Should you work with a broker?
Yes. Working with a broker is FREE for startups. The main benefits are
- You can delegate the search & it’s off your plate
- Access to off market deals
- They know what a good/bad deal looks like
- Helps you understand the terms of the deals
- Makes sure you don’t get ripped off & negotiates on your behalf
Who pays the broker?
- The landlord pays the broker. This is already baked into the market price. It’s easy to fall into the trap that if you don’t work with a broker you will get a better deal — this is likely not the case. The landlord is already going to have a broker representing the space itself, so if you show up without a broker then the representing broker will likely get paid more and also try to out negotiate you.
Common Pitfalls
Brokers can help you avoid common pitfalls, a few examples:
- Bad vendors
- Ensuring to handle IT/internet needs 30-45 days in advance of occupancy. Can’t tell you how many times we have seen companies lease an office and work hard to prepare it for occupancy, only to find out that they can’t occupy for another 2-3 weeks because they didn’t prepare IT/internet in advance
- Having ducks in a row as it relates to space planning & furniture needs. Furniture also can have an extended turnaround time (especially now) and needs to be planned for in advance
- Reviewing leases and calling out clauses that may be important down the road, such as renewal options, termination options, security deposit burn-downs, holdover, tenant improvements, etc.
Want an intro to a top broker in SF?
- We have worked with a handful of brokers in SF and have been most happy with my experience with Reuben Torenberg, First VP at CBRE. He has high integrity, is very well connected, and has 6+ years of experience working exclusively with startups in SF. He’s the best. There is no pressure to work with him after the intro and the cost is $0. Drop your email here and we will make the intro.
Disclaimer
This guide for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Companies should consult their own attorneys or tax accountants for advice on these issues. Because of the generality of the issues discussed in this piece, the information provided may not apply in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal or tax advice based on particular situations.
David is the CEO & Founder of Fondo (YC W18). He is an angel investor in Rippling, Flexport, LiquidDeath, and 100+ other startups. David began his career as an accountant at Deloitte before learning to code and becoming a founder. Previously, he was co-founder of Hackbright where 1,000+ software engineers have been trained and placed at tech companies including Slack, Disney, and Uber and was acquired by Capella Education NASDAQ: $CPLA in 2016.