One of the best ways to engage people is to ask interesting questions.  Questions that get folks thinking.  These engagement questions help not only to break the ice, but to separate you from the pack. If you don't already know it, or haven't gotten the memo, Networking today is not about you.  It is about the other guy.   Meaningful networking to… Read More

  Negotiating a lease is like hitting a baseball.  If you swing too early or too late, you wind up in foul territory.  Timing is crucial.  If you start negotiating too early or too late, it can undermine your negotiating leverage.  It you go out in the market too soon, the landlord may not be willing to hold the space… Read More

  The biggest up-front expenditure in the entire leasing process is the cost of constructing space. An important question to ask is: “How much cash on hand will I need to accomplish this move?”  And the time to answer that question is before you start looking for space.  You can eliminate many expensive surprises by determining your out-of-pocket expenses ahead… Read More

                The need to be diligent about escalation clauses and their impact on long-term budgeting is best illustrated by the following story. Not too long ago, I was representing an office tenant that was experiencing “sticker shock” when reviewing a proposal to renew the lease.  The proposal from the landlord was for a new five-year term lease. … Read More

I am always surprised by the amount of trepidation and angst tenants experience when it is time to renew the lease. To begin with, most tenants don’t realize when renewing a lease that they, in fact, are in a place of competitive advantage. Many tenants act as if they have very little leverage at all--- and the majority of them… Read More