Are you eager to unlock the full potential of your commercial property? Do you aim to master selecting the right tenants, ensuring your property is buzzing with activity generating steady revenue?

Many smart property owners are starting to understand the need to be more strategic and innovative when managing their real estate portfolios.

Maximising occupancy in commercial properties is not just about filling spaces but creating a thriving business ecosystem. And that’s where the real thrill of commercial real estate comes into play!

Someone who has made waves in this field is Melissa Fisher, a multifaceted entrepreneur known for her success as a property developer, author, podcast host, and business coach. Melissa has dedicated her professional life to creating dynamic, profitable spaces, and she’s passionate about sharing her insights with others.

Drawing on her extensive experience and real-life case studies, she highlighted the importance of being proactive, adaptable, and innovative in the ever-evolving world of commercial real estate.

Listen to the full conversation below, or keep reading.

Finding the right type of tenant for your commercial property

You need the right tenant to achieve high occupancy rates. Tenants are invaluable, adding life and value to your property. But it’s not just about numbers but genuine connections and meaningful relationships with your tenants. This can improve tenant satisfaction, extend lease terms, and increase your property’s overall value.

For ongoing success, spend time understanding your tenants’ needs. This insight can help you better meet their requirements, which leads to a stronger landlord-tenant relationship.

Market Research: Understand the local market & the types of businesses that are thriving.

Don’t let financial pressure rush your decisions. Instead, learn about the local market and which businesses are doing well. This proactive step helps you make choices that fit well with your property’s vision, leading to a successful mix of tenants.

Doing detailed market research allows you to make better decisions and encourages a thriving community in your property. By understanding the local market, you can unlock the full potential of your commercial property, creating a space where businesses prosper.

Synergistic Tenant Mix: Building a Cohesive Business Community

Finding the perfect tenant for your property can be a complex task. Your objective is to attract tenants who contribute value to your property.

Creating a synergistic tenant mix involves selecting businesses that complement each other, fostering a mutually beneficial environment. Before embarking on your tenant search, take the time to understand the types of tenants that align with your investment goals. By planning ahead, you can ensure a well-balanced mix of tenants that enhances the overall appeal and success of your property.

Financial Stability Checks: Ensuring Sustainable Tenancies

When considering potential tenants, it’s important to check their financial stability. You want to ensure their business is doing well and has growth plans.

Don’t set a rent that could potentially hurt their business. Make sure they can afford and maintain the rent payments, which helps to protect your property’s value.

• Conduct detailed checks to confirm they can reliably pay rent.
• Interact respectfully, making them comfortable while explaining the importance of reviewing their financial health. This step benefits both of you.

Business Model Evaluation:

When looking at prospective tenants, enquire about their past business performance and growth plans. Analyse their business model to see if it’s sustainable and aligns with your property’s vision.

Having discussions with potential tenants is important as it can reveal aspects of their business they might have overlooked.

While established businesses provide stability, it’s also beneficial to support new businesses. Even though startups come with certain risks, they can bring innovative and fresh ideas to your property.

Background and Reference Checks:

Make sure to conduct extensive background and reference checks to look into a tenant’s rental history. Get references from previous landlords or business partners to ensure the tenant’s history matches your property’s needs.

Selecting suitable tenants and creating an environment that contributes to their success helps reduce the likelihood of constant tenant turnover. This strategy benefits the businesses and enhances long-term value and stability.

Use Incentives to Attract & Retain Quality Tenants

There are several incentives you can offer to attract and retain quality tenants.

Tenant Improvement Allowance:

Tenant Improvement Allowance provides tenants with a budget to make customised improvements to the space. It empowers them to personalise and enhance their setup, increasing their commitment to staying long-term.

Tenants who already have a decent setup find this incentive particularly appealing. Investing in their space improves its appearance and functionality, fostering a stronger sense of ownership. This incentive attracts quality tenants and cultivates a positive landlord-tenant relationship, benefiting both parties.

Rent Discounts:

Consider offering rent discounts as a strategy to attract and retain quality tenants. For example, provide a rent-free period or reduced rent during the initial months. This helps tenants establish their businesses without immediate financial obligations. By doing this you can increase tenant commitment and maintain the value of your property.

Flexible Lease Terms:

Offering shorter or flexible leases could be a game-changer for your property. It’s a win-win for you and small businesses or start-ups, who often prefer this arrangement. They can test the waters without a long-term commitment while keeping your property occupied and vibrant.

The key to this successful arrangement is building relationships with your tenants. Communicate effectively, showing genuine interest and support for their business. This kind of engagement can make all the difference when securing long-term leases later on.

Remember, the legal aspect is just as important. Having all agreements reviewed by a lawyer is a must to protect everyone’s interests. Your willingness to provide legal clarity gives your tenants the assurance they need to commit to a longer lease in the future.

Understanding the Local Area

Understand the local area, review zoning restrictions and consult with professionals like town planners or the local council to determine the property’s allowed uses.

Keeping up with changes in demographics, culture, and other factors can lead to fresh ideas and opportunities for your property.

The local council’s economics section provides valuable insights into shopping trends and why residents might leave the area. Use this information to assess your property’s potential in filling market gaps and retaining the local population.

Collaborating with stakeholders allows you to leverage existing resources and gain support from planning entities, saving you from starting from scratch.

Adapt your Property to Market Demands Through Change of Use

To adapt your property to market demands through change of use, consider the following:

• Stay informed about emerging trends and demands in the commercial real estate market through market trend analysis.
• Check local zoning laws and regulations to ensure compliance and understand what changes you can make.
• Conduct a comprehensive financial analysis to weigh the costs of the change against potential revenue gains.
• Invest in necessary renovations to tailor the property for its new intended use.
• Rebrand and market the property to attract tenants that align with the new use and meet market demands.

By considering these factors, you can ensure that your property enhancements bring value and contribute to the success of your investment.

Change of Use Case Studies

We have three amazing case studies that show the inventive ways we’ve helped clients transform their properties and maximise their occupancy.

For all the juicy details, be sure to watch the full video recording.

Case Study 1 – Office to Airbnb Apartment

When a Melbourne-based client was burdened by a hefty office lease, we devised an ingenious solution: convert part of their office space into a profitable Airbnb apartment. This eased their financial strain and added to their income!

Case Study 2 – Upstairs Storage into Leased-out Office and Meeting Space

A successful restaurant was dealing with disproportionate lease costs. Their solution? Transforming their unused upstairs storage space into an attractive office and meeting area. Thanks to the prime location, it was soon snapped up by eager tenants.

Case Study 3 – Pub Accommodation to Office and Consulting Suites

In a town starving for modern office spaces, the owners of a traditional country pub saw an opportunity. They overhauled part of their premises into chic office suites while transforming the bottle shop into a thriving drive-through coffee shop. The result was a remarkable, well-executed makeover that hit the local sweet spot.

If you are ready to unlock your property’s full potential?

You don’t have to navigate the complexities of maximising occupancy and transforming your commercial property alone.

Remember, we’re here to help you succeed in the world of commercial real estate. 

If you have any questions – book a no obligation 15-minute chat with one of our experts at Revolve Commercial. In this call, we’ll address your questions and map out what your potential next steps are to growing your wealth portfolio.

Don’t wait – book your free call today