

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Tenant Reps Give You Advantages When Leasing Office Space

When leasing commercial office space on your own, it’s important to consider hiring a tenant rep to help you, especially in landlord friendly Austin office space markets. Building owners have highly experienced agents representing their best interests which puts you at a disadvantage during negotiations. Having a tenant rep in your corner will ensure that the playing field is level and you have the same tools, experience, and resources to negotiate the best deal for your company. 

Benefits of a Tenant Rep

1. No More Having to Sift Through Outdated Property Listings

There are over ten office space listing websites (e.g., loopnet) that post “available” office spaces for rent. I put quotes around “available” because what you will find is that all of these have incomplete or outdated information. In many cases what you see listed has already been leased. Also other sites just post generic information about available offices making it difficult for you to decipher what is actually available and what spaces will meet your needs.

Your tenant rep will be able to research and identify only those spaces that meet your exact needs. They pay for the best databases & have relationships will all the brokers in town which means you will know what is available now or in the future including office market spaces that are not yet known to the public.

2. Landlords Are More Likely to Respond to Tenant Rep Calls

Unfortunately, most landlord agents take on more listings than they can handle. When this happens they cherry pick the phone calls to return because they get so many calls from tenants who are just kicking tires, they don’t want to waste any time. They know that when a Tenant rep calls there is a high probability that the tenant is already qualified, which means calls get answered quickly. Also, tenant reps with good reputations and relationships with local landlords are more likely to get returned phone calls.

3. Tenant Reps Will Negotiate on Your Behalf

As mentioned above building owners have landlord agents with years of experience in negotiating office leases. Listing agents do not represent you. They serve the owner, and their fiduciary duty is to help the owner get the best deal possible. If you are doing this alone, you are at a considerable disadvantage and more likely to leave money on the table.

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colinreiduk thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/TbrgkMMHk5

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 14, 2018

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How Long Does it Take to Get an Office Space Build-Out Permit in Austin, Tx?

Office space build-out permits in Austin can take up to 30 to 45 days, and even longer for larger more complicated projects.

When searching for Austin office space for lease you need to ensure that you give yourself enough time to see all the options as well as allowing enough time to build-out the spaces if necessary. Ideally at least 6-12 months before your ideal move in date depending on the size space.

It’s possible, however not likely to find an office space for rent in Austin that is already built out EXACTLY the way you want. Most spaces are at a minimum going to need new carpet and paint. If the scope of work is larger (e.g. involves mechanical, electrical and plumbing changes) then a permit is going to be required, and that is when you have to comply with the city of Austin building permit services department requirements.

When applying for a permit you have to have all your plans put together (e.g. site development plan, engineering plans, architect plans, etc). The building construction manager, architect and / or your contractor will be able to guide you through this process. 

If you are doing a full office space remodel then expect it to take 30-45 days from the time you submit documents to the city to the time they approve the permit.

Don’t think that just because you submit plans that the city will automatically approve them. In many cases the city of Austin will reject them on the first pass. To avoid this all you can do is be very diligent and communicate with the construction manager and architect before submitting plans.

Why Does it Take So Long to Get an Office Space Build-Out Permit in Austin?

Nobody really knows the answer to this however what we keep hearing is that the Austin commercial plan review department is understaffed. What you need to keep in mind is that only you have your best interests in mind so you need to stay engaged with the architect and construction manager (if you have one) the entire time.

Kareem Hajjar thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/GTuehZNgtg

Kareem Hajjar thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/GTuehZNgtg

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 5, 2018

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Aniket Pasalkar thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/VUENkVhHVV

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 5, 2018

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— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 3, 2018

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Jeff thanks for following me on Twitter! https://t.co/8zCcxtB86x

— Nathan K Smith (@AustinTenantAdv) November 2, 2018

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