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Business Garages for Rent: How to Locate, Select, & Lease

Published: 08-10-23 Category: Leasing/Renting

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Whether you need extra storage space or more room to conduct business activities, a business garage for rent can be the solution. Commercial garages are perfect for businesses that need a customizable, enclosed space for whatever purpose. Many famous businesses, like Apple, Amazon, and HP, got started in garages.

If you've never looked for commercial space for rent before, it can be hard to know where to start. Here, we'll provide some tips on how to find the right business garage for rent, covering business garage features, leases, and more.

Let's get started.

Should I Rent or Buy Garage Space?

Business Garages for Rent: How to Locate, Select, & Lease

It depends on whether you need flexibility or want complete control over the property.

Buying a commercial garage means you can do whatever you want with the garage space, including changing the floor plan and installing new fixtures and appliances. However, you'll be stuck with a piece of tangible property that takes time and effort to manage.

On the other hand, renting commercial space lets you stay flexible and mobile, at the expense of having less control. If you expect your business to undergo changes in the near future, you should probably rent a garage for convenience.

Where Can I Find a Garage for Rent?

The best place to find a garage for rent is through websites that post classified ads, such as:

Craigslist;
Gumtree;
PennSaver USA;
Sell.com; and,
Oodle.

MyEListing also has a comprehensive database of properties for sale across the country that includes free sales comps and demographic information. You can use the database for free to look for a garage to rent.

You can also search through social media to find commercial space for rent, like Facebook Marketplace. Messaging some of your contacts on social media may also be a viable option to find rentable garage space.

You can use peer-to-peer apps to find business garages for rent. For example, Spacer, Neighbor, and Stache are P2P platforms where you can find private parking and garage storage solutions.

Between managing your business and personal life, you may not have time to search for business garages for rent on your own. In that case, you can work with a commercial real estate broker. Brokers can help you parse rental agreements/leases and negotiate concessions like rent abatement or a tenant improvement allowance.

What to Look for in a Business Garage for Rent

When shopping around for commercial space for rent, be sure to think about the following considerations.

#1 – Location

How far away from your main business location is the garage? If you expect to visit the garage frequently, you need a space that's closer to your business headquarters. But if you just plan to use it for temporary storage and don't expect to be there often, you can rent something a bit further away.

#2 – Usage Restrictions

Most storage units and business garages for rent will limit what kind of activities you can perform in the space. Self-storage companies, for example, typically won't let you conduct extended business operations from within one of their units. Private garage owners might be more flexible and consider usage on a case-by-case basis. A private owner might also let you make improvements to the space.

#3 – Storage Restrictions

Most garages and storage units will have some kind of restrictions on what items you can store there. For instance, most garage owners won't let you store corrosive or flammable materials or perishable food items. Also, many garages won't let you store legal documents, like title deeds or currency.

#4 – Access Hours

Some garages have 24/7 availability while others might only allow access during certain hours. It's crucial you understand when you can and can't access your storage space. The last thing you'd want is to realize some critical document or piece of equipment is in the garage, but you can't access it.

#5 – Climate Control Options

Depending on your storage needs, you may need an insulated garage with climate control options. Sensitive materials, like documents or electronic components, may need a specific environment for security and preservation. Garages and storage containers with insulation and climate control options will be more expensive but higher quality.

How Much Does Garage Space for Rent Cost?

It depends heavily on the garage type, size, location, and amenities. Some cities and states are much more affordable when it comes to renting commercial space, garage space included.

If you want to rent a basic self-serve storage unit, it'll cost you about $180 a month, with a typical range between $140 and $200 a month. Higher-quality storage units with climate control options and more amenities can run over $300 a month.

Average costs for P2P garage rentals are trickier to nail down because they can vary widely. Based on listings from Neighbor, the average cost to rent a standard 20' x 10' garage in San Francisco, CA, seems to be anywhere between $300 and $500 a month. In contrast, a standard 20' x 10' garage in Austin, TX, runs between $75 and $200 a month.

How Do Business Garage Leases Work?

Garage rental agreements can differ depending on the type of garage and renter. Self-storage units typically have very simple rental agreements—you pay a monthly fee to get access to the unit and may have to pay an initial application fee.

Pretty much all self-storage agreements are short-term, month-to-month agreements, so you can decide whether you want to stay or leave at the end of the month.

Owners of private garages might have more elaborate lease agreements with longer lengths. If you are renting the garage with the purpose of using it as a secondary workspace for your business, you might have to sign a full commercial lease with the owner.

In that case, you can work with a commercial real estate agent to negotiate things like tenant improvement allowances or security deposit waivers.