Cleveland Realtors are often asked whether it is better to own or lease office space, industrial real estate and retail real estate. Broker to broker, the answer is the same – it depends. Here are several factors Ohio Commercial Real Estate Brokers suggest you consider.
Consider cash outlay: Generally, you don’t need to put out as much money upfront when you lease a Cleveland office space as you do when you look at commercial property for sale. A quick example: A commercial real estate broker is looking to sell a $500,000 Cleveland Building. Someone leasing the space might pay around $4,000 monthly in rent. Someone looking to buy the same commercial real estate in Cleveland would have to put about $150,000 down, and also would have had to pay for an appraisal, building inspections, loan fees and other costs.
The fixed/variable cost factor: Buy a Cleveland property and you have a good idea of what your costs are going to be year after year, especially if you get a fixed-rate loan on the property. Lease and your costs may change when your lease term expires.
Plan for growth Buying land for sale in Cleveland or commercial real estate for sale in Cleveland that’s just the right size for you now can look attractive. But what will you do if your business and your space requirement grows over the next few years?
Outgrowing a space doesn’t have to be a financial crisis. A retail real estate broker can help you avoid the cost and hassle of moving by simply leasing more space in the building you already occupy.
Figure the appreciation factor: Buying commercial real estate in Cleveland puts you in a second business: real estate investing. If you’re in an area of appreciating land values, eventually you could sell it at a profit. But if you own industrial real estate or commercial real estate in Northeast Ohio with more space than your business needs, you’ll probably end up renting to others, thus becoming a landlord. It can all be profitable, but it is more work than simply leasing space.
Consider tax issues: As usual, there are tax issues to consider. Businesses routinely can deduct the full amount they pay in rent. Owners of commercial rentals can write off repairs immediately, but improvements to Ohio industrial real estate have to be deducted over 39 years. Depreciation on Cleveland commercial real estate also is taken over 39 years.
Getting more help
In general, leasing tends to appeal to businesspeople who don’t want to make the kind of large upfront investment required with a purchase, who aren’t really sure how much space they’ll ultimately need and who simply don’t want to have to deal with the responsibilities of owning a piece of commercial property. Buying is going to make more sense for businesspeople who are more established, who want to be in one location for several years and who have the financial resources to take on a significant real estate investment.
Talk with one of our Cleveland realtors, commercial real estate broker, or retail real estate broker for more information.