WHAT DOES BUILDING IMAGE MATTER FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Tenants often struggle with the building image factor of site selection, whether the site is retail, office, or industrial. While a good agent who has taken the time to really understand the client’s business can advise them, it is crucial to help them see the logical answer for themselves. And the determination of how much weight to put on curb appeal is indeed logical.

The experienced reader will certainly make the case for location over building image. This conventional wisdom is sound, but properties occupying better locations often maintain a higher image with respect to design and materials, if only to maximize the rent of their superior location. So for purposes of this brief missive, let’s assume location and image run parallel.

Building image absolutely filters through to the public’s perception of the business located within. If the desired perception of your business is sophistication, class, and quality of goods or
services, then tired, second-rate properties must be passed over. Chances are, the price point of your goods an services are higher, justifying the higher rent commanded by the building. If the desired perception is value and/or convenience, then the “B” or even “C” class buildings might be perfectly suitable for your business, given the owner maintains base standards of cleanliness, maintenance, and safety. These base standards must never be violated. A good real estate advisor will keep his or her clients mindful of this.

Warehousing and distribution tenants address the very same concerns. If the commodity is food products, better building image (and the higher level of building and common area maintenance
that usually accompanies them) are extremely important. If the commodity is recycled materials or galvanized pipe, then image could move in priority below other considerations, such as
truck ingress and egress and loading dock door dimensions, for example.

There are many options in any given market. Choose wisely…and logically.