Recently, one of our Solutions Forum members negotiated a much larger space, and it reminded us of a blogpost that appeared on entrepreneur.com on what one should look for.
The big item these days is TI’s (tenant improvements), typically modifications to the space that you need. Landlords will get them done, normally at no charge, but in exchange for a longer lease term. The article says expect construction allowances, but in our experience, landlord pays in today’s weak commercial rental market.
Also, and this can’t be stressed enough, make sure you understand completely what you’re paying for, vs. what the landlord is paying for. If you have a ‘triple net’ lease (the most common), you might even be paying for a portion of property taxes, in addition to gas, electric and water.
Here’s the link to the article: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226159