With so many sources of information available on the web, searching for any type of real estate can be an overwhelming process. Searching for commercial real estate can prove particularly challenging, as residential property listings tend to dominate the overall real estate listing spectrum. Knowing where to look for the best sources of commercial real estate information is sometimes half the battle; therefore, our team has compiled the following list of top commercial property listing sites (in no particular order) to help focus your search for the best commercial real estate opportunities in Canada.

• REALTOR.ca/Commercial  (formerly MLS.ca and ICX.ca)

Owned and operated by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), REALTOR.ca is a site through which the public can browse properties, both residential and commercial, in the Multiple Listings Service (MLS®) system. The MLS® provides a database for licensed REALTORS® who are members of CREA and a local real estate board to share information about their clients’ properties with other REALTORS®. Not all listing information in the MLS® database is accessible to the public, however, so it is ideal to have a Commercial REALTOR® assist with finding property information.

• SpaceList.ca

SpaceList is Canada’s largest online listing database exclusive to commercial real estate, enabling REALTORS® and landlords to post office, land, retail, industrial, multifamily and even coworking property listings at no charge. Potential tenants and investors can search all of the listings on SpaceList for free, using search parameters such as location, price, size, lease type and building class. A Vancouver-based tech company established in 2012, SpaceList now boasts over 20,000 commercial real estate listings for sale and lease across Canada (Duggan, 2014).

• LoopNet.com

US-based LoopNet claims to be the “most heavily trafficked commercial real estate website, with over 5 million average monthly unique visitors” (LoopNet.com). The site provides listing information, primarily user-created, on commercial and industrial properties for sale and lease in both the US and Canada. Some, but not all, active listings on LoopNet are available to property searchers without “Premium Searcher Access,” which starts at $244.95/month.

LoopNet has a mobile app that property searchers in the US can use to locate commercial listings in their immediate area or nationally, but it is not available to mobile users in Canada. However, LoopNet also powers mobile apps specific to certain commercial real estate brokerages, such as RE/MAX Commercial, with which Canadian mobile users can search for commercial properties listed by the brokerage.

• CLSLink.ca

CLSLink.ca is British Columbia’s Commercial Real Estate MLS® listings site, containing commercial listing information from the MLS system on commercial properties, commercial REALTORS®, and real estate boards throughout BC. The main advantage of using this site to search the MLS system is that it provides a bit more extensive information on the commercial real estate industry specific to areas within the province of BC. For equivalent sites in other provinces, check with your local real estate board.

• Craigslist.org

As one of the highest traffic websites for buying and selling real estate in the world, Craigslist should be a stop on your search for commercial real estate. The site is more focused on residential listings (the section for office/commercial listings is under the “housing” category) but does provide a free source of commercial property listing information. As information can be posted anonymously, err on the side of caution by ensuring the advertiser is legally entitled to represent the property before pursuing it.
 
Consulting a Commercial REALTOR® on any commercial real estate properties listed online is the best way to ensure that a potential property aligns with your business and investment goals.
 
About CDW & Associates – RE/MAX Little Oak Realty, RE/MAX Commercial Real Estate
For over 26 years, Commercial REALTOR® Charles D. Wiebe and his team of associates have worked almost exclusively in the investment, commercial and industrial real estate market, providing the Fraser Valley of BC with industry-leading commercial real estate services. Connect with Charles and his team by clicking here.
 
References
Duggan, Evan. “SpaceList gives tenants, landlords new lease on life.” Vancouver Sun. 4 June 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2015. www.vancouversun.Com/Business/Spacelist+Gives+Tenants+
Landlords+Lease+Life/9904004/Story.Html
 
LoopNet.com. “Loopnet Quickstats: Traffic Summary.” Web.  11 Nov. 2015. www.loopnet.com/xNet/Mainsite/Marketing/About/TrafficSummary.asp

For a commercial property owner, selling a property— an office building, retail space, industrial warehouse, or any other type of commercial real estate—can be a true lesson in patience. On average, it can take one to two years for a commercial property to sell from start to finish. Many factors influence how quickly a property will sell; however, there are some simple enhancements an owner can make to a commercial property that can help speed along the sales process and sell the property for the best possible price.

• Clean—inside and out.

Property owners skip this step more often than you would think. Not only will an unclean space be visually unattractive to potential buyers, but businesses typically want the ability to move into a space quickly and easily without having to worry about cleaning up another business’ mess first. This adds additional expense for the buyer and delays them from conducting business at their new location.

• Paint.

Light, neutral colours typically work best in order for potential buyers to easily visualize their own business within the space. A strong colour that “makes a statement” may not necessarily align with the statement the potential buyer would like to make for itself in the space.

• Landscape.

One thing that highly influences the perceived value of any property, especially a commercial property, is its curb appeal—the attractiveness of the property’s exterior as seen from the street. No need to build a botanical garden or invest a lot of money here, but tidying up existing foliage and adding a few woodchips can be very beneficial.
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• Repair the parking lot.

A big contributor to a commercial property’s curb appeal is its parking lot. Putting a fresh coat of paint on parking lot lines and making a few repairs to holes and cracks can work wonders for a lot. If your lot requires a lot of repairs, think about repaving it completely as a large amount of repaired potholes and cracks, although improving the functionality of the lot, can look tacky.
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• Consider staging.

Although commercial real estate is typically shown vacant to easily showcase a space’s size and layout, properties that are more difficult to sell or are in areas with unique zoning requirements might benefit from some furniture, artwork, simulated computers, and other items presented in a way that would appeal to the types of businesses you are trying to target. Some of the companies that do home staging for residential real estate also do staging for commercial properties, so it might be worth looking into if your property has been on the market for a long time.
 
Most, if not all, of the items listed above come with some sort of financial investment, so it is always best to discuss preparations specific to your business with a Commercial REALTOR® first before making any final preparation decisions for your commercial property.
 
About CDW & Associates – RE/MAX Little Oak Realty, RE/MAX Commercial Real Estate
For over 26 years, Commercial REALTOR® Charles D. Wiebe and his team of associates have worked almost exclusively in the investment, commercial and industrial real estate market, providing the Fraser Valley of BC with industry-leading commercial real estate services. Connect with Charles and his team by clicking here.
 
References
Home Staging. "Commercial Property Staging." Web. 2 Nov. 2015. www.home-staging-home-stager.com/commercial-property-staging.html
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Tapp, Nicole. "Commercial Property In Real Estate Videos." SmartShoot 2015. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. www.smartshoot.com/blog/commercial-property-real-estate-videos