How to evaluate a ground-floor commercial property

Ground-floor retail is evaluated differently from office or upper-floor commercial space. Visibility, access and frontage often matter more than total area.

Start with the physical unit. Measure or obtain the carpet area, and keep it separate from the built-up area. Record the frontage in feet and note whether it is continuous or interrupted by columns. Check the floor level relative to the pavement, since a step-up affects accessibility and, for some formats, footfall.

Next, check the building. Confirm the permitted use in the building or society documentation, the signage rights attached to the unit, and the availability of services: power load, water, drainage and exhaust routing.

Finally, check the commercial position. Understand what is included in the quoted price or rent, what is charged separately, and what the possession timeline actually is. Where information has not been verified, it should be recorded as not provided rather than assumed.