Founder's Guide to SF Office Space

• Hot Desk: $29/day+, $275/mo+
• Floating Desk: $550+/mo
• Dedicated Desk: $800+/mo
• Office Suite: $850+ per person/mo
• Office Space: Ranges from $55 - $88 per square foot (approx. 175 square feet required per person)
• Pro Tip: Monthly Rate = ( total square feet x price per square foot ) / 12‍
• SF Office Rent Q4 2022 Snap Shot

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.