| u've got money to invest in property, there's more than | | | | Companies that use warehousing will need excellent |
| one option open to you. | | | | transport links, plus lots of cheap space. Whereas a |
| You mostly hear about people buying a house, doing it | | | | business that has lots of staff and clients visiting the |
| up and then selling it on or renting it out. | | | | premises will be more interested in a smart looking |
| But you could also do the same with property abroad. | | | | building and plenty of parking spaces. |
| Or an increasingly popular way to make money is by | | | | The trick is to find a balance between the likely cost of |
| renting property to businesses. | | | | the premises, the features of the building and the |
| New research by lenders Mortgage Trust shows | | | | location. |
| more than one in four landlords are looking to get into | | | | Next up you should look at the infrastructure on offer. |
| corporate rents, which includes commercial buildings as | | | | A building will have more appeal if it has modern |
| well as leasing domestic properties to executives who | | | | network cabling in place, plus a good security system. |
| have moved from other parts of the UK. | | | | The building should already have smoke detectors and |
| At the start of 2007, that figure was just 14 per cent | | | | other safety features such as fire extinguishers, as |
| according to its research. Now it stands at 27%. | | | | these are required by law. |
| Much of this growing interest is because you can | | | | One smart tip that will help you maximize your profits |
| make more money renting property in this way, | | | | from renting property to businesses is to look at how |
| especially if you can afford to buy a commercial | | | | you can make better use of the space you have |
| building. | | | | bought. For example, if you have a tall building, could |
| Businesses tend to demand high standards. And if you | | | | you install a mezzanine floor to double the floor space |
| can provide, they will pay handsomely for it. | | | | available? |
| On top of higher rents, a company is much more likely | | | | Is there wasted space in the loft or associated |
| to stay in a building for a longer period of time. If you | | | | outbuildings that can be converted? The more floor |
| think how much hassle it is for you to move house, it's | | | | space you have, the more monthly rent you will get. |
| ten times the pain for a business. | | | | It will be harder to do this work if you buy the building |
| When your tenant does move, they are less likely to | | | | with tenants already in. If the building is empty it will be |
| do a runner than people renting property might do, | | | | easier, plus you can throw the cost of improvements |
| leaving you with a mess to sort out. This is true for | | | | into any borrowing you are doing to fund the purchase |
| domestic as well as commercial rents. And businesses | | | | price. |
| are more likely to put the building back to the state it | | | | Finally, before you shell out for your building, find a |
| was when they moved in. | | | | commercial estate agent you trust to work with you |
| Some landlords hope that down the line they can sell | | | | as a partner. Not only will they offer plenty of advice |
| their investment property to the tenants. | | | | on the best way to get a good monthly income from |
| If you are interested in buying a commercial building as | | | | the building, but they may act as a property finder for |
| an investment, you need to approach it a little | | | | other businesses – matching renters with |
| differently to when you are renting property | | | | tenants. |
| domestically. | | | | This could be a powerful weapon for you in marketing |
| First off you must look very carefully at the location of | | | | your new commercial building, and getting tenants |
| your potential investment, and consider the type of | | | | renting property quickly. |
| business that might rent it from you. | | | | |