Commercial real estate website checklist: 14 things tenants and buyers check before they call

A property website has one job: let the tenant or buyer pre-qualify the space without a call, so they arrive ready to visit and negotiate. When a site leaves out the location, the plans, the price or what’s actually available, people phone to ask, or move on to a property that answers them. This checklist comes from our work on warehouse, light industrial and industrial park projects. Most of it applies to any commercial property.

The checklist

1. The exact location and how to get there

Not just the city: the address, a map, and the access roads and highways trucks and staff will use. «Where exactly is it?» is one of the first questions tenants ask when a site doesn’t say.

2. A drone video of the property and its surroundings

Video is the strongest single piece of content for a warehouse. Drone footage shows the site, the buildings and the area around them, so a tenant sees quality space, not an abandoned industrial zone.

3. Available space, kept current

Show which units or blocks are free at each location. On our industrial park projects this was an interactive site plan with every available section and its status, with the same units listed under the map for anyone who doesn’t want to use the map. Connect it to your CRM so availability updates without anyone editing the site by hand.

4. Floor plans and unit sizes

Square footage, layouts and how units can be combined or divided. Tenants request plans by phone when they can’t find them.

5. A price, at least «from»

Without a price, fewer people get in touch. Show the rate, or at least a starting rate. Tenants know their budgets: someone looking for Class A space knows roughly what it costs, and someone looking for cheap Class C space will filter themselves out.

6. The building specs tenants always ask about

• clear ceiling height (always asked);
• electrical power supplied to the unit;
• an overhead crane, if there is one;
• dock doors and their number (standard in the US, so they rarely set you apart, but they belong on the page);
• zoning;
• security.

7. Specs for the tenant’s product

What matters depends on what the tenant stores or makes:

• whether a temperature is maintained, and which;
• for cold storage, a different set of parameters altogether;
• for pharmaceutical companies, the licenses the facility holds;
• rooms that can be used for other purposes, such as offices or production.

See how we cover cold storage and pharmaceutical warehouses.

8. A page or offer for each tenant type

A logistics operator, a manufacturer and a distributor choose space by different criteria. On MLP’s portfolio we built a separate offer for transportation, pharmaceutical and retail tenants; IC Park had separate messages for production, logistics and distribution buyers.

9. For a project still under construction: why buy now

If you sell or lease before completion, show the project itself, what entering early gives (the pick of units, the construction-stage price) and the financing available at this stage.

10. Who is behind the project

The developer’s delivered projects and track record. A buyer committing to space that isn’t built yet wants proof you finish what you start.

11. A brochure for brokers

Brokers are one more sales channel. Give them a general presentation they can download and send to clients; commission terms are discussed one to one, not on the site.

12. A short inquiry form

Ask what you need to answer properly: the area needed, the term, the type of business, contact details and the company’s legal name (its registered LLC).

13. A reply within five minutes

Every minute without an answer lowers the chance the inquiry turns into a lease. Route inquiries to whoever can answer at once, and track every call and form.

14. A 3D tour, last

A 3D tour is a nice extra, not a priority. Tenants usually book a visit anyway once the location, specs, visuals and price fit.

Where property websites lose tenants most often

• No price, so the inquiries that do come in are from people who can’t afford the space.
• No building specs, so every serious tenant has to call to ask about ceiling height and power.
• Availability that’s out of date, so tenants ask about units that are gone.
• Beautiful renders with no sales layer. A buyer can admire the picture, but without plans and prices nobody buys.
• Rates that ignore the market. If rates dropped over the last six months and the site still asks the old rate, space sits empty. If demand rose and the rate didn’t, you fill up fast and lose profit. Watch the market and your competitors, and keep the site current.

What this looks like on real projects

• IC Park, light industrial park: 248,000 sq ft sold in the first 8 months, before construction finished, with every unit on a live availability map. See the case
• MLP, Class A warehouses: 97% occupancy, a record in the company’s history, with a separate offer for each tenant segment. See the case
• Kosmos Logistic, warehouse complex: 129,000 sq ft let in three months. See the case

How to use the checklist

Open your property website on a phone and go through the 14 points as a tenant would. Anything a tenant would have to call to find out is a lost lead or a wasted call. If you’re launching a new park or complex, plan these into the site from the start: see real estate marketing for developers.

Frequently asked questions

What should a commercial real estate website include?

The exact location and access, current availability, floor plans, a price or starting rate, the building specs tenants ask about (ceiling height, power, cranes, docks, zoning), video of the property, a short inquiry form and a fast reply.

Should a developer show lease rates on the website?

Yes, at least a starting rate. Without a price, fewer tenants get in touch, and the ones who do may not fit your budget.

Is a 3D tour worth it for a warehouse or industrial property?

It’s a nice extra. A drone video of the property and its surroundings does more; tenants usually visit in person once the specs and price fit.

What should a leasing inquiry form ask?

The area needed, the lease term, the type of business, contact details and the company’s legal name.

How fast should you reply to a leasing inquiry?

Within five minutes. The chance of a lease drops with every minute the inquiry waits.