Commercial House or Home For Rent in Austin Tx

Some companies that lease commercial space in Austin, Tx prefer to rent space in an old commercial house or home typically because they don’t like the corporate feel of a professional multistory office building. Before doing this it’s important to confirm that the house is zoned for commercial use otherwise they could be asked to move out even if they purchased the building or signed a long term lease. Finding an old house zoned for commercial use in Austin is not easy to find and renting them does have advantages and disadvantages. Most of the old houses have a lot of quirks and typically require more tenant or owner management than a traditional multi-tenant office building. Before deciding to lease a commercial house it’s important that you determine what sort of culture you want your company to have. What type of employees will you be recruiting? Depending on the type of industry you are in it could be hard to recruit employees (especially executive level) if you rent a commercial home. Renting old houses for commercial use is not for everyone. Below are a few advantages and disadvantages that you should consider before doing so.

Where are Commercial Houses in Austin Typically Found?

Commercial houses in Austin, Tx are typically found in / around the central business district (aka around dowtown and central Austin). Depending on the location they can be used for office space or retail space. You can sometimes find them in suburban areas however in Austin it’s not as likely.

Advantages of Renting a House Used for Commercial Space

• Having your own entrance makes it easier to access then having to enter into a common area lobby, go up an elevator, etc.
• You don’t have to pay for common area like you do in a multitenant commercial building
• Commercial homes feel more laid back then professional building
• You typically have more flexibility in how to decorate and personalize the space
• You get to park right in front of your commercial house
• You will have your own bathroom
• You pay your own electric which means if you work a lot of after hours you won’t incur hourly HVAC fees like you do in a traditional building.
• They typically have a cool eclectic vibe

Disadvantages of Leasing a Commercial House

• You might be responsible for maintaining the lawn
• You will have your own bathroom to clean 🙂
• Landlords typically ask that you maintain and repair if needed the HVAC units
• Very expensive to modify. In a traditional office the sheetrock walls only go to the ceiling grid making it easy to remove and/or add walls. In an old house many of the walls are load bearing making it expensive to remove them.
• No expansion space. In a multi-tenant building you may have an opportunity to lease more space if needed. In an old commercial home if your company grows your only option would be to relocate.
• The house has to be commercial zoned for you to be able to rent it for commercial use

Those are just a few things to consider when leasing an old commercial house in Austin, Tx. If you need help finding office space in Austin feel free to give us a call at 512-861-0525