When COVID hit, I bolted home and set up an office.
That time is over. I’ve been eager to return to an office that’s away from my dog. Don’t get me wrong – I love my dog but he starts barking whenever I get on the phone.
My new office selection process had to pass through a few tests. Here is what was important to me:
- Health. I exercise vigorously 5 days a week – it’s how I stay young. Wherever I work, my gym has to be a quick walk away.
- Value. I’m in real estate – if I can’t get a below market deal for myself, what does that say about my deal prowess?
- Fun. We have a lot of pride in the work we do – I want the space to reflect our sense of humor, love of color, and open mind.
So, this is what we chose...
Ground for office space at 521 Morehead, across from the YMCA. The space looks out on downtown and there’s a ton of natural light. It’s healthy, and I can be at the Y, working out, in less than five minutes.
The space is a terrific value. While working on an office lease renewal assignment for a client, the client offered to sublease a portion of their space. The client was thrilled that someone she trusted was going to take their expansion space. I negotiated terms for the renewal in the middle of the pandemic gloom when there was a lot of uncertainty about the future of office space, which translated to us getting a below market rate and ample lease concessions.
The space is uniquely Cardinal. My father’s handmade pottery is throughout. There’s a hornet’s nest I found in a tree in Linville and I’ve hung framed, old maps of Charlotte I that found at an estate sale in Myers Park.
Tip of the hat to the team of Karah and Cody at Foundry for helping work the new office deal.
When leasing space, you are making a long term investment. We created the Strategic Tenant Advocate (™) process to help you make the best decision. The first step is to establish the ideal situation for you three years out. Cardinal makes your vision our KPIs, and all due diligence, planning, and negotiations are performed for a measurable result to achieve your ideal outcome.
Let me know if you would like to receive a free copy of our book, Go For Broker – A Leader’s Guide to Hiring a Commercial Real Estate Broker. Inside of it, you will find tips to reduce your occupancy costs and decode the commercial real estate game.
Additional Resources
- Things to know when signing a lease during COVID.
- Do you want a copy of our pandemic lease checklist? Email me.
- Are you interested in seeing some of the resources we are using to help our clients get clarity on the changing landlord/tenant relationship? Email me and I will send you white papers from Commercial Lease Law Insider, BOMA, and the CDC.
