Commercial Real Estate Agents

Century 21 moves into top spot for small business real estate

While many businesses like to think of their workplaces as more of a community than simply bricks and mortar, the bricks and mortar part can be incredibly important, especially if your business grows quickly! Being crammed in like sardines, or operating in a location out of the way for customers, can impact how well a business operates and succeeds.

When it comes to finding a suitable location for your small business, owners and operators are met with plenty of options, making it a tough decision to make. Add into account how quickly the market changes as well as what goals your business aims to achieve over the short-term, and the premises you decide to run out of quickly becomes one of the biggest decisions you’re likely to make.

Thankfully, real estate agents can take some of the stress out of the situation, helping you find the ideal place for your next venture. But finding a commercial estate agent to work alongside is the first thing to worry about. To help narrow down your options, Canstar Blue has surveyed over 800 Australian business owners and operators on their recent dealings with real estate agents, with their experiences reflected by the star ratings table above.

The seven chains in our 2018 review of commercial real estate agents were rated in the following order for overall customer satisfaction:

• 1^st Century 21
• 2^nd LJ Hooker
• 3^rd Raine & Horne
• 4^th Professionals
• 5^th Harcourts
• 6^th Ray White
• 7^th First National

Century 21 enjoyed a clean sweep in the ratings, improving in all categories from last year. In a complete turnaround of fortunes, Century 21 replaces First National at the top. It goes to show that small business customer satisfaction can change quickly, so don’t just assume that agent you’ve been working with for years is still the best bet.

Moving on up

As much as moving is a pain, staying in the same place isn’t always the best option for small businesses, particularly if you have big plans for the future. Although 87% of those surveyed stated that they would describe their current property as adequate for their business needs, half of all respondents (50%) were considering moving to another property in the near future – up from 41% in comparison with last year’s findings.

The cost of doing business

59% of owners and key decision-makers surveyed stated that renting is the biggest financial expense for their business – up from 56% in last year’s report. Despite the increase, the average monthly rental cost for our respondents has dropped from $3,216 last year to $2,940 this year, with metropolitan businesses paying more than their regional counterparts.

Which real estate agent should I go with?

Finding a store or location to operate out of can be a tough ask for businesses, particularly if you’re just starting out. Add in the ever-changing nature of the Aussie property market, as well as how quickly the business world changes, and the perfect place you’ve found may not be suitable a few months down the line.

With the sheer variety of properties available on the market, utilising real estate agents to help you find the best spot for your small business could save you hours of work as well as sleepless nights. Ultimately though, which commercial estate agent you decide to do business with will come down to your personal situation and preferences. As a result, it’s best to look into all of your options, as like potential premises, one may suit your business better than the others.

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