Whether you want to buy, lease or sell commercial property or warehouse space, look for commercial real estate information resources to help you complete the transaction. Information about commercial real estate can help you compare prices and look at what you are paying per square foot.

Navigating the commercial real estate world can be tricky, so make sure that you are taking advantage of the many commercial real estate resources available online and through qualified agents. Unlike residential real estate, the commercial real estate industry requires its agents to have further training to properly conduct commercial transactions.

To make the most of available commercial real estate resources:

1. Start your commercial real estate research on a commercial real estate search engine.

2. Next, contact a qualified commercial real estate agent to set up a tour of the properties you are interested in.

3. Lastly, make sure that you read and fully understand any contract work prior to signing. Consider consulting a property lawyer to read and review the lease with you.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use commercial specific search engines as your commercial real estate guide

Take advantage of commercial real estate search engines as your commercial real estate guide. Like residential property search engines, they allow you to specify and narrow down your search (e.g. office space vs. warehouse space vs. hotels and motels, etc.).

I recommend: Search properties on LoopNet, the best search engine for commercial real estate. Request information from ComReal, a member of the National Association Of Realtors. Check out commercial listings from the New York Times. Run a free property search from CoStar Realty Information.

Look to commercial real estate agents as your commercial real estate information

Find additional commercial real estate information through the services of qualified commercial real estate agents. Commercial agents have additional training to qualify them for the more complex transactions of commercial real estate.

I recommend: Consider the commercial real estate services of RE/MAX Commercial. There you can run a commercial real estate search, find a RE/MAX Commercial agent or find a RE/MAX office near you. Look at the commercial real estate services of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Find properties for sale through F.C. Tucker Commercial. Search for a commercial real estate listing through Prudential Commercial Real Estate. There you can narrow your search by the following property types: hotel and motel, agriculture, industrial, healthcare, land, office and more.

Conduct your commercial real estate research through industry publications

Use industry magazines to do further commercial real estate research before your next purchase. See how much property is going for in your area and around the nation to give you ballpark figures before proceeding.

I recommend: Subscribe to Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine. Subscribe to or advertise in the National Real Estate Investor magazine. Commercial Property News is another of the commercial real estate publications you can choose from. Access past issues of The Flick Report, a commercial real estate source for central Texas.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use commercial real estate resources to understand the difference in lease types. Make sure you are knowledgeable on the subject before you discuss whether your lease is triple net, double net, net (also known as close ended) or a gross lease. Knowing the difference and asking about these items will make a difference on your monthly payments.
• •  While contacting the seller's agent can be a great commercial real estate resource, consider seeking a buyer's agent. While most sellers are trained to not create a conflict of interest by representing both the buyers and the sellers, the agent does make a bigger commission (and both sides of it) if he or she sells the property at a high rate. Be familiar with commercial real estate industry information on what role agents have before you complete a transaction with them.