Commercial property checklist

Before you start

• Write down the requirement: size range, use, budget ceiling, timing and the must-haves (rail, interstate access, sewer, parking, visibility).

  Corridor Fit and a broker search both start from this list.

  For: buying, leasing space (tenant)

• Shortlist two or three corridors with Corridor Fit and note who governs each one.

  Zoning, permits, hearing calendars and the business license all follow the jurisdiction.

  For: buying, leasing space (tenant)

• Get the parcel ID and confirm on the county GIS whether it is inside a city or in unincorporated Hall County.

  City of Gainesville, Hall County, Oakwood and Flowery Branch each run their own zoning and permits.

  For: everyone · Gainesville-Hall County GIS

• Agree in writing who your agent represents (Georgia brokerage agency disclosure).

  Georgia law requires brokerages to disclose whom they represent in a transaction.

  For: everyone · O.C.G.A. (FindLaw)

• Gather what buyers will ask for: deed, survey, zoning letter, tax bills, utility bills, any environmental reports, permits and certificates of occupancy, and (if leased) leases and rent roll.

  Having them ready shortens due diligence and avoids surprises.

  For: selling

• Write down the facts every listing should answer: jurisdiction, zoning district, sewer or septic, road frontage, flood zone, building size and year.

  These are the first questions buyers and tenants ask, and they can each be verified.

  For: selling, leasing out (owner)

The site and the building

• Order or gather a current boundary survey (ALTA/NSPS for most commercial loans).

  It shows the lines, easements, encroachments and access the title and lender rely on.

  For: buying, selling

• Look up the flood zone on the FEMA flood map.

  A mapped flood zone affects insurance, lending and where you can build.

  For: buying, leasing space (tenant), selling · FEMA

• Order a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment to the current ASTM standard.

  It is the usual way to meet the federal All Appropriate Inquiries rule and protect a buyer from inherited contamination.

  For: buying, selling · industrial, warehouse or flex, land, retail · U.S. EPA

• Search Georgia EPD's Hazardous Site Inventory for the parcel and its neighbours.

  Listed sites carry known contamination and cleanup history.

  For: buying · industrial, warehouse or flex, land · Georgia EPD

• Walk the site for streams and wetlands and note the state stream buffer.

  Buffers limit where you can clear and build.

  For: buying · land, industrial, warehouse or flex · Hall County UDC

• Confirm water and sewer availability and capacity with the provider in writing.

  Sewer decides what can be built on many Hall County parcels; listings often say "all utilities except sewer".

  For: buying, leasing space (tenant) · industrial, warehouse or flex, land, retail, office or medical office · City of Gainesville

• Ask the electric provider what service (amps, phase, voltage) the building has and what an upgrade would take.

  Manufacturing and cold storage can outgrow a building's service.

  For: buying, leasing space (tenant) · industrial, warehouse or flex

• List the building specs you need answered: clear height, dock and drive-in doors, truck court depth, trailer parking, sprinklers, floor load, office share.

  These decide whether a warehouse works for your operation; ask for them in writing.

  For: leasing space (tenant), buying · industrial, warehouse or flex

• Check access and visibility: curb cuts, signal or median breaks, parking count, frontage and sign position.

  Retail lives on how easily customers can see the site and turn in.

  For: leasing space (tenant), buying · retail

• Check parking, accessibility (ADA route, restrooms, elevator), after-hours access and, for medical use, plumbing and ventilation.

  Medical and client-facing offices have needs a standard office may not meet.

  For: leasing space (tenant), buying · office or medical office

Zoning, permits and approvals

• Ask the governing jurisdiction for a zoning verification (or certification) letter for the parcel.

  It confirms the current district in writing; cities ask for it before building permits, sign permits and business licenses.

  For: everyone · City of Gainesville

• Check that your exact use is allowed in that zoning district, or what approval it would need (rezoning, special use, conditional use, variance).

  A use that is not permitted means a hearing, a calendar and an uncertain outcome.

  For: buying, leasing space (tenant), leasing out (owner) · Hall County

• If a rezoning is needed, map the filing deadline and the hearings with the Rezoning Calendar and build them into the contract's due-diligence period.

  Hearing dates are set by each board; missing a deadline can push a decision back a month or more.

  For: buying · land, industrial, warehouse or flex

• For a large project, check whether it crosses the Development of Regional Impact thresholds.

  Projects above the state's thresholds go through regional review before local approval.

  For: buying · land, industrial, warehouse or flex, retail · Georgia DCA

• Plan for the land disturbance permit and civil plan review before any grading or site work.

  Site work cannot start without it; review time adds to the schedule.

  For: buying · land, industrial, warehouse or flex, retail · Hall County Development Review

• If the land will be split or combined, plan for plat review.

  Subdividing or recombining parcels needs an approved plat.

  For: buying, selling · land · Hall County Development Review

• Check the sign rules and get a sign permit before ordering signage.

  Sign size and placement are set by the zoning code and need a permit.

  For: leasing space (tenant), leasing out (owner) · retail, office or medical office, industrial, warehouse or flex · City of Gainesville

• Find out whether your use needs a building permit and a certificate of occupancy before you open.

  A change of use or a build-out usually triggers permits and a final inspection.

  For: leasing space (tenant), buying · retail, office or medical office, industrial, warehouse or flex · Gainesville ULDC

Money, legal and closing

• Order a title search and commitment; review easements, restrictive covenants and any owners' association rules.

  Recorded covenants can restrict uses that zoning allows.

  For: buying, selling

• Budget for Georgia's real estate transfer tax and, if the purchase is financed with a long-term note, the intangible recording tax.

  Both are set by state law and paid at closing.

  For: buying, selling · Georgia DOR

• Look up the current property tax bill and the millage rates that apply to the parcel.

  In a net lease the tenant usually pays them; in a sale they set the carrying cost.

  For: buying, leasing space (tenant), leasing out (owner) · Hall County

• Agree the lease structure in writing: term and renewals, who pays taxes, insurance and maintenance (gross or net), tenant improvements, escalations and the use clause.

  Two leases at the same quoted rate can cost very different amounts.

  For: leasing space (tenant), leasing out (owner)

• If the property is leased, collect copies of every lease, rent roll and tenant estoppel certificates.

  A buyer of a leased building is buying the leases.

  For: buying, selling · retail, office or medical office, industrial, warehouse or flex

• Read the commission terms in your listing agreement; Georgia has a commercial real estate broker lien law.

  A broker with a signed agreement can record a lien for an unpaid commission on commercial property.

  For: selling, leasing out (owner) · O.C.G.A. (FindLaw)

Moving in or handing over

• Apply for the business license (occupation tax certificate) with the governing city or the county.

  Which office issues it depends on whether the address is inside a city.

  For: leasing space (tenant), buying · retail, office or medical office, industrial, warehouse or flex · City of Gainesville

• Confirm the space's certificate of occupancy, life-safety systems and what a tenant may change without your consent.

  Tenants will need permits in their own name; your building must be ready for them.

  For: leasing out (owner)

• Book a consultation before you sign anything: a broker for the market side, an attorney for the contract, an engineer or contractor for the building.

  This checklist organises the questions; licensed professionals answer them.

  For: everyone